Balloon Juice went ad-free nearly 4 year ago, and I know that I am not the only one who is really happy we did that.
Can we take a quick trip down memory lane so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel?
2021
If you’re the guy whose name is on all the bills, ditching the ads and losing $1,000 a month would have to feel a bit like jumping off a cliff without a net.
So here’s what it will take for me to feel good about having asked John Cole to do just that:
– $6,000 in one-time donations now – that would sit in an account, unused, as a safety net, to take the uncertainty out of the equation for Cole.
– no subscriptions, just recurring donations every month from those who can afford it, to pay for hosting and subscriptions etc.
– we need about $1,000 in recurring donations every month for that.
Safety net
Having the safety net has already helpful, but it’s been a long time since we’ve had a site fundraiser and for various reasons we have been whittling away at the safety net rather than putting up a site fundraising post.
So it would be super helpful if we could put some money back into the safety net, with one-time donations.
You can donate to the safety net with Patreon, Venmo, Zelle, and paper check. Even PayPal if that’s your preference, but please mark it as personal / gift and not payment for services.
Monthly expenses
We need about $1,000 in recurring monthly donations for the monthly expenses. Same donation options – Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, and paper check – except I think Patreon doesn’t allow one-time donations. (Please mark it as personal / gift and not payment for services.)
Fine tuning!
Not everyone can afford even $5 or $10 a month, but this is a community and those of us who can afford that have been helping make the site better for everyone.
If you have signed up for a monthly donation but you’re in a different financial position than you were when you signed up, please feel free to cancel your monthly donation, with our sincere thanks for having supported the site for nearly a year!
If you keep thinking you’ll set up a monthly donation, but haven’t gotten around to it, or if the timing is right for increasing your donation, this would be a great time to do it.
If you want to support the site with a one-time check, send me an email message I will send you Cole’s address. (P.O.box)
Memory Lane
In case you want to relive the good times, here’s the post from me on Nov 3, 2021.
Followed by this post from John a couple hours later:
So I Guess We are Going Ad Free (With Venting and Explanation)
Keep Balloon Juice Ad Free
WaterGirl
Who’s been on Balloon Juice long enough to remember the flashing dinosaur? Or dragon? Whatever it was, I thought it might kill me. My brain just could not handle that one.
Glidwrith
Can credit cards be used?
WaterGirl
@Glidwrith: Credit cards and debit work with all the donation sites, I believe.
Baud
I can’t believe it’s been four years since I treated my toe fungus.
Montanareddog
Correct me if I’m wrong but checks, Venmo and Zelle require a US bank account. And I won’t use PayPal on principle. Any other solutions possible for non-US jackals?
Belafon
As someone who is looking at creating a website for something (mostly) non-political, why does it cost that much per month?
WaterGirl
@Belafon: Site hosting that charges by page views. Email accounts. SPAM filter that charges by the comment. Zoom. Dropbox. Adobe for the pet calendar. A Server that can handle a lot of traffic and a site that has over 7.5 million comments. etc
A small website without a ton of views costs very little.
Scout211
All of our words have piled up over the decades and need a very big warehouse to store them. ;-)
WaterGirl
@Montanareddog: Hmm, did you look at Patreon? I’m sure Patreon charges my debit card.
I had forgotten, but Zelle just made a change that requires a financial institution that uses Zelle instead of just needing an email account.
beckya57
Just donated via Venmo. I ❤️ not seeing ads!
stinger
Just joined Patreon, or however it should be termed.
And thanks, WaterGirl, for changing the second sidebar photo.
Timill
@Montanareddog: Patreon can be used from outside the US – in fact, my Patreon subs charge to my UK credit card.
WaterGirl
When we did the site update, we were at about 5 million comments. Now we are over 7.5 million.
Steve LaBonne
@WaterGirl: Patreon takes credit cards and PayPal. And you can sign up with Google or FB if you don’t want to manually set up an account.
WaterGirl
@stinger:
When I first saw your comment this morning, I thought you were saying you didn’t like the protest pics in the sidebar. It took me a minute to realize what (I think) you were saying.
All I saw when I looked at the previous image was the virtual fuck you of the guy in the darth vader costume and the sign that says he’s with the bad guys.
Apparently you saw all the other MAGA signs! :-)
Belafon
@WaterGirl: Thanks.
Hildebrand
Updated my Patreon subscription.
Scout211
I sent a one-time donation, like last time. But this time, I sent it via Zelle. Last year I actually learned how to Zelle (is too a verb!) and that seems to be easier than sending a paper check for some reason.
Ruckus
Grumpy codger.
John, from your 2021 post, did I say you could use my personality as an adjective?
@Belafon:
Think about how much storage/memory space a blog of this size, number of posts and comments this site takes. Think about the communications/storage/memory levels of a blog with this much readership and response level takes. Someone somewhere is spending money to supply those services. Is it you, or me or John? Ads pay for those things, no ads do not. Now of course ads very often, no, the vast majority of the time – suck. I haven’t had commercial TV for about a decade because of that suckage. I use Netflix and DVDs for my visual entertainment. Yes I have to pay a small bit but I don’t have to see or listen to ads. The cost of not doing that is small, the result is priceless.
WaterGirl
@Steve LaBonne: Thanks! I set up Patreon so long ago I don’t recall the details. :-)
WaterGirl
@Scout211: Everything is easier than a paper check, at least for me. :-)
MazeDancer
The email for PayPal is at the link in the sidebar
Randal Sexton
Kicked 25 clams via venmo
RevRick
@Baud: Which remind me, what is going to be your campaign slogan? Might I suggest Make Debaudchery Great Again? And for a platform, Feeling bored? Get on board with Baudom!
Professor Bigfoot
Just joined the monthly Patreon.
Belafon
@Ruckus: As I said, I have an idea and I’m going to put it on the web, and I hope other people see it, and I was wondering what all went into the cost. As of right now, a number of those things are unnecessary, but it still made me think.
JaySinWa
@Belafon: Google Sites and Blogger can host a site for free, and you can add a custom domain name at no cost other than the Domain Name server. I don’t know what the limits are for volume of data traffic at the free tiers, and I believe the amount of storage for either comes out of your Google account.
Custom domain names are billed annually and can be around $10 per year if you shop around.
WordPress.com can host a limited WordPress account for free (no plugins) or you can pay a web hosting provider as little as $5 a month for limited traffic and storage. Other website builders start at $20 or so a month and are generally geared toward online sales. More features, storage, or traffic generally equals more money.
So low traffic, low storage requirements, low uptime requirements can be fairly cheap. High volume, reliability, backup and recovery will cost more.
BeautifulPlumage
Thanks to all who help keep this place ad-free! After some car repairs I’ll see what I can kick in for the safety net.
Also am appreciating all the rally & March posts!
Montanareddog
@WaterGirl: I missed the part about Patreon because it is only mentioned under Safety Net, not Monthly Expenses. I checked my password manager and i have a Patreon account which I had forgotten about. So I was able to kick in a monthly amount. Not sure if it goes to the safety net or the operating expenses but, as any corrupt Republican (I know, I repeat myself) will tell you, “money’s fungible, right?”.
storm777
I first went to Paypal but it does not seem to allow monthly contributions. So I went to Patreon and it was easy to do. Thanks for everything!
Mousebumples
Thanks for this reminder. I’ll check the budget and toss in some $.
Expect an email, WaterGirl, if I need to verify anything about John’s account somewhere…
WaterGirl
@Mousebumples: Will do.
frosty
I kicked in for the safety net. I didn’t see a Zelle option from my bank for a recurring donation.
Coyoteville
OK, I already donate $5 monthly via Patreon (and have for a while). However, I cannot figure out how to change/increase that amount. I log into Patreon that recognizes me and links me to John’s page that says “No Public Posts Yet” and I see no way to change anything
I could make a one time donation somehow.
WaterGirl
@Coyoteville: You and I could do a zoom if you like so I could see your screen. I’m sure we can figure it out.
Coyoteville
@WaterGirl:
Update: I made a one-time donation of $55.55 via PayPal on my own credit card.
You’ve sent $55.55 USD to John Cole
We’ll let John Cole know you sent it.
Tell us how this transaction went
Coyoteville
Well, that update comment disappeared. I just got an e-mail confirmation from PayPal that the donation has happened.
You sent $55.55 USD to John Cole.
This transaction will appear on your statement as PAYPAL *jgriffincole
WaterGirl
@Coyoteville: I see your update at #36, is that the one that seemed to have disappeared
edit: thanks for your efforts!
Coyoteville
@WaterGirl: Nah, it was an update to the update that I got confirmation that it’s on my credit card.
Jennifer Altmiller
I support via Patreon. I hated the ads. Didn’t we all?
I will never need to be asked twice here, so if we need a surge fund for something just say; I rarely give outside of animal welfare, food banks or libraries. Except for BJ.
if I need to up my Patreon, I can probably tick up a few bucks a month.
There cannot ever be too much support for the do-gooders in our midst.
Dmkingto
Just joined the monthly Patreon crowd
Another Scott
Thanks for keeping the lights on, and filling this space with all kinds of interesting characters. It’s a very special place.
Donated.
Best wishes,
Scott.