Sustaining Membership Vs. Regular Membership....a discussion

[Patmo]

Now that march is here, it is almost time for me to renew my membership.  And I think I'm going to switch to a Sustaining Membership this time.  This is why....


A regular membership is 39.00 per year
A sustaining membership is 65.00 per year


A difference of 26.00


BUT....with a sustaining membership I get ONE FREE Bike Raffle ticket....a 10.00 value...........AND 10% OFF of any RALLY FEES


so I look at how that adds up...


STAR alone saves 8.00 and each additional full blown rally saves 3.00 each


STAR and 2 Regional Rallies would save me 14.00


10.00 (raffle ticket) and 14.00 (raffle fee savings) equals 24.00.....at that point it is almost a wash    (26.00 v24.00)


Of course if I go with the 3 year renewable it is even a better savings!  So I might even go that way.


IF I plan to do STAR and a couple of regional events every year, I can't see any reason not to go to the sustaining level.


What say you?

[NinjaBob]

Your logic is impeccable. I was a sustainer for a few years before I became a lifer

[stevegrab]

Have heard that before when talking to some sustaining members. Others simply had the "I want to do more, if I get a little more back great" attitude. Similar to those members that stay in the club during periods where they don't ride or participate in other ways.
I've considered it but never done it, my frugality holds me back.

FYI  we should look at updating the sustaining member benefit info in Blue Book, at the beginning of the Sustaining Members list, it mentions $10 STAR Bucks coupon and 10% off Gear Box or MSTA event fees, nothing about the free bike raffle ticket (maybe that replaced the $10 STAR Bucks).

[Landon]

I'm a lifer so I don't have to make these difficult decisions.

[Brick]

Back in the dark ages when I was heavily involved with the administration of the MSTA we had this disucssion. As with everything there are two sides to everything.

To the member the best "deal" is to become a Life member as soon as you join and then live a long life.

To the club the best benefit was to have a member become a Sustaining member and for one year at a time.

I did this as a way of giving a bit more to the club... However, I did use the $10 STARbuck and I often used my discount at the Country Store and on all the events I attended.

I'll be renewing as a Sustaining member even without the STARbucks and without the Country Store discount.

 
Brick

[Ride4MS]

When I look at the membership registration, it looks like Member of Household still needs to pay $10.00 per year, or $25.00 for three years when regular member joins as Sustaining or Life Member.  Is that correct?  Was the thought that the Member of Household/Spouse would not stay in the same household forever?  Such as divorce or loose interest in cycles?


Maybe this needs to be revisited, in hopes of trying to get both members in the house to stay members longer, or as Lifers.


As 16 year Regular and Member of Household, I wish we had done the Life Membership when I first joined in 2002.

[Patmo]

When I look at the membership registration, it looks like Member of Household still needs to pay $10.00 per year, or $25.00 for three years when regular member joins as Sustaining or Life Member.  Is that correct?  Was the thought that the Member of Household/Spouse would not stay in the same household forever?  Such as divorce or loose interest in cycles?


Maybe this needs to be revisited, in hopes of trying to get both members in the house to stay members longer, or as Lifers.


As 16 year Regular and Member of Household, I wish we had done the Life Membership when I first joined in 2002.

I’m not sure about this, but.....I kinda thought that the reason for the MOH Membership was so a spouse/child could attend STAR or another event with the regular member, without having to pay for a full membership themselves?

Just got a list of members that have fallen off the roles from 2014-2016 and there are several examples of spouses and children that fit that description.  In my own situation, my wife was listed as a MOH so that she could attend STAR in Vermont with me, but had no opportunity to attend STAR in Colorado Springs or any other events last year, so we didn’t renew her membership.  Don’t know yet about La Crosse, so that may change again this year.  I imagine a lot of members are in this same situation.

[DirtFlier]

[...I'll be renewing as a Sustaining member even without the STARbucks and without the Country Store discount...Brick]

You've been away too long.  The Country Store and its discount departed about the same time as the Honda Pacific Coast!   

[Ride4MS]

My wife and I have both been members for 16 years, and have only been to STAR in Ark, and Colo Springs.  Of course we will be at La Crosse.  We never had the time before.


There is an advantage to both husband and wife being a member... both can submit receipts to Dan Clark Safety Program. Of course the receipts can ONLY be for the person that the item is for, and they also have to be a member at the time of purchase and at the time of the drawing of receipts, such as Feb. of following year. 


And now as the Dan Clark Safety Program Coordinators, we adhere to an unwritten guideline that was handed down to Denise and I, by the previous Coordinator, Ken Murray.  We do not submit any receipts, while we are the Coordinators of the program.  By doing that, we cannot show any favoritism to our selves, when there is a drawing because of receipts totaling more than the amount available.

But, we still are honored to be the Coordinators of this great program in memory of Dan Clark.

A BIG Thank You goes to Dan's family for starting this program and donating $500.00 to the fund every year in his memory.

[STLTHMSTA]

I was a sustaining member for a few years. But I realized I was getting far more from the club than I was paying in and I wanted to do more. I also felt that it would be cool to become a Lifer as I have in the AMA and GWRRA. Let's call that a Triple Play or a Hat Trick or whatever. It also makes it simple, I don't have to renew ever again. I plan on riding as long as possible and attend something somewhere whenever I can.


I even had a bazaar thought, what if I were to become the first Eternal Member?? What is that you ask?? It's something I just made up. If you renew your LIFE MEMBERSHIP you could become an Eternal Member!! Why? Just to show what this club has meant to me, I could do something really different. And there it is.


Soooooooo, having said all that I'm laying out a challenge. If we can get 5 members to up the ante up and upgrade their membership to a Lifer I will "renew" my life membership for the benefit of the club and it's members to say thanks. I don't even know how much that is right now and please don't mention this to my better half, LOL.  I have spent more that that on stupid things I didn't need so what the hell. I got a CC and I ain't afraid to use it.


Patmo, I trust you will help me keep track of this. Whadda ya say members?? This could be the best investment you've made in a long time.  Send me a message that you intend to do this and I will check with the Membership Director to make sure it went through, I will then keep a count. Sincerely, TM

[Brick]

Now that’s truly an amazing offer! Tom you are too cool! Crazy but extremely cool!

Brick


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Patmo]

Well some of you young whippersnappers have more life left than some of us others......   You punk you!  LOL

Great idea Tom!  I may just accept that challenge!

[Iguana Joe]

Wow Tom, That is a great idea! Along the lines of the initial discussion, I was a basic member when I first joined, and later a sustaining member before there was a life Membership. I always felt being a Sustaining member made me a little more vested in the club, and the perks were kinda cool. The thing is I never actually used the perks, because the best perk was just being a member. Then I made the decision to become a Lifer, and finally pulled the trigger on that in South Dakota ( 3 years into a 5 year sustaining membership) at STAR. I also signed Anita up as a 5 year MOH member at that time.

So Tom, since I like your idea, I am gonna put my money where my mouth is as well, To sweeten the pot for your Eternal Membership, I will offer a counter challenge, if we get 10 members to upgrade their memberships to lifer I will also renew my life membership, so 5 for you and 5 for me.

Anyone else in??

Iggy Joe

[STLTHMSTA]

You Da man!, Joe. Thanks for joining the challenge. I like your vested comment, that describes it a little better than I did.
So friends, here we have it. I wish more members were on the forum to read this and have a chance to think about it.
A little recruiting wouldn't hurt just to make me pay it !!   I'm way too old to get the $ benefit out of this, it's the people benefit that makes it worth it.  TM

[doug mcpeek]

Tom, I read this post and your pledge just minutes after upgrading to sustaining member.  Lifer I don't know about.