# How did I get downgraded from Charter Member to Guest?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [May 28, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936 "2009-05-28T15:57:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 69

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**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-i-get-downgraded-from-charter-member-to-guest/497936/69 "2009-06-29T15:20:57Z")

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> [@Scarlett67](#):
>
> I totally don’t get the position of the “whiners” on this issue. The policy is clearly stated in several places. (And if you’re a Charter Member, you surely remember all the discussion when it was set up.) You can go to your User CP anytime and see when your subscription is due for renewal. You can renew at any time before it lapses (thus killing the “I was on vacation” excuse).

Standard terms on bills are 30 days. Perfectly reasonably to expect that.

> [@](#):
>
> They put up reminders all over the damn place and even send you an e-mail.

Some didn’t receive an email for whatever reason, some while on vaca due to the short lead time, etc.

> [@](#):
>
> And yet you think “I forgot” is a legitimate excuse. Really, is it so hard to remember that your sub is due in May, or November, or whenever? Do you remember to pay your property taxes once a year and renew your driver’s license? Does Mommy still wake you up every morning too?

It’s perfectly reasonable to expect to be notified 30 days in advance of a bill being due, like just about any other bill you get.

As for the “you should just remember it”: Why? With about 38,172 things to remember, should we all duplicate what goes on in the computer systems of every entity with which we interact? No, that is absurd. It’s a standard operating procedure (yes, I know, there are exceptions) to be notified 30 days in advance of a bill being due by the biller.

That’s why people whine. Perfectly reasonable, doesn’t mean they are guaranteed to get their way, it just means some have a reasonable complaint.

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