Hello Readers,
I have come to a crossroads with this blog…
The other day, I noticed a $1,500 charge on my bank card from my blog hosting site. Normally I pay about $350 for 3 years of hosting, or about $120 a year. The jump to $500 a year seemed like a mistake. I immediately got on a chat with a customer service representative, and it was explained to me that the plan I have always had allowed for 20 GB of space. Over the years – and I’ve had the blog since 2017 – they have allowed me more and more space over time without charge, and I am now at 173 GB – almost 9 times the space that is allowed within the plan I’ve had all along! Data storage is a big deal, and they have formulated new tiers of space, so my account was put into a new plan that costs $1,500 for 3 years and allows for up to 200 GB of space.
With over 10,000 photos and 1,000 posts, my options aside from paying $500 a year are to remove a massive amount of material, move to a completely different space with a completely different look and different spatial options, or let the blog go.
The only options that seem to make sense are to either keep the blog as it is and pay the money or let it go. I am pulled to do the latter, but I thought I’d ask your advice regarding the former.
What would you do if you were me? I don’t love the idea of soliciting for money. On the other hand, I’ve been told by many people that they would give because they enjoy following the blog. Others have advised that I seek out grants that apply to historical documents or money that is available through the Chamber of Commerce.
I love that this blog has remained unmonetized – a sacred space far from advertising. I have lovingly maintained it for almost 9 years because I love Orcas Island, I love this community, I love the stunning beauty, I love documenting the daily amazingness all around us, and I love having a place to write anytime I want to. I receive nothing but joy, I do not use it for trades, and I would love for it to remain a place in the aether if I can find a way to keep it.
Do you have any ideas you’d like to share with me? I value your thoughts. Please comment below or connect with me directly at edeekulper@gmail.com.
Thank you immensely.
Sincerely,
Edee
