Here's how I break it down.

First question, are you serious about wanting to make a business out of IM or not? Be completely honest with yourself (no one else has to know the answer).

If you are, then you need to look at premium as an investment in that business and your future. People don't blink about going to college or uni and spending upwards of $40,000 to get an education over X number of years - and still no guarantee of a job at the end.

Yet, they balk at the idea of spending $47 a month or $359 a year to join here to get the very education that will train them how to do this properly - and to at least make something within the first year.

Now you aren't going to be making heaps and sitting pretty within a year. But this is about a long term business. Just about all brick and mortar businesses have a break even point of about 3 years and a profit point of 5 years or so. Many don't make it to 5 years.

With a website, your only long term costs are the domain and hosting fees and a few hours a week to keep content up. That's it. You can do that while doing another job until you really start to see a steady income.

On that basis alone, if you are serious about this as a business for the long term, then I would say premium is a must. If you aren't serious and want it just as a hobby, then stay a starter and get the information elsewhere as you go. At least here it's under one roof so to speak.

Absolutely!! You won't regret upgrading. If you really want to reach your online marketing goals, it is the only way to go!