I’ve had a lot of people asking to donate to the site for over a year now. I’ve avoided asking for or accepting donations because first and foremost I built the site because I wanted to build it for the Ute community, not because it was supposed to make money. I also avoided taking donations because I didn’t want to feel like I owed anyone anything. Lastly, I didn’t want to in any way, be like UFN with that stuff.
Chat
When football season ended I saw that chat had not been used for a month straight. So I decdied to turn off the $10/mo subscription I was paying to the really cool chat app company. I thought down the road I would make my own chat anyway, because I like those challenges. I have no doubt I could make a good chat, but that current chat does rule. It’s great. It could take me several hundred hours of work to make one as good as that. The same thing happened with the like buttons. The original like buttons were also a monthly subscription. I decided to challenge myself and make a like system instead of paying the $6.00/mo. LOL, I work dozens of hours on something to save $6.00/mo. Even I question how much sense it makes, but I did it anyway.
To make a long story longer, someone asked about chipping in on the chat to get it turned back on for basketball season. I can afford to pay the $10/mo for it and was happy to pay for it out of my own pocket as long as I wasn’t throwing the money away. But since someone offered I decided why not accept some sponsors for chat. So far I’ve received three donations which will cover the cost for a whole YEAR subscription, and leave enough left over for me to buy a latte at Beans & Brews.
Honestly I feel a little dirty taking money, but as someone pointed out I’ve spent 1000’s of hours and lots of my own cash to build and host the site. So if someone wants to help out, chip in, or just show their appreciation for what I’m providing why not accept it? Ok, for now that’s cool.
Hosting
UteHub is part of my dedicated server I use for my own business of building, maintaining, and hosting sites for my web clients. Since UH is piggy-backing on my servier, hosting doesn’t “cost” me anything except elbow grease and time. I spend a few bucks a year to renew domain registrations and such. I’m talking almost nothing. I renew my dedicated usually every July for the next year.
Ok that’s enough for now other than to say thanks to those who donated for chat. Subscription is paid and chat is guaranteed until Jan 7, 2018! Oddly, paypal gives me the actual names of those who chipped in, but not their usernames so I don’t know which users actually donated. I would like to know that just to express my gratitude directly.
GO UTES
Utah Tech @ 
Utah 
.
