Donations

[FINOCJ]

Jim - just to ask, could a venmo acct be set-up for the forum? Or could someone venmo you directly? Most cash transactions I deal with have moved from Paypal to venmo over the last couple years. Zelle is probably similar.

[Jim]

I have looked into venmo and last I checked - not an option I wished to pursue.

I can check again...

I do not know enough about how venmo operates - if a venmo sender could select a recipient who is a non-venmo client. Anyone know?

[FINOCJ]

Jim previously posted:

[Jim]

PayPal owns Venmo.

I played along with PayPal’s hoops for the sake of the forum (for the past handful of years) but these last items have me saying that is enough. I will look at Venmo’s sign-up process but I hold little hope I’ll jump high enough for a Venmo account. I’ll check. Not this week though - busy days.

[Java]

you have to join up to use venmo, I use it for lots of stuff. I'm not sure what info they ask for, it's been a while, but that's the world these days. If you have a cell phone you have no secrets anyway... The most important thing with venmo is to have the payment sent as a friend, not as a business, it's free that way. If it's sent as a transaction there is a fee and I always make sure the client pays it, but really don't like taking payments that way; after a certain number of business payments venmo assumes you're a business and treats you as such.

[Mountaineer01]

While Paypal does own Venmo, they operate vastly different. I think Paypal leans into the business transactions which is why there are many hoops to jump through, but Venmo is very simple and straight forward as long as you use the friend option as PJ mentioned. They do have you log into your online banking account to link it to Venmo, but it goes through a secure portal so they don't actually see your login info. I'm no IT guy but it seems legit to me, but I do know people who were turned off by the process.

[Jim]

The spring donation process is on.

$390* - 10 [overage] - 50 - 25 - 50 - 50 - 25 - 50(bc) - 15(pc) = $115

Thanks folks - Zelle is still on top.

For curiosity, I'll list what avenues are used:
(bc) = Bank printed / mailed check
(pc) = Personal written / mailed check
(z) = Zelle

[Jim]

Thank you for the member who sent in a recent donation.

The spring donation run, without a credit card payment option, has been the first time in ~10 years we have not fulfilled the expenses. In such a case, I cover any shortfall. With the numbers below from the spring and then another $390 for the fall, I pulled a few hundred out of my pocket. I'm happy to keep the forum rolling though I'm a bit surprised such a change had the impact it has.

It is on my mind to find a different credit card processor - or possibly to move to a lower cost host. The host that Chris, the group's founder, selected is a vBulletin specific host but after these years I do not believe such a host is needed (famous last words).

Spring donations run numbers:
$390* - 10 [overage] - 50 - 25 - 50 - 50 - 25 - 50(bc) - 15(pc) - 50(bc) 11/4/23 = $65

For curiosity, I'll list what avenues are used:
(bc) = Bank printed / mailed check
(pc) = Personal written / mailed check
(z) = Zelle

[Jim]

Thank you for the member who sent in a recent donation.

The spring donation run, without a credit card payment option, has been the first time in ~10 years we have not fulfilled the expenses. In such a case, I cover any shortfall. With the numbers below from the spring and then another $390 for the fall, I pulled a few hundred out of my pocket. I'm happy to keep the forum rolling though I'm a bit surprised such a change had the impact it has.

It is on my mind to find a different credit card processor - or possibly to move to a lower cost host. The host that Chris, the group's founder, selected is a vBulletin specific host but after these years I do not believe such a host is needed (famous last words).

Spring donations run numbers:
$390* - 10 [overage] - 50 - 25 - 50 - 50 - 25 - 50(bc) - 15(pc) - 50(bc) 11/4/23 - 50(bc) - 20 = $5 (overage for next donations run)

For curiosity, I'll list what avenues are used:
(bc) = Bank printed / mailed check
(pc) = Personal written / mailed check
(z) = Zelle

While not ready at this moment, credit card donations look to be possible for the next donations run. That should make things easier for folks.

[Jim]

Thank you!

Another donation arrived recently. It's tacked onto the current donations tally.

Spring donations run numbers:
$390* - 10 [overage] - 50 - 25 - 50 - 50 - 25 - 50(bc) - 15(pc) - 50(bc) 11/4/23 - 50(bc) - 20 - 50(bc)= $55 (overage for next donations run)

For curiosity, I'll list what avenues are used:
(bc) = Bank printed / mailed check
(pc) = Personal written / mailed check
(z) = Zelle

[ForumAdmin]

Thank you!

Another donation arrived recently. It's tacked onto the current donations tally.

Spring donations run numbers:
$390* - 10 [overage] - 50 - 25 - 50 - 50 - 25 - 50(bc) - 15(pc) - 50(bc) 11/4/23 - 50(bc) - 20 - 50(bc) - 50(bc) = $105 (overage for next donations run)

For curiosity, I'll list what avenues are used:
(bc) = Bank printed / mailed check
(pc) = Personal written / mailed check
(z) = Zelle