[wplug-board] WPLUG finances

[Pat Barron]

The discussion on wplug-plan (about the banner and how much we'd be 
willing to pay for something like that) motivated me to run these 
numbers.  I've tried to project WPLUG's financial position going 
forward, if we spend money only on things that we absolutely have to 
spend money on (taking my best guesses as to what we'd be spending on 
things like the picnic, and paying for our use of WSCC), and assuming 
the current trends in membership renewal rates continue sort of as they 
have.  The numbers I came up with sort of made me sit up and take 
notice.  I've included them here (please excuse the formatting, this is 
a straight cut and paste, it might not look very good in this e-mail...):

2012

Opening balance:    925
+ 16 renewals:        320
- PO Box                  94
- Venue rental         240
- Picnic                    75
- Contingencies         50
- Linode                  420
                           ---------
Closing balance:      369

2013

Opening balalnce:    329
+ 14 renewals          280
- PO Box                  94
- Venue rental          240
- Domain reg             30
- Picnic                     75
- Continginces           50
                          ----------
Closing balance:      160

2014

Opening balance:      120
+ 14 renewals           280
- PO Box                   94
- Venue rental           240
- Picnic                      75
- Contingencies         50
                            ----------
Closing balance:        -19

So basically, at our current spend rate (spending only on things we 
absolutely have to spend on) and current income, I'm projecting we have 
money until about mid-2014 before we start having issues.  Even if my 
guesses as to expenses are a little off, I think the point ends up being 
that we're spending money faster than we're taking money in.  If it ends 
up not being a problem in 2014, it still is likely to be a problem in 2015.

Not even sure where I'm going with this, other than mention that it's 
something we definitely need to think about.  Over the next year or so, 
finding ways to improve our income stream (as well as minimize expenses) 
will become sort of important.

--Pat.