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Premium Membership ?


jjmf2k9

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Hi everyone i'm fairly new to the geocache community and I am wondering if the premium membership is worth the money, also how much is it in the uk ?, I ask this as I don't know if I can afford to be paying a lot of money if I end up rarely going caching, and what is the gift membership all about ?

Thanks, jjmf2k9

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Hi everyone i'm fairly new to the geocache community and I am wondering if the premium membership is worth the money, also how much is it in the uk ?, I ask this as I don't know if I can afford to be paying a lot of money if I end up rarely going caching, and what is the gift membership all about ?

Thanks, jjmf2k9

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Hi everyone i'm fairly new to the geocache community and I am wondering if the premium membership is worth the money, also how much is it in the uk ?, I ask this as I don't know if I can afford to be paying a lot of money if I end up rarely going caching, and what is the gift membership all about ?

Thanks, jjmf2k9

 

you can always use this site for exchange conversions

 

http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert/?Amount=30&From=USD&To=GBP

 

you can read here all about the Premium Benefits

 

make sure you check out the Full List Of benefits

 

if its worth it in your case, that is your decision

to me i think 18GBP a year is not going to break the bank, but again that all depends on your financial situation

 

apart from the benefits you get for being Premium Member your subscription also supports the resources GC is making available

 

the Gift Membership is just what it says, same as any Gift Certificate

Edited by t4e
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It's worth it depending on how you feel about things.

 

1. If you want to just support the business it's worth it.

 

2. If you are looking for services you have to determine how much you value those services and then decide if it's worth it.

 

I bought the membership to do 2 PQs along a route for a vacation I was going on last year. Never used another PQ. People who do them a lot will find it worth it. People who like to hide premium member only caches will find it worth it.

 

In the grand scheme of things I will likely think long and hard when it's time to renew as I don't use many of the features and I find donating money to a business to be a little obnoxious (especially since they do have other revenue streams coming in).

 

But I do like statistics and might keep the membership for that.

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Hi everyone i'm fairly new to the geocache community and I am wondering if the premium membership is worth the money, also how much is it in the uk ?, I ask this as I don't know if I can afford to be paying a lot of money if I end up rarely going caching, and what is the gift membership all about ?

Thanks, jjmf2k9

 

Yes.

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I am in the UK and have had Prem. Membsp [PM] for the last 5/6 yrs. It costs USD30 which is about GBP18.75 depending on what Xchng rate you get from your credit card co.

Is it worth it? To me yes as it saves an enormous amount of time when going out GCing.

The web site says what the facilities are so I wont repeat them but the reality of PM is the time , effort and printing you could save with the right programs and kit

 

If you are just starting I would advise waiting a while to see how much GCing you do.

If for instance you are going to visit say a country park you can now print each cache page for description, coords and hints and other logs,- one by one. depending on your GPSr you can download directly the coord to your GPSr with a LOC file. This just give bare data but will allow you to find a GC.

I went to the Lea Valley park In N London last week, down loaded 25 GCs , walked 5m and did 17 of them.

If you only do a few each time then for a while Std membership is OK

 

If you get into GCing your kit will aid you. I have a Garmin 62s now which allows me to add GPX files which has ALL the GC data in it and this is on my GPSr.

I request POCKET QUERIES which allows me to target places and filter what GCs you want to find. Good if you go away on Holiday.

I recently went to Australia and got PQ's of the areas I wanted and downloaded them direct to my Garmin.. there were 2500 of them. Didnt do them all!!

I have an iPhone and download the PQ results to that and can log finds immediately from that. Geocaching.com have an APP

 

I am now totally paperless and If I am going somewhere unexpectedly I can order a PQ and generally have ready on the iPhone and GPSr in about as long as it takes my wife to get ready!! 20-30 mins.

 

I would suggest getting GSAK. This program allows you to manage your searches and hold data on target areas on your PC. It is free to try but well worth buying eventually

 

So in the end it is down to how long you have at the moment togo GCing. once you get into it you will find PM an necessity as a time and perhaps papersaving facility. I you are an occasional GCer then Std membership is OK

Hope this helps

 

Mike

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Hi everyone i'm fairly new to the geocache community and I am wondering if the premium membership is worth the money, also how much is it in the uk ?, I ask this as I don't know if I can afford to be paying a lot of money if I end up rarely going caching, and what is the gift membership all about ?

Thanks, jjmf2k9

Worth it?

For me, yes.

 

Cost?

As others have said £18 to £20 depending on exchange rate and credit/debit card.

 

Do you have a Garmin GPS?

Have you registered it?

Try this link for free 30 day Premium Membership.

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Just supporting the servers and programmers to keep the site running is worth the money.

 

The features I get make caching easier and are a great bonus as well.

+1

I like having bookmark lists, pocket queries, etc., but my favorite benefit is supporting the development and maintenance of the geocaching.com site.

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This is a very subjective question so I can only speak for myself. Yes, it is worth it to me. I like using the "sent to gps" to shoot new gpx files to my gps. I have a pocket query that sends me the whole island of Oahu, where I live, once a week. I love sorting caches by when placed and also marking my favorites. And lastly $30 didn't seem like much to pay to make it a little easier.

 

:3

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I can't imagine caching without it.

 

I use the pocket queries all the time.

 

You have to have a premium membership to use GSAK that someone else mentioned, by the way.

 

I can't imagine going caching out in a park, for instance, and then learn later there were three caches I missed because they were member only caches.

 

I use the Off-topic forums all the time for a good laugh.

 

I use a lot of the other features, many I have come to take for granted. If I were without them I know I'd be wondering what the heck happened.

 

I can't see caching without the pocket queries. I can load 40 caches in a couple of minutes with them.

I don't have to know where I'll be in an area. I just load the whole area and see where I end up.

 

I know there are so many other features I have grown used to using that I am forgetting.

 

Try the trial membership someone else suggested.

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I trialled the free month membership, and there is no way I am going back. I just paid up. Paperless caching is amazing, plus the fact I have my whole area on the GPS if im ever needing to go somewhere and have a bit of free time I have all the info on hand.

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Just supporting the servers and programmers to keep the site running is worth the money.

 

The features I get make caching easier and are a great bonus as well.

 

I became a member long before I started using any of the premium features. I wanted to support the site and really didn't care about the premium features. It wasn't until a year or so later I started using them and found out how useful they were.

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The website is a business, plain and simple, its not a hobby site, and I feel absolutely NO obligation or get any "feel good" from supporting it, its already raking in well over 3 million a year.

 

The ONLY driving factor for most people (me included) is PQ's (pocket queries), and even at that, I think the site is over priced, but it comes down to greed substantial profit. The people that run this site don't do it because they feel good about it, they do it to make a profit.

 

If you really think this is a hobby site (as a lot of people are under the misconception it is), ask your self this, when is the last time you saw the "owners" or any of the staff (I'm not talking about the "volunteer" moderators or reviewers, I'm talking about the people whose wallets you're padding) post anything in the forums that is just about geocaching, the hobby/activity/sport itself, or anything similar, and not some issue with the website? Its been many years. This isn't a hobby site to them, and they wouldn't be there if there wasn't some green at the end of the week.

 

Out of the 40 or so friends and family they've hired and pay, I'm only aware of one that actually caches regularly, and he's not an owner or partner.

 

So, it all comes down to what "premium" features you think are worth paying for, and for the greatest majority of premium members, its PQ's. For me, and every cacher I know that also has a PM, none will say that any other feature is worth paying for outside of PQ's.

Edited by Potato Finder
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I use the PQs regularly. I also like the GPX files with all the added info (logs, hints & description) as it eliminates the need to carry reams of printouts. The only printouts I carry now are for puzzle caches but only for ones that I figure out off line. For me, its worth it. If you are unsure, try the 3 month membership. It will give you three months to determine if it worth it to you.

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O.K.,where to begin? I'm provided a service for the hobby I love.A hobby (passion) that brings great joy,exercise,travel to places I normally wouldn't go to,and meeting new people with the same interest.I have access to a service that will organize this whole crazy thing on a website.This service gathers,reviews,posts,etc. 'items'(caches)of my passion. This service provides me with MY OWN 'site page' to keep MY OWN information together,all I have to do is log caches and they handle the rest.I get stats,finds,etc..I do not have the time,knowledge,or means to do all this for myself (if geocaching.com didn't exist)on a webpage of my design.So...is it worth it,YES!.Even beyond the 'pocket querry','premium only' caches,etc.,it is worth every dime of it. Is paying this premium membership fee going to a "business","company",or whatever....yes,and I could care less.Their providing me with a service I want/need.

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The website is a business, plain and simple, its not a hobby site, and I feel absolutely NO obligation or get any "feel good" from supporting it, its already raking in well over 3 million a year.

 

The ONLY driving factor for most people (me included) is PQ's (pocket queries), and even at that, I think the site is over priced, but it comes down to greed substantial profit. The people that run this site don't do it because they feel good about it, they do it to make a profit.

 

If you really think this is a hobby site (as a lot of people are under the misconception it is), ask your self this, when is the last time you saw the "owners" or any of the staff (I'm not talking about the "volunteer" moderators or reviewers, I'm talking about the people whose wallets you're padding) post anything in the forums that is just about geocaching, the hobby/activity/sport itself, or anything similar, and not some issue with the website? Its been many years. This isn't a hobby site to them, and they wouldn't be there if there wasn't some green at the end of the week.

 

Out of the 40 or so friends and family they've hired and pay, I'm only aware of one that actually caches regularly, and he's not an owner or partner.

 

So, it all comes down to what "premium" features you think are worth paying for, and for the greatest majority of premium members, its PQ's. For me, and every cacher I know that also has a PM, none will say that any other feature is worth paying for outside of PQ's.

I am quite happy to be one of the longstanding premium members who gladly pays $30 each year to support the game/sport/hobby that I greatly enjoy. Thankfully I am not aware of any of my caching friends and acquaintances who share the same jaded view as Potato Finder. :)

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I am quite happy to be one of the longstanding premium members who gladly pays $30 each year to support the game/sport/hobby that I greatly enjoy. Thankfully I am not aware of any of my caching friends and acquaintances who share the same jaded view as Potato Finder. :)

He's entitled to his opinion. I do wish, however, that he can provide some references to back up what he's stating, if he's going to be all snarky about it.

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A fairly subjective issue, that only you can answer.

Initially I resisted, but since I have paid-up to enjoy the features, I have never regretted my decision. Indeed, my obsession cannot continue as planned without the fix provided by PM status. :o

Try the three-month plan, and see if it provides advantages YOU think are worth the (minimal) price.

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I am quite happy to be one of the longstanding premium members who gladly pays $30 each year to support the game/sport/hobby that I greatly enjoy. Thankfully I am not aware of any of my caching friends and acquaintances who share the same jaded view as Potato Finder. :)

He's entitled to his opinion. I do wish, however, that he can provide some references to back up what he's stating, if he's going to be all snarky about it.

Whats to back up? GC admits they are a business and not a hobby. When is the last time you saw ANY GC employee post anything in the forums outside of site maintenance issues? What else needs backed up?

 

As far as PQ's being the only feature people pay for, there have been many threads about this, and the consensus always comes down to most people would not pay if it weren't for PQ's.

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Whats to back up? GC admits they are a business and not a hobby. When is the last time you saw ANY GC employee post anything in the forums outside of site maintenance issues? What else needs backed up?

1. Raking in 3 million a year

2. They only hire friends and family

3. Only one of them geocaches (specifically, do they geocache under another ID? It'll be hard to tell if they do)

 

Maybe you're right. I do not know one way or another. What I'm saying is, if you're making these assertions, back them up.

 

FWIW, I'm with you on : pay for it if you see the value in it. Being a relatively newcomer to this, I don't have as much a sense of, for lack of a better word, camaraderie, as some of the old timers. I suppose I might feel differently if I were a member back when the site is struggling to survive.

 

I happen to think that what I get in return is good value for money. But I don't try to convince anyone that it must be so for them as well. It's their money, they should determine what it is worth for themselves.

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Whats to back up? GC admits they are a business and not a hobby. When is the last time you saw ANY GC employee post anything in the forums outside of site maintenance issues? What else needs backed up?

1. Raking in 3 million a year

2. They only hire friends and family

3. Only one of them geocaches (specifically, do they geocache under another ID? It'll be hard to tell if they do)

1. This number is relatively easy to estimate. An assumption is made for $30/year, when in fact many people are paying $40/year, so the real number is likely much higher.

 

2. Its no secret that a good majority of "employees" are family or friends.

 

3. From your statement, you make it sound like NONE of them go caching, if you can't find their accounts, there's a good chance they aren't caching.

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PM membership cost $30 US. So the price will vary based on exchange rates overseas.

 

I love the PQ's!. Can't live without them now that i have a paperless unit. Its a great business GS has here with the GPSr manufactures. The manufacture's kepp making new units that support Geocaching and .gpx files to sell more units and GS gets more members so people can use all the features of there units.

 

The PM only caches are nice to have as well.

 

If you break down the cost to what you pay a month it's much cheaper then an MMORPG or a gym membership.

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I enjoy and gladly pay for the benefits of a Premium Membership. I was dismayed today to learn that there is a group of cachers that have determined a method to evade the PM benefit of creating PM only caches and they say that this is supported by Jeremy and GS. I thought that my 35.00 was supposed to grant access to my cache hides as I desired. Wonder how they would feel if I just started providing PQs to standard members.

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I enjoy and gladly pay for the benefits of a Premium Membership. I was dismayed today to learn that there is a group of cachers that have determined a method to evade the PM benefit of creating PM only caches and they say that this is supported by Jeremy and GS. I thought that my 35.00 was supposed to grant access to my cache hides as I desired. Wonder how they would feel if I just started providing PQs to standard members.

 

It's just to log caches not to get the coordinates for them. And it's technically meant for situations like families so you don't have to have a PM for every single person in the household.

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The PQ's alone are well worth it, I have been a paying member since november 2010, I started in Oct 2010. And two weeks ago, i finally figured out how to actually use the PQ, with my garmin dakota 20. and its amazingly awesome. I have a PQ for a 10 mile radius around my house, I use PQs along a route when I travel. and I have PQs for the two cities near me. When i clear 10 mile radius, it will go out to 15 mile radius.

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I've not renewed because in my experience premium caches tend to be poorly maintained and the owners part of an untouchable clique.

 

Nothing frustrates me more about geocaching than hiking or driving somewhere to get a cache only to find it is missing and that the owner has known for some time and not sorted it out one way or the other. Here in San Diego there are premium caches that have been marked as requiring maintenance for over 6 months where the experienced and active user has done nothing about it. There is one series of over 50 caches where about 10% are disabled as missing and have been for over six months, when I've reported it I've just been ignored. So I'm paying money to get frustrated and ignored; it used to be free and the hit rate was better!

 

premium users = active geocachers = own too many caches to keep them all working = friends with, or possibly are moderators so they get special treatment.

 

One rule for some, one rule for everyone else and I'm paying good money for the privilege; no thanks

Edited by arty123
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This used to be a simple question. I became a premium member even before I had a gpsr. Eventually pocket queries made caching easy and I couldn't conceive of being part of this game without being a PM. I even won a geocoin for explaining why premium membership was important. Depending on your interest, it may still be.

 

These days the question is a lot closer for me. I probably will not bother with most caches in the query and Groundspeak's policies make it harder to be a member to "support the site." If I renew membership it will probably be because I enjoy certain types of caches (earthcaches, virtuals, letterboxes) and Geosphere (iPhone app) is a great tool for these types that works best with a premium membership.

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This used to be a simple question. I became a premium member even before I had a gpsr. Eventually pocket queries made caching easy and I couldn't conceive of being part of this game without being a PM. I even won a geocoin for explaining why premium membership was important. Depending on your interest, it may still be.

 

These days the question is a lot closer for me. I probably will not bother with most caches in the query and Groundspeak's policies make it harder to be a member to "support the site." If I renew membership it will probably be because I enjoy certain types of caches (earthcaches, virtuals, letterboxes) and Geosphere (iPhone app) is a great tool for these types that works best with a premium membership.

 

This is an old thread but my thoughts are very similar to yours. I, too, won a geocoin for my thoughts on why I liked my premium membership.

 

I have precisely zero interest in "supporting the site" when it's a commercial enterprise, just like I don't "support the business" with voluntary donations when the business in question is Wal-Mart, Vodafone or any other mostly faceless corporation.

 

My inclination to cache at all is waning rapidly recently, partly due to the really rather pitiful way Groundspeak treats its paying customers and partly due to the seemingly relentless increase in desirable caching areas declared off-limits paired with the seemingly relentless push to get more and more caches out there even when they are film pots behind signs in utterly uninteresting locations. I used to regularly find 50-60 caches in a month but now on a good month I might find 10. I think it's been over a year since I last found 20 caches in a month, simply because I can't be bothered to take any active steps to go and look for another film pot behind a sign.

 

Unless my outlook on the game changes significantly over the next few months this will be the last year I remain a premium member. If I'm only caching once or twice a month there's little to be gained from pocket queries and email notifications.

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