Is membership worth it for me?

[+Lotho]

Hey all, i wanted to know whether getting membership is worth it. Im too young to drive at the moment so i don't do loads of caches, just a handful a week, and i cycle to most. Ive compiled a list of the features i think i will use and the ones i wont:

Will use:

Caches along a Route(how easy is this to use?? how good is it??)

Member Only Caches

Instant Log Notifications

Unlimited Watchlist items

Bookmark and Ignore Lists

 

Wont use:

Google Maps (Groundspeak Enhanced)

Paperless Caching

Geocaching Maps

Be the *first* to see new feature enhancements

Pocket Queries

 

So,

1)Will membership be worth it for me?

2)Is caches along a route avaiable without usind pocket queries?

3)Is caches along a route any good?

4)Is it easy to use?

 

Cheers,

 

Lotho

Edited July 3, 2007 by Lotho

[+Renegade Knight]

#1. Get the cable.

#2. If you want caches handy at all times. Then it's worth it for the PQ.

 

If you always plan first then go find the caches. It may not be worth th extra effort to get PQ's.

 

If you do use the PQ's...you need software on your computer or a PDA/Smart Phone that can use the GPX files. That may be a limiting factor in that you could use the Premium Member benefits, but since you can't afford a PDA...can't use them until you can.

[+Lotho]

Ah ok i had a different idea on what PQ's were, looks like ill add them to my wont use..

[+Semper Questio]

You can use the PQ's even if you aren't going paperless.

 

If you have places you go often and you want a ready list of caches in that area that meet a certain criteria (specific D/T ratings, cache types or sizes, etc.) , then you can set up PQ's for those very needs. Then when you are going there, click the preview icon and then select the caches out of that list that you want to do.

 

Only you know what value the added features have to you in your situation. Beyond that it boils down to how much you use the site and whether you feel you should help support it financially by becoming a premium member.

[+Markwell]

Before you scoff at them, take a read at the first couple of paragraphs here.

[+StarBrand]

Caches along a route goes hand-in-hand with Pocket Queries.

 

That is reason enough right there.

 

The best reason isn't on your list though - that is just to support the site. It costs money to program all the code and own servers and bandwidth. That is the primary reason I pay - the rest is just a bonus.

[+StarBrand]

edit - double post

Edited July 3, 2007 by StarBrand

[+Lotho]

Ok, ive had a look at the pcket queries thing and to be honest i dont cache enough to justify going paperless. I know i can do without a pda but i dont see any major benefits that im missing out on. And yes supporting the site is another reason.

[+Wild Thing 73]

I see by your profile that you are taking (finding caches) and giving (placing caches for other cachers to hunt. You are doing your part...Is a membership worth the cost? Only if you can afford the $ cost...As you know membership has many "perks" , as you "grow" and become more involved in these perks...yes, it will be worth it...but that is your decision, is it not? Good luck and happy caching.

[+briansnat]

Ok, ive had a look at the pcket queries thing and to be honest i dont cache enough to justify going paperless. I know i can do without a pda but i dont see any major benefits that im missing out on. And yes supporting the site is another reason.

 

Pocket queries are useful even if you never go paperless. Going on vacation? Run a PQ and get all the caches in your destination town. Don't like puzzle caches? Multis? Micros? Filter them out via PQs. Looking for some challenging caches? Use PQs to find all 4+ star difficulty caches in your area. Don't have a boat? Filter out all caches that need boats through PQs. Have a handicapped friend who wants to go caching with you? Select all the handicap acessable caches.

 

And even if you don't cache a lot, there is something to be said for having all your area's caches on your GPS. First you when you go to hide one, you know whether or not another is nearby. If you have a few minutes to spare, turn on your GPS and see what caches are nearby

[vtmtnman]

I'm somewhere where being a premium member does nothing for me except allowing bookmarks to be created,and access to OT forum.Those two things where well worth the 30 bucks (Not sure what that is in pounds for you).

[+michigansnorkelers]

It only costs $3 to find out!

 

Skip McDonalds once and try out the premium side for a month. Either you will be hooked on what is offered, or you will not be.

[+JeremyR]

It's only £1.55 a month (at Paypal's exchange rate, that was the final amount charged to my card for last month). Hardly even worth thinking about in my opinion, I'd paid up before I went after my first cache. Given that it's so cheap, I hardly thought of it as much of a commitment.

 

I only go caching once or twice a week and without a GPSr (yet) but even at my level of involvement, premium membership is worth it even if just for the fact that I can dump the PQ of caches within about 15 miles of me (260ish right now) into Google Earth and see clusters of caches to plan visits. That and the fuzzy warm feeling of supporting the site

[+Tharagleb]

I'm somewhere where being a premium member does nothing for me except allowing bookmarks to be created,and access to OT forum.Those two things where well worth the 30 bucks (Not sure what that is in pounds for you).

 

Hope you come back safely soon. Next time I am down in the Rutland area I will make a point to do your cache.

 

/back on topic

 

Don't know how I would cache without PQs...

 

$upport the new $ervers and vers. 2.0 of GC.com!!

 

[Edit out typo]

Edited July 6, 2007 by Tharagleb

[+flask]

the best thing about membership is knowing that you're doing your part to support the site.

 

my join date precedes my first cache hunt by just over two weeks. i had NO idea how i might use the features, but i wanted to hold my head up as a member of the community right away.

 

i have never looked back.