Genealogy Chat

i agree, i have 2 young kids also ,and my hobby would have been very expensive if it wasnt for people willing to do look ups. i think it is great that people are willing to go out of there way for others who are not fotunate enough to have credit cards or money to spend on these sites, i have had lots of help on my tree, and hopefully can return the favour one day .

Hi Debra, Yes I am a bit out of puff, sorry!! Don't get me started on Credit Cards, thats where most of my "little treats" have ended up and that just makes life worse doesn't it?

Sarah You can breath now, Well said I also have small children and cant go out much. so it is nice to know that there are people willing and wanting to help. and if ever I can I will gladly help other people. I would love to have a subscription for Ancestry but I cannot afford it and I havnt got a credit card anyway. Debbie

I too tried the free trial with Ancestry and unfortunately never managed to find any Census information at all relating to my family and cancelled my subscription. I have recently become involved in tracing the family as I'm sure you all know its very addictive. But it is also a very expensive hobby to have. I'm struggling to find the money for the certificates I want at the moment, and have calculated that even treating myself to one a month, it is going to take me almost 2 years just to get the ones I am interested in NOW, never mind what I find in the future. Plus the saving up all the names you want to look for on the 1901 Census, which is another little treat every month or so, and then of course the 1837 online this is a very costly hobby. I too have small children who need feeding and clothes and naturally, I will put them before my little treats.I also cannot travel down South to look at records although I would dearly love to and I would dearly love to buy every cd going to help me, but funds just do not permit unfortunately. My latest little treat to myself, has been my subscription to GenesConnected and have been following the tips boards for the past few weeks and even subjects not even related to me, I read just for the knowledge I can gain. If I felt the need to ask someone for assistance, I would ask and would be VERY grateful for any advice, as we all know its so rewarding to be given a little bit of info you thought you would never get. I've done all my research through my computer as I say, I can't travel but I also look at the tips for the simple reason that people down South maybe, would be asking local information about up North that I may be able to give, such as names of graveyards etc., I would like to be able to help, although unfortunately, I have not been able to pay for anything that would help so many people out. Incidentally, I also post on the message board at Ancestry.com as a last straw for the info I had looked on the 1891 Census and a lovely lady replied with the information that I could not find. I like to think I am quite good with computers and can work my way around one, but I did find Ancestry quite difficult to follow too and obviously the information WAS there in the end. I decided against subscribing, although I seriously considered it a special treat to myself, but decided that I was obviously not quite up to speed with it and I just cannot justify that money for me, when my children needed new school uniforms. Can I also say that I also feel it does no harm to ask for a lookup if you can't sleep at night without that info, I for one, would not be offended if no-one found that information or felt that they didn't want to. The best thing about this board is that everyone seems so willing to share their information and opinions (especially that lovely lady who has the Vital Records CD, she must be exhausted bless her) and I think thats wonderful as it can also be a very lonely hobby, so opinions alone are priceless and sometimes state the obvious to people whose minds have been blown!! And I will say now, that when I'm rich or at least rich enough to treat myself to all the CD's and censuses I would love to have, I will gladly help out anyone just because I know how many sleepless nights I've had and how frustrated I get!! I've always been very grateful for any info given to me and always will be, I hope to return this one day to someone!!

Jan; Being in Australia, I find that we have to nearly double everything (roughly) for USA dollars and nearly triple for the pound. Ancestory can give a lot of info but I just can't justify that kind of money at the moment. Sonja

I dont think people want to cancel because the site is useless. I think the main reason for people canceling is the cost... I subscribed for the free trial...found all that i needed, so I cancelled, but I wouldnt have subscribed even if I hadn't have found what i was looking for! I would much rather spend the money it cost to subscribe visiting my local family research centre! But I must admit, I was rather worried about cancelling my free trial b4 it charged me... The thing is all the time there are kind people out there willing to do look ups, people are gonna ask for them! I am looking to purchase the 1861 census for kent, as soon as i have obtained all that I need from it, I will offer look ups...simply because I enjoy researching...I should imagine that is why people respond to the requests for lookups on Ancestry. Simply because they enjoy doing it...And i cant see any harm in that! Best Wishes Sarah

I've done my look-ups, I've done some for other people and by this weekend I shall have exhausted most leads. Next year, once rent and tuition fees have been paid, I shall have just under £2000 to live off. That does not go far in London. Unless people here can send me food parcels, I don't have £70 to spare. Hence, I shall be cancelling.

I can't understand this concern about cancelling Ancestry, when this board is full of pleas from non-subscribers for those who have subscribed to do searches for them. If its so useless, why do so many people want us to do look-ups for them? OK, you can't always find what you want the first time, but eventually you get there, especially with help from all the people on here. I'd be interested to know. Jan.