L300 stipend each week!

First Land isn't available any more. If someone goes premium now, as I did merely months ago, all that is offered is ticket support, 512M of no-fee tier, and a L$300 weekly stipend. I had to buy my parcel of land. I think a few have done the math, and stipend nearly covers the premium fee, but just barely. I think there's a general difference of about $12US. (o.o)

Still. With a little effort, creativity, and some clunky things for sale; A premium account can easily become paid-to-play. In the end, it's all trivial, fun, and a much better value than renting DVDs. (^_^)y

I think I'm missing somthing, how can you get more than you paid back? from all I've heard so far it seems at most you just don't pay as much, but you still don't profit from it...

You don't even need an army. I have two Premium accounts, one at the 400L stipend and one at the 300L; between the two, I end up paying $12-14 total for both memberships. My land would be in the $25 tier range with just one membership, but is $8 per account ($16 total) with the two 512m allowances.

So, if only Ann was Premium, my yearly fees would be approximately:

$72 (Annual Premium membership) - $74 (USD equivalent of stipend @ 400L/week) + $300 (Tier @ $25/mo x 12 mo) = $298

With Ann and Kitten:

$144 - $130 + $192 = $206

And, with the 10% bonus tier allowance on group land, I have a smidge left over to donate to the Cartel.

But taking an annual plan is a big leap of faith, especially for a new person. $72 at once is a big committment to something you don't know whether you want to stay with or not. It's wasy to get sucked in by the hype to go Premium right away, I did after about 2 weeks. But I was strictly monthly. Even after a couple of months, I stayed monthly, I just don't like being committed to anything for a year. I suggest you don't look at Premium as a way to come out ahead financially, but to look at what Premium offrs you as far as service and features, and if it suits you then give it a try for a couple of months. Then if you want to go long term, you can go annual, or semi annual.

Older accounts have a higher stipend rate, which means that they do profit somewhat if they chose the annual membership...I think the quarterly also works for those with a 500L stipend. This isn't true with the current 300L rate.

400L x 52wk/yr = 20,800L/yr
20,800L/yr / 270L/USD = 77.03USD/yr
72USDyr - 77.03USD/yr = 5.03USD/yr 'profit'

Of course, we'd have to cash out the stipend for it to be actual profit, but it's still valuable, even if we don't.

It seems to relate to when you JOINED.. not when you went premium.

Case in point, When I joined, the stipend for basic "payment info on file" memberships had just been ended. (ended on 6/6/06, I joined on 7/13/06). I received my 250 signup bonus for putting payment info on file.

2 years later (just a couple of months ago), I signed up for a premium membership, because I finally could no longer escape the need to "be my own landlord"...

I receive a 500L$/week stipend.

That's certainly interesting! If that is the case, then this account plus at least 1 or two of my oldest alts would get the L$500 stipend if I ever broke down and went Premium.

So far, however, and assuming that a newly-created Premium account gets L$300 per week, the math just doesn't work for me. Even at annual rates, unless you count the value of the free tier on your first 512 M2 of mainland as part of the value received, it still costs more to be Premium then you get back in value as stipend.

Not counting the value of "free tier" on your first 512 M2 of land:

52 weeks stipend at L$300 per week, is L$15,600, which I could cash in today for $53.95 USD, after processing fees and paypal transfer fees. The initial sign-up bonus of L$1000 adds another $3.52 USD to that, if cashed out at the same time. An annual membership costs $72.00 USD, so I lose $14.53 USD the first year, and $18.05 every year after that. But that ASSUMES that I would save all the stipends, and cash them out in one lump at the end of the year. If I cashed out once per month, instead of annually, it costs me another $11 USD in Pay Pal fees. If you pay quarterly or monthly instead of annually, it costs more, and any losses would be higher.

If old accounts that go Premium all do get the old stipend rates:
52 weeks stipend at the best L$500 per week rate for older members is L$26,000, which I could cash in today for $90.58 USD, after processing fees and paypal transfer fees. The initial sign-up bonus of L$1000 adds another $3.52 USD to that, if cashed out at the same time. An annual membership costs $72.00 USD, so IF my older account actually did get the L$500 per week rate for going Premium, I would make a profit of $22.10 USD the first year, and $18.58 every year after that. Again, that ASSUMES that I would save all the stipends, and cash them out in one lump at the end of the year. If I cashed out once per month, instead of annually, it costs me another $11 USD in Pay Pal fees.

So yeah, an older account can consider their stipend to be worth more than their annual membership cost. That is why they reduced the stipend. Someone at LL finally realized it cost them more than they were charging for it.

As for First Land, some greedy people started mining LL by creating a slew of Premium accounts, selling their First Land, and cashing out their L$ and then cancelling the accounts. For a while there, just before they killed the First Land program, even with only the L$300 stipend, you could turn at least a $20 USD profit on every one-month Premium account that you "churned" that way. LL's membership numbers soared, but they lost money, and a lot of those accounts lasted less than a month.


The debatable value of "Free Tier on the first 512M2":
If I obtain ONLY one 512 M2 mainland parcel, the "value" of the free tier on that parcel is another $60 USD for the year. BUT I still have to purchase that land first, and that will cost me at least L$5 per M2, or about ten dollars. And although I receive free use of that tiny parcel, it's still costing me $14.53 the first year, and $18.05 every year after that, in terms of what actually comes out of my bank account to pay for that membership.

From teh KB:


https://support.secondlife.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=4417&task=knowledge&questionID=4076

I believe the stipends for Basic accounts are the one where you have to log in that week to receive the L$.

It doesn't cost them anything...L$ are like Monopoly money, except we can buy and sell it amongst ourselves for actual currency. Oh, and LL may get a small cut of that as well, for facilitating the transactions which take place on the LindeX.

And no one has said that the flat 300L stipend rate will earn a profit...you'd have to include the theoretical value of the 512m tier for that.

Reallly???!!!????

Coz if that is true there would be no reason NOT to upgrade my 3 pre-06/06/06 alts up to premium.

Can anyone else confirm this? I've always taken that quote from the KB to mean that if the account were "upgraded" after 06/06/06 they would only recieve $L300 regardless of the date the account was created. But I'd be slap-happy to be wrong about that.

If you can't get confirmation, you could upgrade one for a month ($9.95) and see what the stipend turns out to be.

My itchy trigger finger is already there.

I upgraded to Premium within a week or two of joining SL, I was that hooked almost immediately. That was back in 2006, and I qualified for the L$400 stipend. A few months later I created an alt, who also upgraded to Premium soon after. Between stipends, free 512sm and group bonus, plus customer support (which has gone well for me) I'm feel like I've gotten a good deal.

Records only go back 30 days for L$ transactions.

Date: 2008-09-30 01:59:53 - Stipend Base - Source: SYSTEM - L$500
Date: 2008-09-23 01:57:36 - Stipend Base - Source: SYSTEM - L$500
Date: 2008-09-16 01:49:15 - Stipend Base - Source: SYSTEM - L$500
Date: 2008-09-09 01:49:42 - Stipend Base - Source: SYSTEM - L$500
Date: 2008-09-02 01:56:19 - Stipend Base - Source: SYSTEM - L$500

Date: 2008-07-15 19:43:37 - Initial Annual subscription - $72.00
Date: 2006-07-13 - Account created

Honestly though, I didn't do it for the stipends. Frankly I don't consider the stipend to exist. There's been problems over the years with stipend delivery, and with all the uncertainty with LL changing the memberships around, I just treat it like "found money".

The reason I upgraded, is that a few months back, my former landlord raised my rent to $25/month for the land that was holding my store. I worked out that with an annual membership (about $6 a month), and $15 worth of monthly tier, I could save myself roughly $5 a month, and combined with my "free 512 of tier". I could own almost as much land as I was renting.. plus I wouldn't have to worry that some day he might close his sim business down, leaving me lost for a space to keep my store.

The stipend really has turned into a bit of a bonus. Basically nullifying the cost OF the membership fee, leaving me responsible for only the tier. Which is pretty rad. I've considered tiering up another $10 a month.. but I don't feel like I *HAVE* to.

The cost of "buying the land" was a one-time fee.. so I don't even really consider it as relevant to the math anymore, now that it's in the past.

P.S. ANYONE who owns land in SL, should form a group with themselves and maybe an alt or something, to actually possess the land. While it can be a bit of a pain to work with in terms of autoreturn, you get to own 10% MORE LAND without paying additional tier! It's crazy how it works.. but it DOES work.That measily 512 can become a 563.. for the cost of making and maintaining a holdings group. Just make sure your group has a minimum of 2 members at all times.

$72 really is not a lot if you compare it to some of the MMO's out there

average $50 for the game, then a monthly fee to play of $15 (average)

so for just one month of an MMO, you pay almost the same as you do for a year on SL

and no other commitment or fees (unless you wish to buy land, and of course go over the 512 tier allowance

I joined April 06 and got and still get the 500L stipend

500L x 52 (weeks) = 26000L per year

26000L sold right now on the lindex is 91.58 at market sell
so for me, right now LL pays me to play my yearly account (of course I have land and tier so I pay them LOL)
but just for the account, at premium, because I am in the 500L premium stipend I actually come out ahead by nearly $20 a year

Perhaps. if you do play them, I don't know I never have. But a good portion of people are coming here without that experience, so they still may be a bit lery of committing for a year in advance.

true
however I would not assume that they would be
they might also be someone with tons of disposable income, who scoffs at the mere mention of $72 for it is just pocket change for them

I try to not inflict my personal opinion on the value of $72, and let the individual decide for themselves.

I give the facts, what the $72 per year will get them, etc.

3 nights of pizza.
A tank of gas.

Check back in a week, we'll see where the economy is then.

ROFL not even that in some states

let me rephrase... what $72 per year will get them in SL

I joined SL in October 06, but didn't go premium 'till late December 06. I still get 400L$ stipend. So it does seem to be when you joined.

Something no one has mentioned though is that if you live in the UK/Europe there's VAT to take into account too on membership and any tier.

So in the UK where VAT is 17.5%...
Yearly = $84.60
Quarterly = $26.44
Monthly = $11.69

darn witch of my alts gets the basic one? I know it hasn't been on in a long time ... I better start logging it.

I missed the 500 by a month! Grrrrrrr!!!!
but with annual on 2 premiums taking 400L each plus 1 more taking (that I don't pay) 300 a week and the tier all towards the group land I "think" I come out a tiny bit ahead... until the ladies shop, oh I lie and until I shop too! LOL

I had done all of the calcs that showed that it was cheaper for me to make my alts premium rather than increasing my tier level - so I had 3 other premium accounts plus Lil paid monthly tier.

However, I have recently redone those calcs taking into account the cost of renting tier and determined it was actually cheaper to rent the tier. So Lil is still premium, but with no additional tier payments. My other three accounts have all been downgraded to basic and I rent the additional tier that I need to cover my current mainland amount owned.

All of my calcs were done using the quarterly payment plan for membership because that is how I had mine set up - I was willing to commit a quarter at a time, but not an entire year. And it is based on the L$300 stipend because that is what I get.