Premium membership prices

Just a head's up for any of you who were thinking about buying a premium membership or renewing it soon. It's been over 4 years since I last raised prices and the time has come for me to raise it once again. Inflation is real! And while hardware costs typically fall over time, hosting costs have been rising. (General living expenses have been on the rise as well!) So on June 1st, premium memberships will be $5 higher.

Renewal prices will rise as well, although that's a bit more complicated to explain since I've promised never to raise your rate above what you originally paid for a premium membership as long as you've never allowed your premium membership to expire. So there's a whole range of amounts that people pay for renewals. A lucky few who've been premium members since the very beginning (2004) are still paying just $15/year, and that will continue. If your original purchase price was less than $35/year, your renewal rates won't change. If your original purchase price was at $35/year or higher, the renewal rate will rise to a maximum of $39.95.

Basically, AQ subtracts $5 from the non-renewal price, and if that amounts falls above your original purchase price, then your original rate is your renewal price. Otherwise, you get a $5 from the current non-renewal rate. Clear as mud?

Anyway... like I said, the code for the renewals gets a little messy and it's a bit complicated to explain.

There's another bit of a complication when it comes to renewals.... AQ sends an AQ message a month before your premium membership's expiration date, and AQ will still honor the renewal prices in that message if you received it this month. (At least it should work that way. If you find a bug and it doesn't, do let me know!) So essentially, for of you with expiring premium memberships in June, you won't see the renewal rates increase until July--after your premium membership was scheduled to expire anyhow.

If your premium membership is set to expire after June, you might still benefit by renewing earlier rather than later. Those of you who have started your premium membership in the last four or five years will see renewal rates increase, but you don't have to wait until the expiration date is right around the corner before renewing. You can renew at any time! Some people will even pay for a couple of years of premium membership at a time just so they don't have to deal with it every year and you're more than welcome to take advantage of that if you'd like.

In any case, if you were thinking about signing up for a premium membership or want to renewal before rates go up, get your order in before June 1st!

Actually, technically speaking, AQ is displaying the new prices already--but it's "discounted" to the old prices through June 1st. The "discount" will simply be discontinued on June 1st.

There's also another benefit for new premium members to signup before the end of the month--you'll never have to pay a renewal rate above your original signup price, so by signing up with the lower rate, you'll also get lower renewal rates in the future as well.

Thanks for your support!