Value..

General purpose topics/chat goes in here
Locked
matchbart
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat May 06, 2017 3:17 pm
Location: north east

Value..

Post by matchbart »

As it is coming up to membership renewal time for many motorcycle club membership I foolishly had a look at costs... for the four clubs I am in i pay a total of £105 !! this is more than my annual insurance premium, something has to go, the best value in £ terms is the MGOC at £20 which includes a glossy comic occasionally that takes seconds to read ( as most of them do) , second best value and most sensible is this club , sensible, as the glossy comic need not be posted and can be read digitally which is much better value at £22, then you have the vmcc with their black mask on asking £37 and they also have the option to read comic without having it posted but no reduction in fee (I have asked vmcc about this, waiting for an answer) then there is my local club for vintage vehicles, which sends out a monthly comic that actually has some good reading (as some of the others do) and a monthly meeting that I can get to ....£26

I commend this club for having the sense to allow `digital` membership as an option, hopefully others will follow suit, meanwhile I have to decide which of the other clubs have to go, difficult decision, but probably the vmcc..
User avatar
Rob Harknett
Member
Posts: 11236
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: ESSEX UK

Re: Value..

Post by Rob Harknett »

Clubs are becoming more expensive & more complicated to run than days of old. A club magazine used to eat up most of the subscription fee. Digital cheaper? Is it? The club needs an expensive system to make it available. The member needs some expensive kit to receive it. These hidden costs must be considered. There are still many club members that do not want to invest £100's in equipment, being still quite happy and prefer a paper magazine. Rising membership costs, in part, are down to the club membership not helping anymore to assist in running their club. They are no longer willing to give freely their time. I am a member of one international club that has kept the running of the club to the basic needs. Membership fee's just over £5 a year.
matchbart
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat May 06, 2017 3:17 pm
Location: north east

Re: Value..

Post by matchbart »

If digital isn`t cheaper as you suggest, why does the club offer it ? what does it cost the club to post the magazine ? then the is the cost to the environment, my vmcc mag and guzzi mag sometimes don`t even get opened, they go straight in the recycling bin, I can read the vmcc journal on line before it arrives in the post. Also most people that have asked for digital copies already have `expensive kit` they don`t just buy it to read a comic... also I am not saying the paper mag should be stopped just that the option is a GOOD thing
User avatar
Janet
Member
Posts: 4147
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1996 12:00 am
Location: EAST YORKSHIRE UK

Re: Value..

Post by Janet »

Digital membership is cheaper mainly because of the lack of postage and printing costs of the Jampot. The cost of all the other outgoings of the club are divided up across the whole membership. Even if we all took a digital copy, these costs would still be incurred.

I prefer to read a paper copy ( I like 'proper' books, too.) but I can see why other people prefer digital, especially those with phone/tablet etc who can access wi-fi wherever they go.

Think of the cost of your clubs another way. Up near where you live, £105 is less than a pint of beer* a week, or half a pint for southerners. ;)

*other drinks are available
Image
matchbart
Posts: 90
Joined: Sat May 06, 2017 3:17 pm
Location: north east

Re: Value..

Post by matchbart »

Still waiting for a reply from VMCC...

Janet...Sam Smiths OB ii my local is £2 a pint so your pretty close, some left for a packet of crisps !!
User avatar
Harry44
Member
Posts: 279
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 5:26 pm
Location: SOMERSET UK

Re: Value..

Post by Harry44 »

I'm in three clubs. This one obviously and a rugby club who made me president when I was no longer allowed to play and the "old feckers" a local casual club where the membership criteria is to have ridden bikes for a long time and frequented a couple of biker friendly pubs several decades ago. The latter two cost me nothing outside of the occasional round of drinks.

As to publications I only access the internet on a PC which is not convenient to take to the quiet room where I do most of my reading. :)
si is does non opportunus vos postulo a maior pango
User avatar
Merlin
Member
Posts: 3683
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 2001 12:00 am
Location: BLACKPOOL UK

Re: Value..

Post by Merlin »

British Two Stroke Club bi-monthly Mag £15 not bad if you run a smoker. :D
Chemists do it with test tubes
pkr87
Posts: 592
Joined: Thu May 06, 2004 1:00 am
Location: KENT UK

Re: Value..

Post by pkr87 »

matchbart wrote:Still waiting for a reply from VMCC...

Janet...Sam Smiths OB ii my local is £2 a pint so your pretty close, some left for a packet of crisps !!
If a pint of beer in your local costs £2 why are so many people moving 'darn sowf'? where we pay nearly double that for our beer. Club 'subs' are the same though.
Locked