Don’t make this mistake!

Preamble

After working all week from home on my computer and not being able to go out to my local coffee shop, I have to admit I have left my blogging slip. However, I’m trying to get more organised at the weekends now so that both my blogs and YouTube videos are making a comeback!

I’ve been meaning to write this blog post for some time, but I have waited until I have calmed down a bit so it becomes less ranty!

Please do not make the same mistake as me and hopefully, if I share my experience, you will be spared some inconvenience.

We all try new things

If you are like me, you are always seeking to improve and grow as a content creator. As I progress with journey I am always looking for programs, apps and add-ons which can support me and make my content look, at least, more appealing.

I have tried many new things during my blogging life, frequently investing in them via either time, energy and/or money. Some stay, for example Elementor, which I continue to use to this day, while some come and go because they do not suit my needs.

I always recognise the potential ‘risk’ of investing in new programs etc. Sometimes they can make your website crash, sometimes they disagree with other plugins but generally they are relatively harmless.

But I invested in a plugin a few months back and, despite investing hard earn cash in it and then deciding that I don’t want it any more, I am actually haunted by it every time I log onto my blog.

WP Forms – no thanks!

I have always wanted to add forms to my website in order for viewers to sign up to newsletters or complete forms to participate in online games etc.

I found the plugin WP Forms and, if the features I wanted only available for the purchased version, I found the money and bought a year’s subscription.

I did think the plugin was good, but I was not using the features as much as I thought I would so after the year I cancelled the subscription and started to look elsewhere.

However WP Forms had other ideas!

Haunted by the plugin

After my subscription ran out I found the above message appearing on my dashboard every time I logged in. The renew button took me to the site to renew the plugin which I didn’t want to do and the Learn More took me to a webpage about renewing.

I looked for a ‘cross’ to remove it but there didn’t appear to be one. I decided it ignore it, thinking it would disappear, but oh no. It stayed to haunt me.

In desperation I started to Twitter and asked them how I can remove it, and was, quite frankly, shocked by the response I got!

It would appear that if I still want to use WP Forms on my site in the free version I have to have the constant reminder to renew my license. 

This of course meant I could only act in one way – I exorcised the haunting label and deactivated the plugin!

Outro

Eventhough I found the plugin helpful I am not prepared to be haunted by the constant reminder to renew my license. I see the psychological value of the tactic. I eventually get bored of it and renew – but I’ve just deleted the whole plugin so now I am not reminded at all about it. Situation solved!

On a side note – anyone know of a non-haunting plugin for forms on your WordPress blog? 🙂