A write-up on how and where you can get the maximum possible DreamHost coupon

DreamHost provides hosting features that no other (reputed) host in the industry can match at that price.

Effective 11th December 2007, DreamHost is going to change the way the promo codes (coupons) work.

For new users about to sign-up at DreamHost hosting:

Majority of the coupon ads will be touting "I give you the maximum discount on DreamHost hosting which is $50, so use me!". While it is true that the maximum cash discount that you can get is $50, the ad conveniently ignores to mention the fact that there could be more you can save on besides the $50 cash. The complete truth is: The maximum discount you can get is $50 plus features like extra disk space and bandwidth.

The table below lists the coupon codes that offer you more than just the $50 cash discount and thus resulting in maximum saving. Pick one depending on what extra features you want.

There are more combinations of cash discount and bonus features than the ones listed above that will effectively give you the same discount (i.e., a total of $96). For example, a coupon setter (the existing DH user setting the coupon code) can reduce the cash discount and increase the percentage of extra disk space. But I believe that the vast majority of us really consider the reduction in the amount of hard cash that we need to pay, as the real discount. Hence I have included $50 cash discount in all the above promo codes.

For a detailed explanation, read on.

Pasting from their newsletter:

Promo Code Change!

Some people say DreamHost Promo codes have become a blight on the land,
tainting even the most innocuous endorsement of our services with the
specter of potential kick-backs and affiliate tracking!

Some DreamHost owners would say that’s a teensy bit melodramatic.

However, we’re still making a big promo code change, effective next
Tuesday, December 11th! Starting then, NO DreamHost promo code can give
a discount greater than $50! All new and existing codes will be capped
at this amount off, so start spreading the word now!

You still get $97 (minus the discount given) for somebody using your
promo code, but now that discount can’t be more than $50.. meaning even
if you max out the discount you give, you’ll still earn $47 as well. Uh,
unless you also give out bonus features, which will still work, and drop
your payout as explained at:

https://panel.dreamhost.com/?tree=home.rew

Anyway, there is a chance this will result in fewer uses of people’s
promo codes, as the savings are no longer as INSANE.. but on the plus
side, the minimum you as a referrer will make from a promo code will go
from $0 to $47! And, it effects EVERYBODY so the playing field is still
as level as ever.

So let’s examine what this means to the promo code setter (existing DreamHost user) and the user (who is newly signing-up for the hosting) of the code effective 11th Dec.

Max. Referral Credit = $97

Max. cash discount that an existing DreamHost user can give to a new user = $50
[Note the emphasis on the word 'cash'. It is so because there are other forms of discounts (will come to those in a bit) which the promo code setter can offer to a new user.]

Max. non-cash discounts (’bonuses’ is what DreamHost calls them) that an existing DreamHost user can give to a new user = $345 (of course, giving this will actually make the coupon setter lose money)
These are the types of bonuses: Extra disk bonus, Extra bandwidth bonus, Free domain regn. bonus, Unique IP bonus

Earnings (profit) by a coupon code setter = [$97 (Max. Referral Credit)] - [Cash Discount] - [Sum of non-cash discounts]

Max. earning (profit) by a coupon code setter = $97 - $1 (min. cash discount) - $0 (no bonuses) = $96

Min. earning (profit) by a coupon code setter w/o actually losing money by creating a coupon = $97 - $50 (max. cash discount) - $45 [$45 worth bonus(es)] = $2.

So, to summarize:

If you are a new user looking for the best deal on DreamHost hosting, use a coupon code (like the ones in the table above) that will save you $95 (DreamHost limits the cash part of the saving to $50).

If you are an existing DreamHost user and are looking to make the maximum referral amount of $96, set a promo code that gives $1 cash discount and no bonuses.

Finally, a word of caution: Carefully examine how much you are actually saving (cash discount + extra features) before using a promo code you might find in the comments below. If we come across any coupons that really offer the maximum saving, we shall add them to the existing ones in the table above.