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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 09:55:23 AM
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Hallo 
Now that the forum has expanded to close to 500 members I think that we could easily help the development of AYP without burdening anyone too much.
What do you think about setting up an anonymous voluntary donation list made up of people who offer to donate $2/month? This would burden noone as the amount is small even by Eastern European standards let alone for people living in Western Europe/US. It is also suitable for those of us who cannot help with other things such as time due to working or other commitments.
The advantage of this list is that amounts can be planned in advance based on the number of people on the list. In addition the list can expand as forum membership grows, albeit by a smaller rate. The number of people donating can be published in the forum.
Any comments?
Thx,
Lili |
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Jim and His Karma
2111 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 10:32:38 AM
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| Good idea. But anyone who thinks AYP is worth only $2/month surely isn't practicing properly! ;) |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 10:47:42 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Jim and His Karma
Good idea. But anyone who thinks AYP is worth only $2/month surely isn't practicing properly! ;)
Agree about not practicing properly  . Actually it's a relief that the value of AYP does not reflect the properlyness  of my practice or the suggested donation list amount. |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 2:01:24 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Shanti
Just keep in mind, there are other ways to help out too. Money always helps, but there is a lot you can do other than donate money. For example:
-You could donate some time and find ways to market the books in your own community.
-Start a small meditation group.. or get a few friends/family to try AYP.
-Help write articles and follow up on leads posted in the AYP helpers thread.
-WRITE Reviews in Amazon.. please that is the easiest way to help. The Tantra book can use all the help you can give it.. there is only one review there.. so anyone who is done with the book.. make sure you put a review out there...
-Make sure you buy Yogani's books. If possible buy some in bulk from Yogani and give them out to your friends and family.. or like Jim does.. to total strangers:-) http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....TOPIC_ID=558
-Make better use of the reviews in Amazon.. look in this thread to some great ideas posted by Alvin and others.. http://www.aypsite.org/forum/topic....OPIC_ID=1202
Could not agree more that these are all valid ways to help. This thread however has been set to establish whether there is an interest here in helping by donating a very small amount on a regular basis requiring very little time commitment. I believe this has the added benefit of predictable inflow that none of the above methods seem to guarantee. It is easy enough to serve as a basis on which people could expand if they choose to in ways that fit their situations as you pointed out.
Setting up a meditation group is an option for someone who is a housewife or retired or living in a small town by the river. A full-time worker in a big city who has to study after work with commuting taking 2 hours a day most likely does not have the time to set up anything and is happy enough to set herself in bed shortly after making it home. On the other hand people with more time might not have money to buy lots of books and distribute them. However a small amount every month is something most people can afford.
It is possible that my logic is not correct so please go ahead if you have alternative views or further suggestions. My thinking reflects local circumstances and my personal lifestyle so corrections are welcome. |
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Shanti
USA
4854 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 2:10:04 PM
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Hi Lili,
I am sorry the post was not intended for you.. It was a general request for help. I was not asking you to start a meditation group. Sorry my dear.
Let me make a separate thread of this post..
I will delete it from here.. Sorry again.
Oh! by the way, yours is a great idea.. Thank You..
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Edited by - Shanti on Jul 05 2006 2:26:23 PM |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Jul 05 2006 : 2:35:06 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Shanti
Hi Lili,
I am sorry the post was not intended for you.. It was a general request for help. I was not asking you to start a meditation group. Sorry my dear.
Let me make a separate thread of this post..
I will delete it from here.. Sorry again.
Oh! by the way, yours is a great idea.. Thank You..
No worries . The post was absolutely valid here or elsewhere. Hope many people will use the suggestions in it  |
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awieise
3 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2006 : 7:19:05 PM
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I think the "minimal donation list" is a WONDERFUL idea. I don't have much money, and would feel like it was not worthwhile to send $2. I suspect that I am not alone in this.
On the other hand, if all 500 forum members sent $2 each per month, that would be $1000/month or $12,000/year to defray the costs of this site.
What would be even better for me would be to automate it somehow so that it became an automatic deduction from my checking account every month. My bank would do this for free. I believe that all Yogani would have to do is open a checking account, and those who want to participate could do a small eft (electronic funds transfer)on a regular basis (automatic)or on a demand basis (whenever).
I'm surprised that this topic has not received more atention--probably because people do not read this area as frequently as some of the others. I really think a lot of people would opt in if they knew about it and it was made painless/hassle-free.
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2006 : 10:57:53 PM
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This is a good idea if it is workable. But is such a thing really available on a small scale such as this? What is the 'small fee' that the bank charges?
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Aug 20 2006 10:59:14 PM |
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Scott
USA
969 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2006 : 11:12:44 PM
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| Couldn't it be done through PayPal for free? |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2006 : 11:32:38 PM
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| an automatic monthly payment? |
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sadhak
India
604 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 03:56:13 AM
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| The idea is good. Have to check with bank about procedures... dollar outpayments are always fussy things here. |
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yogani
USA
5241 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 10:31:26 AM
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Hi All:
The interest in supporting the AYP work is very much appreciated.
As you may know, AYP is already set up on Paypal here:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webs...rset=UTF%2d8
There is no fee to the sender on Paypal, only to the recipient, which is $.30 + 2.9% of the amount. If a currency translation is involved, an additonal 2.5% is charged if on the recipient's end. All of that is a pretty big chunk out of a $2.00 donation, but still appreciated. I do not believe Paypal has the ability for periodic automatic payments.
Bank transfers are another matter, not familiar with exact charges there, but you can be sure there are some -- perhaps similar to Paypal. In any case, the bank account number here is not available except for special situations. Same for snail mail address to AYP Publishing. Where there is the will, there is a way.
Thank you, and all the best!
The guru is in you.
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awieise
3 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 12:18:14 PM
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Paypal is pretty much of a ripoff since they would take 36 cents out of a $2 donation. The only thing recommending it is autonomy for Yogani, which is desirable and necessary.
My bank (USAA Federal Savings Bank, San Antonio, TX) has a FREE service called WebBillPay that handles paying of any "bills" I desire with no charge whatsoever. There is no "catch", it really is totally free. This is an extraordinarily good bank, though, so I don't know how common this practice is.
I'm pretty sure that all banks are free on the receiving end of electronic funds transfers, but I could be wrong.
The autonomy issue is the only real obstacle. Yogani could open a checking account in the name "Yogani" which could probably receive eft funds without charges, but to open the account he would have to first get a dba (an alias name used typically in business). Any person can get a dba (stands for "doing business as") at their local county recorder's office for like $20. Unfortunately, though, the dba info is not confidential--it is available to anybody who wants to go to the recorder's office and search it out.
Alternatively, I could open a free checking account at my bank, all you eager donors could do your free(?) eft's monthly (or whenever); and I could empty the account monthly and send a check to Yogani, General Delivery, Jacksonville, FL.
Ok, I'm out of ideas. |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 12:58:05 PM
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Actually, I've just gone to bank account web-based service and found out that my own bank offers the same service -- I think a number of banks offer web-based bill paying these days.... most?
If this can work for a lot of people, I'm not sure anonymity would be a problem.... Perhaps Yogani could find a trusted friend somewhere to do the dba for him ... and keep Yogani's identity quiet. Because this person could give Yogani the password to account on the web, Yogani could handle all the money himself, by paying himself with Bill Pay. So this person would only need to be trusted not to to steal funds.
As far as I know, there are no fees associated with these services. They are a replacement for checks, and cheaper for the bank, so they would be fools to discourage them.
Do other/most people here in the US anyway have a web-based service at their bank?
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Aug 21 2006 1:04:54 PM |
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awieise
3 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 4:23:37 PM
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| It just came to me (during meditation, of course ) that my use of the word "autonomy" in my last post was incorrect. I meant "anonymity". |
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david_obsidian
USA
2602 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2006 : 6:08:37 PM
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FYI, Awieise you can edit your post if you get to it within a few days. You need to use the pencil-and-paper icon.
So, I'm wondering if the possibility of web-based access to one's bank account is common now in the US throughout the various banks.... My bank has it, Awieise's does ... anyone else have a comment?
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Edited by - david_obsidian on Aug 21 2006 6:32:37 PM |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Aug 22 2006 : 09:49:57 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by awieise
I think the "minimal donation list" is a WONDERFUL idea. I don't have much money, and would feel like it was not worthwhile to send $2. I suspect that I am not alone in this.
I believe that all Yogani would have to do is open a checking account, and those who want to participate could do a small eft (electronic funds transfer)on a regular basis (automatic)or on a demand basis (whenever).I'm surprised that this topic has not received more atention--probably because people do not read this area as frequently as some of the others. I really think a lot of people would opt in if they knew about it and it was made painless/hassle-free.
Wow awieise thank you so much for your post! I agree with everything that you're saying only you are expressing it better /I'm not a native speaker but tried my best hehe/
I was not aware that PayPal is charging .30 per transaction as a base fee. Phew! Do you think it makes sense for us to contact them and ask for a discount on this since we plan sending multiple small amounts? I believe they should be interested in our minimal donation thing going also since it involves (hopefully) a lot of movements on a regular basis.
The bank account option also seems fine if Yogani opts to go for it. But even if we have to stay with PayPal I think we should not drop the donation list. |
Edited by - Lili on Aug 22 2006 09:52:20 AM |
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Etherfish
USA
3615 Posts |
Posted - Apr 07 2007 : 09:34:31 AM
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$2 x 12 months = $24.
Why don't you just paypal $24 or whatever you can afford, then you have a whole year to remember to do it again?
remember, awieise, that if you receive money in a checking account in your name, you will have to pay income taxes on all of it even if you don't keep it. |
Edited by - Etherfish on Apr 07 2007 09:41:25 AM |
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Lili
Netherlands
372 Posts |
Posted - Apr 08 2007 : 05:29:24 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by Etherfish
$2 x 12 months = $24.
Why don't you just paypal $24 or whatever you can afford, then you have a whole year to remember to do it again?
Yes absolutely this is another totally valid option.
The minimal donation list is for people who find it financially less cumbersome to donate small amounts monthly rather than a bigger one annually. The same principle that is used in leasing and loan repayments. Also the suggested amount is a minimum and ppl can decide to donate lets say $5 or 10 if they have a better month. For me it is easier to donate a little each month than a lot one-off, as perhaps for people in low or medium income countries. The donation tself takes 5 minutes so it is not really a time-intensive thing. |
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Minimal donation list
