By Chuck Woodbury
FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER
We have recently posted some messages to readers regarding donating to RVtravel.com. My message last Sunday resulted in a trickle of new donations. It also brought as many emails accusing me of one thing or another, none of them nice. Did I go too far? Was I being an ass?
In that message, I posted a request asking readers to please consider pledging some level of financial support to RVtravel.com (see the message far below). Some readers were disappointed or downright offended by the tone of the message. I responded to one such comment from a loyal reader named Jerald.
Jerald wrote to me
I have been with you years and donate yearly. I think your request for donations today is tacky and makes it sound like people are stealing from you. I’m disappointed in you.
And I responded to Jerald
Whatever I do, Jerald, someone thinks I am tacky or a creep, dishonest, greedy, unethical or a dozen other undesirable things. I have endured this for so long that these words pretty much roll off now. And yet, over time, they slowly but surely take a little wind out of my sails.
But the fact is, very few of our readers contribute even a penny to us as you do (thank you very much for your generosity), though they benefit from us all year long.
Can you understand how that might seem unfair to me? So we run ads — way too many of them — to pay our bills, and we could run a whole lot more and just forget the pitches for donations. Would that be better? I don’t think so.
Right now, with A.I., and the greedy behaviors of Google, Microsoft, Facebook, ChatGPT, etc., we are having to fight harder and harder just to stay afloat. We’re okay, but I am working 60 hours a week even though I am now 78 years old. If all that work did not involve being with my daughter so much (which makes me so incredibly happy), I’d just sell this business and let some businessman use content creators, influencers and artificial intelligence to earn 10 times what I do by focusing exclusively on profits without caring about readers. Alas, that’s the way publishing goes these days, online and off. It makes me sick.
I totally understand your feelings. Every time I ask for money, no matter how fair I try to be, I know people will be disappointed in me and very often call me names, and many times unsubscribe. Lucky for us, for every two subscribers we lose, we pick up three new ones. But I have to bust my behind for that to happen and I’m getting a little tired at my advanced age…
Thanks for weighing in. And, again, thank you for your support.
Here is my message that Jerald was referring to with his comment:
Do you leave restaurants without paying? Do you sneak out of campgrounds without paying?
Do you sneak into a movie theater without buying a ticket? Do you finish your restaurant meal then leave without paying? Do you refuse to pay the plumber after he unclogs your drain? Do you pull into an RV park, stay the night, then leave without paying? Do you? Do you read RVtravel.com week after week, month after month, year after year, and never consider that you might give something back in return? If so, would you please click here and make a voluntary donation, no matter how modest? We work hard to help improve your RVing lives, and we know we are worth a whole lot more than free. All donors get our ad-free weekend editions, too.
* * *
Your comments are welcome, of course.
RVT1228
Hi Chuck,
If you do not want to be disappointed by people not paying for a service, don’t offer it free. Allow x number of articles a week/month for free.
There will always be someone who whines. Frankly, I thought Chuck’s approach was dead on. But then again, I am not fond of freeloaders. I contribute annually yet I have to endure all the ads (not in the main body of the newsletter but every single article) simply because the majority of readers are too cheap (“entitled”) to contribute. Admittedly, I skip articles that hold no interest for me but I always find some that are interesting or informative. Inadequate content is not an excuse not to contribute if one reads even part of the newsletter. If someone can afford an RV, then they should be able to contribute $10 or $15 once a year to keep RV Travel afloat.
I understand the message/plea in your recent approach to encouraging readers to contribute. As you note, no matter how you phrase the request for payment you will be pilloried by someone. When I saw your lead sentence I began to read the message. When I soon saw it was a request for payment I skipped on since it doesn’t apply to me. I’ve been a monthly contributor for several years now.
it is disappointing that a reader, already a subscriber or not, would take exception to your style of plea. You have to vary the message periodically to catch the eye of the intended target.
Keep up the good work.
Cheers!
Bill Coady
I read the article and felt it was appropriate. I’ve contributed as long as I can remember and also am not a fan of people who consume content and do not contribute.
I subscribe to several “newsletters” on Substack. Some are free with limited articles and I pay for others that I like that provide more access. You might consider that model.
Given my local newspaper is online, the news is several days old, and the interface is very clunky, I have a new source of money to buy more interesting news.
Chuck, I think you do a wonderful job writing these articles! I have donated before and donated again because I do enjoy reading your articles. Keep up the good work.
Chuck it was perfectly fine and eloquently written. If a person feels guilty as a result, that’s their issue. Happy to contribute and love your newsletter! Now could we please have an article comparing the best travel planning apps for rv’s? Also, many of have aging and not upgradeable gps in our rigs. What are some alternative gps options?
You were definitely NOT out of line asking readers to pay for something they enjoy. I’ve contributed yearly because RV Travel is an honest, worthwhile publication and I understand writing and publishing good material isn’t free. If those super-sensitive readers find asking for a donation offensive, maybe they’d be better off getting their information from AI. I am so grateful for the hard work you and your staff put in to keep me educated. Thank you!!
This article just prompted me to donate again. Thanks for what you do, it is greatly appreciated….and understood as well; why you need to ask for donations.
me too. I donated again.
Cheers to you both! The only thing I might add is to consider a monthly donation, even a small one like I do. If someone is providing something I enjoy and gain knowledge from, I have no problem paying for it. Glad to see most of the comments are positive.
Agree!
Me too!! I donated after this article!
Hi Chuck, I enjoy and have contributed to your newsletter. I think I have been reading the newsletter each week thinking that the multiple ads I see are paying the bills. I’m sorry if that is not the case. As far as leaving a restaurant or campground without paying, I would know upfront that payment is expected for their services. There would be no advertising to offset their expenses. When I watch a YouTube video, I do not contribute money for viewing each video. I understand that YouTube pays the creator of the channel based on the number of views. Plus, during the video I am required to watch multiple ads. Can you offer a specific dollar amount needed by readers to help?
I have donated and will continue! The newsletter has been our mainstay of great information. If you’re benefitting from the newsletter, why not help keep it afloat! Or stop reading!
Chuck, I didn’t take your request as rude but please understand just because there’s a tip jar, it doesn’t mean everyone is obligated to leave a tip.
Your messaging could be construed as “tip shaming” those whose exposure to advertisements embedded in the articles pays your bills.
Count the hundreds of times you’ve been to McDonald’s. Would you be a bit bewildered if you were accused of dine and dashing because you’ve never left a tip? How about Walmart?
If you feel every reader to pay “something” beyond ad exposure, put RVTravel behind a paywall. Your ad revenue will probably drop as “freeloaders” drop but you’ll get what you’re seeking.
I reply with full respect sir.
Chuck, I had no problem with your article. I subscribe monthly and I didn’t take it personally as an insult to me. I’d much rather people contributed more so that there would be fewer ads. The articles you publish are worth every penny and more. I appreciate all the writers and you and Emily for your hard work on this wonderful resource for me. Keep up the great work and I hope enough people appreciate it so that they give you enough money to stay afloat!
You need to weigh the scale of the number of free subscribers for advertising number benefit vs the number of subscribers that would pay a monthly/yearly fee. Personally, I would rather pay a subscription, if it wasn’t too expensive, even with advertising.
You weren’t out of line at all. There’s no reason people can’t contribute something. If not, then unsubscribe. Bye.
keep up the good work.
I have contributed yearly for the “ad free” version, which is anything but ad free. As a retired illustrator/graphic designer, I can say that Karma is a bitch.
Hi Richard, the ad-free edition is, in fact ad free. The ads you see are those that are in articles that you click to from links in the ad-free newsletter. It would be a monumental effort and much too costly for us to block those individual ads from links originating from the newsletter.
We know that there are many things we could do to make our website and newsletters more reader-friendly. But in trying to remain free of the significant money it would take to do some of those things (which would likely involve us taking on investors who, of course, pay close attention to their return on their investment) we have to keep things as simple and cost-efficient as possible. My own ambitions and those of this businesses’ (RVtravel.com) have never been to conquer the World, but merely to serve owners and prospective owners of RVs without complicating our lives in doing so to where work is no longer pleasurable. After publishing our websites and newsletters for 25 years, we are pretty much what we have always been — a small group of people, earning satisfactory incomes, but still free of corporate influence which would simply turn us into robots serving an industry that doesn’t give a damn about its customers beyond acquiring their money through the sale of products that are, in most cases, only made well enough to make a sale. I must add that in our 25 years we have seen hundreds of other small RV websites and blogs come and go. We take pride in being survivors who have not sold out and who are still hanging in there pretty darn well.
Well said Chuck. As a paid subscriber, for many, many years, I do not think you were out of line or unreasonable in your request for readers to donate. It never ceases to amaze me how selfish or inconsiderate some people are. Keep up the good work!
It has to be the browser you use. I get NO ads of any kind (as I too am a subscriber). It always puzzles me when I read that people complain about the “ads” when I never, ever, see any!
RVTravel and a cup of coffee…. a simple joy each morning. I donate $20/month because nothing in life is free. Your team tries hard and I’ve learned a lot in the 10 years since my first trailer purchase.
Chuck
I donate yearly and still get the ads on Sunday which doesn’t bother me as I understand the costs and time involved with an undertaking like the newsletter. In my opinion the opening sentence may have triggered folks with onion skin to object. Keep up the good newsletter it is very much worth the donation.
No, you weren’t being an ass for speaking your mind. You put a lot of time and energy into this newsletter and I, for one, enjoy reading it every morning with my coffee. As an avid rv’er I value the information you share with your readers, and as a result I am happy to provide a donation every month.
This business of getting angry or offended over every little thing, imagined or real, has gotten out of hand. STOP IT…JUST, STOP.
Now, have a fab day and I’ll see you tomorrow!
Chuck, I didn’t see your original message at the time, but it seems perfectly reasonable to me. I have been reading your newsletter for several years and I have always found you and your staff to be more than reasonable.
I would also like to suggest that you make the “Donate” button more prominent on all your pages. I had to search all over to find that button so I could donate.
I never even realized there was a “donate” button! Yes, definitely make it more visible please!
RV Travel has saved me more money than I’ve given and educated me if I’m open to learning. I could have a masters degree in RV Travels if I paid close attention ( ; > ). The initial request for support that influenced me to donate just seemed like a consideration of fairness. When people don’t value fairness, they react badly when called on it!
You are a business owner. Most business owners work 60 hour weeks. If you feel it is unfair that people read your newsletter without donating, then charge a fee or get more ads. Expecting people to pay for something that is free doesn’t appear to be a solution. I donate to you every year, but asking others to solve your financial problems is just kind of odd. I owned a business for 40 years and had to pivot many times to keep up with the changes. That’s just the nature of owning a business.
Sorry, but this was the last straw. Your info is mostly stale, I hate the first thought section leading off, too many pop ups, annoying layout. No, I haven’t donated; haven’t found a reason that I need to support your lifestyle for info fou d elsewhere.Unsubscribing.
My 1st thoughts are why not just become a subscription based newsletter? Set your price and let the subscriptions roll in…or not, and get rid of the ads. All your analogies about restaurants, campgrounds etc, make no sense because in essence, they are ‘subscription based’ you go and pay for it. What you are doing is putting your content out there for all to see, AND indicate it’s free but you gladly accept donations. I don’t see restaurants, campgrounds or plumbers or anyone else doing that. This is a problem of your own making and choosing. Wanna fix it? Subscrtiption based newsletter.
Seems most people want everything to be free. It does not work that way in America. I would limit the free articles to a few free monthly.
Hey Chuck. Guess I missed the original request for donations, but when I saw it today, along with the complaint, I was reminded that it was time to donate again. Did it on the spot.
I enjoy and appreciate your work. It’s a bargain!
Don’t let the whiners and naysayers get you down!
Illegitimai non carborundum??
I think your article is fine. I contribute a little a couple times a year and am not offended. I appreciate rvtravel and have been a subscriber for years. Yours is my go to for advice and Rv entertainment! Thank you. You all are deeply appreciated.
Hello. I am a recent first time contributer. My honest thoughts are that you missed the mark with your post and that your chosen examples implied that readers that haven’t paid are stealing. Leaving without paying for paid services like campground sites and restaurant meals is theft. Reading a free ad-based website is not. This website is like almost all websites I frequent…free with ads. We are not thieves for using any of them in their unpaid form. Can you imagine subscribing to every website you visit occasionally? I chose to look past the delivery and take your intended point to heart and I will contribute when I can since I believe in your goals and I enjoy the tone and info here!
I don’t really know why I haven’t donated before. BUT I just did.
Sorry it couldn’t be more.
We’ve had some major medical expenses recently.
Been there done that worn the Tshirt. As soon as we get the debts paid off I’ll be contributing.
I donate. I think you were spot on. Keep fighting the good fight. Thanks for all you do.
Your message was fine. Some people interpret badly and are overly sensitive. Keep up the fantastic work that you do.
I think you have to be pretty thin skinned if that message offended you, especially when there’s so much to be offended by these days. I just donated and I’m a fairly new user.
Thank you,Chuck and all the hard working staff of RVTravel.
Have been meaning to contribute for 2025 some time now.
Do try to donate at least once a year.
This year has been crazy for me with my 94 year old father leaving the US for Germany, selling his house, determining where his savings went, and more. Have also had to deal with my. mother 80, falling again. She is now in assisted living, and not doing. so well adjusting. Thank you again RVTravel for brightening my weekends.
Maybe one of the future polls should ask, “if this publication went to a subscriber only format, would you still be a member or cancel your membership.”
THIS!!!!
Hello Chuck,
I am in the majority. I read your newsletter, but do not donate. I have clicked on and used some of your ads, which is revenue.
There are literally hundreds of subscriptions available to me, but at some point I just don’t pay for all of them. If your newsletter is unsustainable without me making an additional donation, I feel for you.
If you need to go to a 100% paid subscription model, please do.
Yesterday I was unable to find this edition. I have to use an app for RV Travel in order to read it because my isp thinks it’s spam and will not deliver it to my email. I’ve tried in vain to get this worked out. Anyway, I was a paid subscriber for a year and then when RV Travel tried to bill my card again (for recurrent subscription) my card # had changed and in the process of clearing that up Comcast would not deliver the newsletter. I truly value it but I can’t maintain multiple email addresses. Maybe I’ll just send a check- do you still accept those? I’ve been reading RV Travel since ’01 when you started. Thank you!
moi aussi! Since inception- had read for 15 years prior to buying my RV
You are not out of line, Chuck… I say this as a free subscriber… on a fixed income, and don’t have the luxury of supporting your efforts in that way. I do use your links to see what products you’re recommending, and have made purchases… That will add a little to the cause…
Hi Chuck,
Honestly,I would have never thought this was real.I thought it was a parody.Your branding and style of your newsletter gives the impression that you bring in a significant amount of ad dollars. Your writers even seem to push certain brand products,which I can only assume are also bringing in market dollars,since no brand has the “best product”in every area of their business model.Your newsletter can be a bit cumbersome to read and maybe you are trying to clean it up by eliminating ads and bringing in donations?If that is the case,I would be direct.I appreciate all I learn from your newsletters,especially since I have be widowed, fixing everything myself. Thanks
Thanks for the reminder, Chuck. And don’t worry about the whiners … these are the same people camping overnight in a pay/use campground, then leaving before the host wakes up, abusing Walmarts, and having an entitlement mentality about everything; they will never change.
I’m seeing this the first time (I must have skipped last week!). I’m not offended by the tone. But I do see how some would feel that way, since it seems accusatory and therefore unpleasant. It does sort of feel like you’re accusing someone of “stealing” the thing that is put out on the table with a “FREE” sign next to it. But you’ve asked nicely, repeatedly, for donations and haven’t received enough. And it makes sense to repeat the message with different words and tone, to appeal to different audiences. Accusatory or not, that message speaks to me, as I am one who reads and appreciates your content, without donating. Let me fix that real quick…
Fixed, made a decent one-time donation. I will say, right after writing the above comment, I was trying to find a DONATE link in the top menu or in a button in the header or footer, and couldn’t. I used the link in your reprint of last week’s article. It might help to add a couple obvious red DONATE buttons or sprinkle a few Call to Action banners (with donate buttons) throughout the site.
As a random thought to add to the convo here…. I struggled for some time about donating. Basically the great fear in my mind was, if I donate say $100 today and it’s not enough, and RVTravel closes shop next week, will I be pissed that I donated today? Yes I would. So then I had to play the game in my head where I determine what amount should I choose that would be large enough to be actually helpful, but small enough that I won’t go postal if it’s all for naught? <– I’m sharing this thought process in case it helps others choose an amount and commit to help. It helped me. 🙂 Thanks Chuck!
I’ve never donated but I also don’t own an RV. I think you should set up a pay system for your newsletter. Reading the comments, readers have suggested various routes to go for that pay system. It made me sad to hear that you get emails criticizing you and calling you names. That is not fair at all. Not at all. I’m really sorry about that.
Proud to be a paid subscriber. Anything I can do to support un-political journalism written by caring people in this AI dominated world makes me happy. Bye Bye cry-baby Jerald. You don’t deserve or need that sort of criticism.