The point is, if you put it on a credit card and paid it off over the next three months, it would cost you less in interest than the extra $50 you just paid to WTC.

Agreed, this is the point here a lot of people are missing. Unless there is a severe cash flow problem and you don't have another form of credit available (even credit cards), the payment plan doesn't make sense from a lending point of view.

Where I do see this making sense is say a popular race like IMAZ, you *think* you are going to race it but want to hedge your bets. So instead of dropping $700 (or whatever) and ending up having to cancel, you can spend the $250, decide to cancel, and not be out an extra $500.

Point taken.

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Regards,
J. Smith

I would guess these are the people WTC is hedging this on, not enough income/savings to drop down on the entry fee in a single lump sum or with high credit balances.
It's easy to say "then these people shouldn't be doing these kind of races" or " they should take a class on money management", but that's not the concern of WTC, getting spots filled (=entry fees) IS.
The more they make it accessible to these kind of people, the more they make.

When I was your age youngster I had to walk to my classes up hill both ways. I had to eat out of dumpsters.


nothing worse then an old guy acting old

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Yellowfin Endurance Coaching and Bike Fits
USAT Level 1, USAC Level 3

I find it baffling.

I'd pay the 700 be a little uncomfortable for a couple of months then I am up 50 bucks!

50 bucks is 50 bucks. You can put it away and your next race and thenyou only have to come up with 650....

Instead you gave it away for nothing....


How hard did you have to work for that 50 bucks?

Supposedly. But you have to wonder when WTC needs to create an installment plan for seven hundred bucks. What's next? A yearly subscription at $70/month to do one IM a year? It looks like creative financing as WTC starts to scrape the bottom of the barrel.

Not very hard.
I can only answer for me but I did not give it away for nothing, I give it away so I didn't have explain a $700 credit card bill or tell the money manager I wasn't contributing the normal amount to the budget this month which then means I have to tell her about another race, which leads to me taking her shopping with my fun money instead of her taking herself shopping with her fun money. The way I see it WTC put money in my pocket.
Also working on a dairy farm since I was about 10, 5 years of college, and 20 years of law enforcement gives me the opportunity to blow my $50 however I chose. Hell, I blew $50 bucks on panties and flip flops for my eight year old today.

All in pink. The above text, not the flip flops.

I'm sure that you intended this to be in pink, however I think it's a great idea. I normally avoid monthly payments like the plague, but there is something appealing about paying for race in small amounts out of my monthly fun-money (or at least having the option).

Also, I'd suggest that when you describe WTCs attempts to make the sport more accessible as scraping the bottom of the barrel you're only furthering the perception of triathletes as elitist.

Not sure you intended that, maybe I'm inferring something you never intended.

I have heard back from the Athlete Services Coordinator - Once you opt for the 3 payment plan and complete your first payment, your email address used to register will receive notifications when your next payments are due and a link within to make said payment.

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Regards,
J. Smith

If this allows more people to race, then this is a good thing

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Make Inside Out Sports your next online tri shop! http://www.insideoutsports.com/

I'm not a smart man, I see a bike and I pedal. I'll eat crow now.

785 dollars for tier 3 via the 3 payment method. I've made 2 payments now, each 250.00. The last 285 dollar payment will be due on 11/15. Every payment you make, Active gets a 20 dollar processing fee. So now my entry total is up to 845.

I could have paid 700 + a 20 dollar active fee, and been done with it. Next time I'll just drop the credit card, the interest alone if I spread the payments wouldn't be as bad as this overpaid IM entry.

"I'm stupid. You're smart. I was wrong. You were right. You're the best. I'm the worst. You're very good-looking. I'm not very attractive."

- me, and Happy Gilmore.

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Regards,
J. Smith

 
Do you have to pay the Active Processing fee each time?

You probably would have paid a $56 processing fee if you had done the $700 assuming Active.com charges 8% on anything.

Yep. 20 bucks a pop.

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Regards,
J. Smith

Correct. It was $60 for me for tier II price of $750

Ah, didn't know it was a flat 8%, it had been about 18 months since I paid for a full. Makes sense. Then it's not so bad, but I still now regret not just dropping my credit card down reflecting back, even with my vacation situation and all..

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Regards,
J. Smith

As others have mentioned, I did the payment plan for 2 reasons:

1. I've been battling some injuries and would rather be out 250-500 rather than 700 if I cant get the injuries worked out.

2. I've got a crazy busy Spring 2018 and wanted the option to just back out if family/life responsibilities require it. If I do back out, I'd rather lose 250-500 than 700.

To me, well worth the $50 to have the flexibility mentioned above...

-w

Isn't the full 700 due like right now or next month though?

Nope, second payment notification just went out... it's not due for a few weeks.

Just looked it up and the full $700 is due at the end of next month.