Thread: Cost/Contributions Breakdown - Unused Contribution Balance

Since members are sending contributions to help cover the costs of running the forum, I want to provide an accounting. I will update this at least monthly.

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Forum Costs/Contributions Breakdown (since 11/1/2008 - not inclucing Pickem prizes)
In addition to monthly costs listed below, the are annual costs for items like the chat room, vBulletin renewal, domain renewal, etc. that are in the $250 range.

Current Server Fund Balance … $-281.67


===========November=================
11/1/2008 -$126.25 … November rental of old server
11/12/2008 -$214.00 … Setup and First months server rental/lease ($169 Monthly + $45 setup)
11/14/2008 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
11/17/2008 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
11/25/2008 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
11/29/2008 $454.00 … November Contributions (Received as of 11/29/08)
--------------------------------
Contribution Balance at end of November +$81.80

===========December=================
12/7/2008 -$169.00 … December server rental
12/13/2008 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
12/17/2008 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
12/25/2008 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
12/31/2008 $104.00 … December Contributions
--------------------------------
December costs $200.95
December contributions $104.00
Contribution Balance at end of December $-15.15 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========January=================
1/7/2009 -$169.00 … January server rental
1/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
1/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
1/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
1/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
1/31/2009 $295.00 … January Contributions
--------------------------------
January costs $229.95
January contributions $295.00
Contribution Balance at end of January $49.90 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========February=================
2/1/2009 $49.90 … February Contribution Beginning Balance
2/8/2009 -$169.00 … February server rental
2/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
2/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
2/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
2/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
2/28/2009 $227.00 … February Contributions
--------------------------------
February costs $229.95
February contributions $227.00
Contribution Balance at end of February $52.85 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========March=================
3/1/2009 $52.85 … March Contribution Beginning Balance
3/8/2009 -$169.00 … March server rental
3/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
3/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
3/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
3/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
3/31/2009 $100.00 … March Contributions
March costs $229.95
March contributions $100.00
March shortfall $-129.95
Contribution Balance at end of March $-77.10 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========April=================
4/1/2009 $-77.15 … April Contribution Beginning Balance
4/8/2009 -$169.00 … server rental
4/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
4/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
4/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
4/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
4/29/2009 -$188.47… Google Adwords advertising to promote BroncosForums during draft
4/30/2009 $302.00 … April Contributions
April costs $418.42 (Increased costs due to Initiating a Goolge Ad campaign to expose BF to people looking for Broncos draft info)
April contributions $302.00
April shortfall $-116.42
Contribution Balance at end of April $-193.52 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========May=================
5/1/2009 $-193.52 … May Contribution Beginning Balance
5/8/2009 -$189.00 … New server rental (moved much more powerful server on special)
5/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
5/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
5/21/2009 -$73.50 … Prorated cost of old server that had to be kept up during migration to new one.
5/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
5/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
5/31/2009 $474.00 … May Contributions (Includes last minute contribution of $374.00 by a poster that has previously been VERY generous.)
May costs $323.45 (Included cost of new and old server for two weeks)
May contributions $474.00
May Overage $150.45
Contribution Balance at end of May $-42.97 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========June=================
6/1/2009 $-42.97 … June Contribution Beginning Balance
6/8/2009 -$189.00 … server rental
6/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
6/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
6/27/2009 $30.00 … Credit from hosting company, as the server charge was supposed to be $174 per month, not $189, after $20 a month credit for having a link to their site at the bottom of the page. I just realized they were only giving a $5 a month credit.
6/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
6/27/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
6/27/2009 $315.00 … Contributions through June 27th

June beginning balance $-42.97
June Costs $219.93 (including $30 credit for server overcharged last two months)
June Contributions $315.00
June Overage $95.07
Contribution Balance at June 27th $-42.97 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).


===========July=================
7/1/2009 $52.10 … July Contribution Beginning Balance
7/8/2009 -$174.00 … server rental
7/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
7/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
7/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
7/26/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
7/31/2009 $192.00 … Contributions through July 26th

July beginning balance $52.10
July Costs $-234.95
July Contributions $192.00
July Short Fall $-42.95
Contribution Balance at July 26th $10.85 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).


===========August=================
8/1/2009 $10.85 … August Contribution Beginning Balance
8/8/2009 -$174.00 … server rental
8/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
8/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
8/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
8/25/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
8/26/2009 -$40.00 … Vbulletin Annual Renewal
8/27/2009 -$21.72 … Domain Renewal
8/26/2009 $251.00 … Contributions through August 31st



August beginning balance $10.85
August Costs $-296.67
August Contributions $251.00
August Short Fall $-45.67
Contribution Balance at August 31th $-34.82 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).


===========September=================
9/1/2009 $-34.82 … September Contribution Beginning Balance
9/8/2009 -$174.00 … server rental
9/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
9/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
9/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
9/25/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
9/30/2009 $145.00 … Contributions through September 28th

September beginning balance $-34.82
September Costs $-234.95
September Contributions $145.00
September Short Fall $-89.95
Contribution Balance at September 28th $-124.77 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).


===========October=================
10/1/2009 $-124.77 … October Contribution Beginning Balance
10/8/2009 -$174.00 … server rental
10/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
10/17/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
10/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
10/25/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
10/31/2009 $245.00 … Contributions through October 31st

October beginning balance $-124.77
October Costs $-234.95
October Contributions $245.00
October Overage $10.05
Contribution Balance at October 31st $-114.72 (Costs minus contributions since November 1st).

===========November=================
11/1/2009 $-114.72 … October Contribution Beginning Balance
11/8/2009 -$174.00 … server rental
11/13/2009 -$14.95 … Offsite storage for forum backups
11/16/2009 -$3.00 … Monthly Remote Reboot Fee
10/25/2009 -$14.00 … Server monitoring service (pages me if the site is down)
10/25/2009 -$29.00 … Server Management Contract (Linux Admin Support)
11/30/2009 $165.00 … Contributions through November 15th

Server Fund Balance = $-184.67

Updated with Decembers costs and contributions.

Updated with January's costs and contributions.

Updated after paying Feb server fee.

Costs and contributions updated for February.

Thanks to all that are contributing.

Updated with March costs

One mini-bright spot in this Jay/McDaniel fiasco is that the server has held up without a glitch. We have had 300 or so people on tonight at one time and it is running as fast as ever.

On a negative, we ran a $130 deficit between costs and contributions. A single poster has been carrying a large amount of the contributions in recent months, which I am very grateful for, but also feel it is unfair for one poster to 1/3 to 1/2 of the forum costs. This month the poster made a more modest contribution, but others didn't pick up the slack.

I can handle shortfalls here and there, but can't go back to cover the full cost by myself as I have prior to accepting contributions to cover costs back in November.

Thanks to all that have been helping out.

T

Costs/Contributions updated. Thanks to everyone that contributed this month.

Due to the excitement the draft creates, I decided to start up a Google adwords campaign to promote BroncosForums during the draft. We had adds running when people searched on various Denver Broncos searches.

Much of Saturday we were in the 280-300 range online, and Sunday saw just a slight fall off. Hopefully, we exposed BroncosForums to some more Broncos' fans.

Except for the $29 linux admin fee that will be charged in the next few days, most of May's costs are in.

The price of the server went up a little, but it was a really good deal that should ensure we have a solid platform that handles any surges that come with breaking news and stuff like that.

Ok, May's contributions/costs are final. As it is, the server balance sheet is basically back to even thanks to a VERY generous contribution of nearly $400 right before midnight. This particular poster has been VERY generous before, often making up the shortfall at the end of the month.

I have tried not to solicit too hard. For the first 18 months or so, I paid all the bills, and I didn't want to panhandle for money to cover my costs. However, right now the majority of the costs each month are being borne by one member, and it isn't me.

We have around 350 active people, even in this slow time between the draft and Training camp. We have at least 200 people that log in every day, and between 2-5 times that amount that visit but don't login.

If only 50 people contributed 5, we would have $250 and be in the black every month. So, if 1/4 of the people that log in to BF every day could commit $5 each month then we reach our goal every month.

Thanks to all of you that have contributed, it is greatly appreciated, and I hope we can get more people contributing LESS as we move forward.

T

Costs for June updated (except for the $29 management fee later in the month). We are running about 100 short for the month.

All June costs accounted for. Thanks everyone for the contributions, we're going nto July with a small surplus.

Updated with July costs.

All August costs are accounted for, running a bit of a shortfall this month. Thanks to those that contributed.

Did the annual vBulletin renewal. Tomorrow is BroncosForums two year anniversary.