# How do I subscribe/donate to SDMB and/or become a Charter Member? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 27, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621 "2010-08-27T02:45:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/1 "2010-08-27T02:45:58Z")
I’ve done my due diligence and searched everywhere I could think of for a link to donate to this site. The only ‘How To’ thread I could find was by TubaDiva from 2006 and none of the info seems to be valid. Does subscribing/donating make you a Charter Member or is there more to it? Is there a thread with current and accurate information on this and I was just too stupid to find it? If so, apologies. Thanks in advance for any info. ---
**Author:** ![dzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f9b8f/32.png) [@dzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzero)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/2 "2010-08-27T02:56:25Z")
Never mind. Finally did a search that yielded some useful links. It seems that there is a link at the bottom of the left column when you go into your CP (control panel). I know I looked there but obviously I missed it. What can I say. Psychosis is a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/3 "2010-08-27T05:31:15Z")
You can become a member, but not a Charter Member. That title is reserved for those that were here at a particular point in time, possibly when the board went pay-to-post after a thirty day trial period. And to remain a Charter Member, they must continue to subscribe on an annual basis. For a long time, once Charter Member status was lost, it could not be regained. That changed briefly in the recent past. Some sort of promotional thing for a limited time. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/4 "2010-08-27T08:13:03Z")
Funnily enough, there was some discussion about donating a couple of days ago. Bluntly, as far as I am aware, you can’t. You can, though, as you are a member, pay the Straight Dope some more to get a custom title beneath your name. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/5 "2010-08-27T15:39:09Z")
There are some ways you can pay more than just a membership fee, if you really want to support the Board financially. One, mentioned above, is to buy a custom title. Another would be to [sponsor memberships](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=575396)for others who can’t afford it. Finally, you can always got to the [SD home page](http://www.straightdope.com/) click on Buy Stuff or Cecil’s House o’Values (the links don’t seem to be working for me at this moment) and exchange your filthy lucre for genuine Straight Dope brand merchandise. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2010, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-subscribe-donate-to-sdmb-and-or-become-a-charter-member/551621/6 "2010-08-27T16:29:52Z")
At the present time if you wish to help support the Straight Dope there are some things you can do. First off, you can become a subscribing member. You can also purchase a Custom User Title and have most any title you like, except for Charter Member. The Charter Member offer was made when the Straight Dope first went to a subscription model; this offer is no longer available. And you can sponsor other people’s subscriptions as gifts. At the present time the server that housed the Straight Dope store (Cecil’s House of Values) is not operational. Not sure when it will be operational again. I’m sorry we don’t have more to offer you. Anything you do to help the Dope stay open is a good thing and we thank you.