Paid Services or Free with help...

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Hey, how about a one week FREE subscription to any new potential Members including everything, the whole smear? And a cut rate on the first full month. That way they can try us out and get HOOKED just like I did. I think that would work, a FREE TRIAL subscription.
Norman:D
 
Doesn't seem like there will be much motivation for those who are very experienced and know the market well (or who are very lucky) to stay vested if they have to pay. It seems like only those of us (like me) who need help will be motivated but then because the more experienced ones will be dropping out, there will be no one (or few) for us to learn from so then, the result is that the site will be simply for those who want to blindly follow ebb or Fred or Tom (or maybe shark?) and not for those who want to learn, seems counter to what the site has been - almost 180 degrees.

I understand the capitalistic motivation and don't resent it but call it like it is, the charter for this site will change drastically and for many of us, not too much incentive to pay.

Thanks Tom for allowing me to at least have a few months to learn. It has truly been invaluable and though my returns don't show it, I believe I can manage just as well without paying. Though I may change my mind...not sure yet.
 
Seriously though, anyone who comes to this site with deep pockets will spend a year, at least, in the lurking mode before money is placed on the thin blue line. Common sense will dictate that a learning process is necessary and certainly mandatory. Anyone with shallow pockets that wants to ride has not put much at stake and will not suffer much indignity. Once involved in investing for retirement it becomes a life time endeavor because you can most assuredly increase your net worth dramatically. But as most of us know and have experienced there is danger around every bend - learning how to handle that danger is half the battle. A pay service would be welcomed and rewarding for some folks - but for me there still exists a multitude of other ways for me to lose money. I'll remain a contrarian and independent of thought and practice. I will still post because when I post I still learn and there is plenty I have to learn yet. Before I'm finished I'd like to be acquainted with the nest egg that member White had accumulated - somewhere in the vicinity of $20M. And yes I am a dreamer but I got the base to earn so come on Elliott. Learn before you churn.
 
nnuut said:
I reallly don't think the experianced Members will leave for $10 - $15 a month. It will be as it is now, not all will agree with the pay service allocations and will be more than willing to explain why. We have to get the newbies hooked though!!
http://www.tsptalk.com/mb/showpost.php?p=113211&postcount=123
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For the record: Count me IN either way, pay or free.

I don't exactly remember when I first found TSPTalk's website, before registering as a member in Oct-2006. Soon after, I subscribed to the newsletter at the $19.95/monthly rate, thinking it would be worth that price for a month or so, to get the big picture.

Two months later, in January-2007, the subscription was discontinued because I concluded that the most important, useful information came from the member's discussions and opinions, and from tracking the results of their various and unique trading moves. Not to imply that the newsletters and access to Rev Shark's commentaries became any less interesting, but just not valuable enough to me to merit the expense. But, that was last January...

Since January, Trader Fred and the Ebbchart have appeared, adding even more resources to TSPTalk. Access to these features, especially the Ebbchart, is valuable to me because of my freshman experience in trading funds within my account and with financial markets in general. My returns don't show it yet because I'm still in the learning mode, but I'm fairly confident that I can improve my TSP balance eventually with the help of these important tools.

I renewed my subscription last week (at the six-months rate to save a few bucks) because I felt as though I had been taking advantage of the Tom's generosity. Hobby or whatever, I know that running this website has got to be expensive, so for as long as I continue to enjoy and benefit from it, I will continue to be a paying member.

Offering a "trial" membership for a short time period seems like a good and customary idea to me.

"Money does not grow on trees", and "You usually get what you pay for". Those two old clichés sound slightly contradictory, but they both make sense to me.
 
Hi all,

I have decided to come out of lurking to put my 2 cents in. I just recently started following ebb's moves early last month (august) and I am thoroughly impressed with his system. I have actually been visiting this site since I first discovered it while deployed in the desert last November, and began "lurking" around the boards upon my return to the states in February.

This site has furthered my fledgling investment knowledge ten-fold, whether it be from Tom, ebb, or some random poster on these boards. For that I am willing to pay a reasonable price from my modest E-4 paycheck :D. I just wonder if this would be a subscription based system for say a year at a time? The reason I ask, is for those months that TDY's come up or I go back to the desert and I have a hard time accessing the information on a regular basis. It would kind of blow if I still had to pay that monthly payment while I'm deployed and unable to access this site.

Anyway, while I would much rather this site enjoy prosperous growth the free way, I do understand that the amazing efforts by those that contribute to this site must not go un-payed.
 
I left the gov't in late 2004 to worship the golden calves of Raytheon. So my potential for spreading info on the tools available here is limited. I've told some of my past co-workers / friends about tsptalk but most seem content to leave their money in the G fund.

I often wonder if they realize how much potential the TSP has and if they are really aware of how much it figures into their total retirement package (assuming they are with FERS - a few of my friends are still CSRS).
 
Dr Faustus said:
...most seem content to leave their money in the G fund.
Click to expand...
I went to FERS/CSRS retirement training at my work and the person presenting said one of the most surprising things they've found is the high percentage of people who leave their money in the G-Fund. No matter where in the country they present or to what agency. We have a lot of work to do in spreading the word.
 
falconbws said:
I have decided to come out of lurking to put my 2 cents in.
Click to expand...
Welcome falcombws! Thanks for jumping in.

falconbws said:
I just wonder if this would be a subscription based system for say a year at a time?
Click to expand...

It will probably be set up just like the current TSP Timing subscription which is, monthly payments that can be cancelled any time. So you can get it for 2 months, take a month off, start it again, etc.

Or a six-month subscriptions for a 10% discount. I haven't explored the 1-year advanced payment yet.

falconbws said:
Anyway, while I would much rather this site enjoy prosperous growth the free way, I do understand that the amazing efforts by those that contribute to this site must not go un-payed.
Click to expand...
Exactly. I wish my $1.60 medium cup of coffee I get every morning at the coffee shop was free, but they probably wouldn't stay in business too long.

Thanks again,
Tom
 
Honestly Tom....I'd be willing to pay you a fee for having the site and Ebb a fee for sharing his great model with us.

Don't even need a "fee". If you'll show me how to donate some to you and Ebb right now, I'll be glad to help out. I don't think I'm ahead this year in my TSP, but that's my fault. Obviously if I had of followed Ebb's predictions to the letter, I'd be way ahead.

However, I would still gladly reward you guys for your help to us all. The kindness you've shown in putting in the effort to keep this site going (and I'm sure it's a LOT of effort), and the knowledge you two share (and the many others in the forums) is greatly appreciated. I've not used the "tracker software" or anything else on the site(other than reading the forums) that has asked for a donation....I just mainly come here to see what you say and what Ebb is predicting, and occasionally read some on the forums. I would be one who would make the voluntary payment system work. You guys deserve it. Just let me know where I can send some payments now and then. I think most folks, like me, who have little to no knowledge of the stock market, nor the time, or desire to learn it, who see how much they can improve their own TSP from using this site, will surely be glad to share some of that with you?!? I would at least hope so.

I have spread the news around to a lot of folks. Why not have them share our good fortune in finding you?? But, I do see that most, by far, are happy to just let the funds sit in G, or ride long term scattered among the funds. Folks have so long "preached" that you can NOT make money trying to time the market, that they are sold to not switch around much at all. So, I don't know if you would ever get a very large following here at your site. But, those who do come will benefit.

Good luck in your decision. Either way, I'm in. Either way, I'll be glad to send a little money occasionally to help out. I retire in about 10 months, and will continue to "play" the TSP account after retirement.

Thanks!

Lobo
 
Thanks for the feedback Lobo. I'm glad some of you see the value in these systems. Value meaning worth paying a few bucks for.

As weatherweenie said, "Friends don't let friends buy and hold." :)
 
How about giving a couple weeks to see how much can be spread on this website to others. People can hangs flyers up around their workplaces and just spread the word. What about making people sign up to read the boards??? I was a lurker for a long time until the last month or so signing up. I wish we could make people sign up to read the boards first then people spread the word and see how much the members go up. Worth a shot???
 
I found this site by word of mouth and being the ever cheap government weenie, I lurked and tested before registering and joining in on some of the message boards. I am almost sold on the Ebbchart-- been making a little bit of scratch, too. Being both elated and burned from daytrading before ( I know, I know before you say anything, I know IFTs aren't the same thing and I think it's a crime that our TSP administrators and that Washington rag of what purports to be a real newspaper liken it to daytrading and want to start charging us to make IFTs) I think Ebb's system and much of the the TSP commentary/message boards are simply first rate.

To make a long thought short, I think a fee-based site would be just fine. Perhaps that would actually have the effect of keeping the "expensive" :laugh: IFTers numbers low enough.

BTW, I've been clicking on many ads in the site that hopefully provide those fractions of pennies to you guys.
 
thanks nd_fan77. I don't mind the lurkers at all. It' not the number of registered users on the message board that I am concerned about. I can actually see how many people viewed each page on the website each day. I have seen a slight increase lately and I appreciate all of those who have spread the word, but I can't imaginge we'll see the 4 or 5 times the current traffic we'll need.

I hope they are not reading because I don't want to give them any ideas, but both Ebb and Trader Fred have something special going on and if we can't compenstate them, they can always go elsewhere where they will be.

It would be so much easier for me to see the 4X traffic increase which would increase the ad revenue for ebb, Fred, and myself. I won't have to deal with subscriptions, subscribers with problems, credit card companies, chargebacks, refunds, etc., but I just don't see happening real soon.
 
One more thing, this talk of charging fees for transactions may make it in our best interest to limit those that access the systems, particularly the ebbchart which is very active. The alternative for them seems to be to limit the number of transactions.

It looks like Minnow just beat me to this. :)
 
If this is the wrong place let me know. But can I help with Adsense? I thought I heard something about that awhile back....

If some one can walk me through it PM me.
 
Hello Tom,
As I post on EBB thread,I think the pay pal button should be on the home page so anyone who wants to contribute to TSPTALK,EBB has the way to do it I think many people will.My husband suggests that you can ask people who get to this web site should click on the ads so you can get credit for that.Thanks for replying to me last time,I have known this site about 10 months I don't know anything about Rev Shark,if I don't know anything about his investing style I hesistate to sucribe..that is one of disadvantages of charging you only get limited number of subcriptions to people already know him.You still get the revenue from the ads and still have pay pal contribution.Thx
 
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