Thursday, June 11, 2009

Ancestry.com US Subscription Deals

I went looking for subscription deals on Ancestry.com today because my current 6-month subscription expires next week. [Note: I got that one for $39.44 with FTM 2008 back in December at www.NothingButSoftware.com. Previously, I bought a one-year US subscription for $16 with FTM 16 at www.NothingButSoftware.com].

I had no hope of finding that good a deal this time, and I didn't. But these might be pretty good deals for those in the market for Family Tree Maker 2008 or 2009 software and an Ancestry subscription:

* Encore Family Tree Maker 2009 Platinum - PC - includes Family Tree Maker 2009 with a 6-month Ancestry US Deluxe subscription for $85.46.

* Family Tree Maker 2009 Deluxe -- includes Family Tree Maker 2009 and a 3-month Ancestry US Deluxe subscription for $52.95.

* Family Tree Maker 2008 Deluxe -- includes Family Tree Maker 2008 and a 3-month Ancestry US Deluxe subscription for $29.95.

Retail prices for an Ancestry 3-month subscription is $50.85, so two of them for 6-months would be $101.70. But 6 months worth of a 12-month subscription ($155.40 for one year) is $77.70.

The FTM 2009 software reatils for $39.95 but you can get it for $29.95, so the cost of the Ancestry 6-month subscription is about $55 if FTM 2009 is worth $29.95 to you. It isn't to me.

My conclusion is that I could have bought the 3-month subscription for $29.95 and saved about $20 from a retail subscription, but then I'd have to search again in three months and go through the hassle again. Plus, I would have another copy of FTM 2008 which I really don't want (since I already have FTM 2009 and nobody in my society wants FTM 2008). Or I could have bought the 6-month subscription for $85.46, but that saves only $15 from two 3-month retail subscriptions, and is less cost effective than the one-year retail subscription. Plus I would have an extra copy of FTM 2009.

All the "great" deals are gone right now...just watch them offer some next month!

I decided to pop for the one-year retail subscription for $155.40 for the US Deluxe membership. I don't have to worry about it for a year and maybe they will offer me a deal I cannot refuse next year when the economy is really in the tank.

Genealogy research for myself, my colleagues and my clients take me into Ancestry.com every day, and the site provides significant blog fodder for me besides (changing navigation, changing user interfaces, upgrading trees, upgrading databases, finding quirks, etc.).

I also decided to upgrade my two family trees on Ancestry.com from Private Member Trees to Public Member Trees - I had them private so folks wouldn't steal my notes, but they're so hard to find that it would be too much work for anyone to copy a lot of them. I kept getting several messages a week asking to be permitted to see the trees because somebody found a name when they searched. I fell behind on the responses.

I tried to shop well...failed to find a great deal. Oh well - I can raise my client rates, I guess. Oh wait, my clients don't pay ... yet.

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