Friend Membership: View from The Cheap Seats!
Ponderings about the new tier
I’m impressed by how well Medium’s new ‘Friend Membership’ has been received and I am grateful to those people who go the extra mile to support writers.
I’m not sure how this works with existing memberships. I’m already paid up until May 2024 and wouldn’t want to pay twice. I also have an aversion to paying more than is necessary for *anything* — old habits die hard. But I may become a convert after due consideration. I’m keeping an open mind.
An incurable laggard
I’m what marketers call a laggard — someone who waits to see, and who usually only buys stuff when everyone else has lost interest and the price hits rock bottom. It took me a long time to commit to a full year’s membership on Medium. Yes, I’m that bad. 😆
I have no subscriptions. Except Medium. I resisted this for a long time because I don’t do subscriptions.
I was born into a family where we had no money. Well actually, dad did, but he wouldn’t spend it, so we had to go without. I developed frugal habits from an early age that never left me. Low wages didn’t help.
I still find spending money stressful. But I’m not after sympathy. Please smile or laugh your socks off at what I’m about to share!
Knackered knickers
I repaired my underpants last year. The seams were coming apart and I was on a mission to save the environment and not buy anything new. Now, they’re falling apart again. I decided to put some of them in the fabric recycling last week because they’re at risk of falling down — and that would be embarrassing. 😆
I also patched my socks, but after a while the socks got stretched and floppy. Now, I sew holes up, so they’re a tighter fit, but they’ll be heading for the recycling soon, too!
My poorly phone!
I don’t have a smart phone. My pay-as-you-go phone is used to access online accounts. It’s 20 years old and I recently accidentally dropped it in a bucket of water. It stopped working. I was mortified. I took all the pieces apart and tried to dry it out.
It bleeped! 💥 A sign of hope!
My poorly phone spent a week on the radiator drying out. Now it works again. Thank goodness. Hopefully it will do me good for another 20 years. I won’t take it anywhere near water!
Broken laptop still in service
My laptop screen is knackered and keeps going blank. I have a spare back-up screen that someone was throwing away. I plug that in when the main screen isn’t working. There’s nothing wrong with the computer itself. I just closed it too many times so the connection between keyboard and screen is partially severed.
Our landline phone doesn’t work very well either. The answerphone stopped working ages ago, and the line is crackly.
I do interviews for magazines on Zoom because the sound is clearer. My Zoom interviews are weird because the camera on my computer doesn’t work, except when it’s pointed at the ceiling. 🤣
Ancient software
I’m using Microsoft 2000 because I have a free copy and I don’t do subscriptions. It works — except when it doesn’t. It won’t open docx files, but I’ve found a way round that — I use the Hotmail preview or OpenOffice to open docx files.
Broken door
We can’t open the patio door in our house. I’m not sure what’s wrong with it, but it just won’t open. It’s been on its way out for years and keeps getting stuck. My husband has replaced the wheels on the runner at least twice. Now it won’t budge. I’m using the back door instead.
My clothes are second hand and my favourite clothes are like rags. There’s paint on my jacket and the elbow has worn through. I sewed a leather patch on it, and reckon it’ll last another 10 years! So far, it’s serving me well. It’s nice and warm. Its predecessor had patches on both elbows. I know patches are a bit 1970s, but they work.
Broken TV
Our television is on the blink. In order to turn it on, you have to switch it on and unplug it six times in succession before you get a picture and sound. The number of times we have to go through this ridiculous routine increases with every passing week. The picture is also faulty for the first few minutes and the sound has developed an annoying hiss, which fades after a while.
We have acquired a back up television that my mum was throwing away. We’ll use that when the main one finally packs up.
We only have the heating on for 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening, with a little extra boost if it’s actually frozen outside.
At least our way of life is relatively good for the environment!
Broken job
My freelance income halved during the pandemic and never recovered. The only upside of having such a low income is that my income tax bill this year will be very low, if I have to pay tax at all. That’s a silver lining. I never liked sending the tax man huge sums of money. It hurt.
However, the other upside of a frugal life is that because of my careful habits, we live in a nice house, we can afford fresh healthy food, healthcare, and we don’t need to worry about money. Nonetheless, the habits of a lifetime are hard to drop.
Find me in the Bargain Basement
I do like a bargain. I stocked up on DVDs when the price dropped to 20p in the charity shop and everyone else was chucking their players out in favour of online streaming. Streaming now costs more than owning a stack of DVDs! But you’re watching the latest movies, while I’m viewing films from 20 years ago!
I try to make everything last as long as possible, as much for the environment as for my purse. Saving the planet is one of my top priorities, but I sometimes wonder if I’ve gone too far.
Friend of Medium, or just an Acquaintance?
So, the question, ‘Do I want to pay 3x as much for my Medium membership?’ is a tricky one! Um… I’m not naturally drawn to paying more than is necessary for anything!
I’m paid up until May already. Paying more than necessary goes against my nature. So, I’m going to wait and see how it all unfolds. I may change my mind if I think the returns could be worthwhile.
I wonder how it will evolve. Will Medium start paying for all external views, not just those through the friend link? Will they bring back the entity bar that we all miss so badly?
I’m aware that some people are concerned about a two-tier system developing and becoming divisive. I hope this doesn’t happen. We’re a pretty easy going bunch, so hopefully there will be no downsides.
For now, I’m just grateful to those who have decided to upgrade, because all the writers here appreciate a few extra cents in their earnings I’m sure! Thank you!
I promise I won’t waste my extra earnings on anything frivolous. 🤣😂😁
© Susie Kearley 2023. All Rights Reserved.
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