My Hands Are Tied

**tsptalk** · 12-28-2004, 10:20 PM

Please read this before responding to the poll...

How would you feel about a better service with a small fee?

I am talking about $5 to $10 a month with some features still being free.

It has been more difficult for me to provide a good service to you since I have been banned from the internet at my work. As many of you know, I was given a 14-day unpaid vacation (suspension) for doing this. I used to be able to keep Â½ an eye on the market during the morning and make decisions on allocation transfers as late a half hour before the noon ET deadline, then post it on the message board. Now I have to make my decisions the night before so I can get the email alerts out, update the message board with the new allocation and post the new allocation on the allocation website page.

Also at night, I do most of my market research, respond to the many emails I get, read and respond to themessage board posts, update the site with the currentshare prices, make other cosmetic site changes, all which doesn't leave me a lot of time to write up the daily market comments and send out the email alerts.

I also spend a couple hundred dollars each month for services, both investment and website support, to keep the siterunning and up to date. You can see where I am going with this...

I want to be able to help as many people as possible. Being that I have a good paying job, I was never concerned about making a bunch of money on the site. Investing is my hobby and passion. I really want to help people. If I were to give the site my all, meaning running the website fulltime, I would obviously haveto be compensated to replace my current income.Getting my services fulltime rather than a couple of hours a night would greatly enhance the site. There are many things I would like to do but due to my lack of time, I just can't. I'm talking about better market quotes,news feeds, all day support, etc. I have lots of ideas.

I am looking for suggestions and commentson how you think I can pull something like this off without losing a bunch of members. What if I were to keep some of the site free but charge a small feefor other services? I now have over 3000 email alert members and it gets pretty costly to send those emails out. Iâ€™ll bet many go unread but the recipient doesnâ€™t realize they can just unsubscribe very easily. Perhaps Icould charge $5 or $10 a month for that service. I would then reveal more info in the email where currently I just put a link to the comments. Or maybe a small fee foran early release of the market comments with a free version coming out later in the day? Suggestions?

I knowpersonally my TSP account has gained over $20,000 since late summer. But it's not when the market is goingup that you will benefit, it's when it is going down and knowing when to lighten up that we really appreciate the insight. I would think $5 or $10 would be a relatively inconsequentialfee forthe information I could convey. That would be less than any one of the many services to which I currently subscribe to help me gather all of this information.

I'm looking for your help. What do you think? I am talking about $5 to $10 a month with some features still being free. Choose any or all that apply.

Thanks for being a part of TSP Talk!
Tom

**Ecurb** · 12-29-2004, 01:09 AM

Members,

I don't post often, but I feelI haveto comment about Tom's needto keep the site going. Ilook forward toreading his comments nearly every morning. I enjoy all the posts that are written... I may not always agree with Tom, or the other members, but they make me think. Whether you are an active participant or just someone who reads the posts. This site giveus the opportunity to hear what others, the non professionals, are thinking about anddoing with their TSP accounts. The site encourages regular guys and gals to act on their gut feelings... that little extra push to committowhat they have been thinkingof doing all along.The site has taught me a lot and I for one would hate to see Tom's insight and the web site go away.

Everyone reading this post is obviously a TSP participant, I would think everyone could afford $10-$20 a month for this type of format, and according to Tom the site will improve!!! More info...more knowledge...more profits for US!!!

I'm in how about you?

Bruce

**blue_by_u** · 12-29-2004, 01:42 AM

I would pay. I have learned alot here. I think everyone could afford $100 a year. lets do it!!!:^

**coolhand** · 12-29-2004, 02:10 AM

Ecurb wrote:

More info...more knowledge...more profits for US!!!

I'm in how about you?

Bruce

:^:^:^

**smine** · 12-29-2004, 02:10 AM

I know Tom talks about "lurkers" so maybe there is a way to have user id and password that is tied into dues or something. Relying on some for all may not work. I have been on this site for a while; it's not the only thing I view daily but I do check it daily; not always in agreement but surely more knowledgeable than a year ago.

12-29-2004, 03:59 AM

smine wrote:

I know Tom talks about "lurkers" so maybe there is a way to have user id and password that is tied into dues or something. Relying on some for all may not work. I have been on this site for a while; it's not the only thing I view daily but I do check it daily; not always in agreement but surely more knowledgeable than a year ago.

I with you smine maybe something like that could work. I too am not always in agreement but surely more knowledgeable than16 year ago.....

Thanks TSPTalk

**tsptalk** · 12-29-2004, 04:03 AM

smine wrote:

Relying on some for all may not work.

smine, I'm not sure what you meant by that.Can you explain?

I appreciate the feedback.

Thanks!

**SMITTY** · 12-29-2004, 05:26 AM

Hello all,

This is my first post since accidently discoveringthis websitein August.Iwould pay a fee. SinceAugust 15th,my tsp account hasgrown by$14,000. Thanks for all the good info and the education. Inow check this site and my account daily. Smitty

**tsptalk** · 12-29-2004, 05:30 AM

Welcome Smitty!

**Rod** · 12-29-2004, 08:13 AM

You know I have your back on this, Tom. 100%!

As was already said, there needs to be a username/password format. Especially for the message board, and ANYWHERE you post your personalallocations. You don't want that to be "freebie" info.

Honestly, I don't think you should make anything free besides a "trial membership" for whatever amount of time (2 weeks perhaps?).

To those who voted they would never pay a fee- That's rather selfish of you.
We can all afford a nominal membership fee.

BTW, I wouldn't be accepting checks. You would eventually encounter problems with those bouncing. They can just as easily send a money order.

More input to follow...

Thank you, Tom & God Bless!:^

**Rod** · 12-29-2004, 10:38 AM

Rod wrote:

BTW, I wouldn't be accepting checks. You would eventually encounter problems with those bouncing.

BTW, this is generally speaking. Not directed at all toward those who voted this way.

**Rod** · 12-29-2004, 10:45 AM

tsptalk wrote:

There are many things I would like to do but due to my lack of time, I just can't. I'm talking about better market quotes,news feeds, all day support, etc. I have lots of ideas.

Hopefully your ideas include that magazine!