Q: How much does membership cost?
Dues are set at US$7/mo. now. Any member may pledge extra to help offset costs for members with stricter budgets. (We would need to set dues higher than $7/mo. if we didn't have a handful of members pledging extra.)
Q: How can I pay for my membership?
We prefer payments made using PayPal or Stripe.
See the MemberManual/PayingDues page for further details.
Q: What are the entire co-op's monthly expenses?
See HcoopBudget.
Q: How much does PayPal cost for payments?
See their fees information. We have a business account.
Q: I've heard that PayPal sometimes does nasty things like closing accounts without refunding their balances. Since you use PayPal as the primary dues payment method, could something like this happen to bankrupt HCoop?
No, several times a month we transfer our PayPal balance to a Wells Fargo bank account in the name of our corporation. It's from that account that we pay our providers.
Q: Can I pay with something not PayPal or Stripe?
Paypal and Stripe are the preferred modes of payment, both for ease of use and our mutual protection. Contact payment@hcoop.net if you need to arrange another method of payment, such as an international money order.
Q: Are payments or contributions to HCoop tax-deductible?
No. While HCoop is tax-exempt, it is not a charity or other 501(c)(3) organization. Neither dues nor donations to HCoop are deductible for United States federal income tax purposes. HCoop cannot advise you as to tax obligations in your jurisdiction, but it is unlikely that such dues or contributions are deductible for any purpose.
Q: Is there any kind of additional "security deposit" required to join?
Yes. Currently, every member is required to have a three months deposit with us.