Joining a non-local club

[Skittl1321]

Can anyone tell me if there is a downside I am not seeing on this plan?

A friend's club offers a fantastic membership rate.  Way less than our club, way less than invidiual membership. 

I really only need USFS membership.  I don't skate club ice.  Our local club hosts 1 test a year, so I pay out of club test fees almost all the time anyway.

I'm thinking I am going to join my friends club, which is not in my section.  I don't skate regionals or sectionals, so I don't see this mattering.
I asked my coach and he said except the out of club fee to skate the show (which I would have to skate in 17 times to make up the difference! So a non-issue, IMO. The price difference really is signifigant, not just a few dollars.) He can't think of any reason why it is a bad idea.

Am I missing anything? (Besides the people at the rink being annoyed at me?)

I will check to make sure I'm not obligated to do any sort of volunteer hours, and she has already told me the membership chair can give me a letter saying I am okay to enter any tests or competitions, so I've thought that out.

Appreciate your advice!

[FigureSpins]

When you want to take a test or enter a competition, the papers are supposed to be signed by an Officer, so you'd have to manage that long-distance.  I don't know if the new club chair can give you a blanket "anything she wants to do is okay" letter, but it's possible.  Watch deadlines: getting a signature at the last minute might be difficult.  Our club has gone paper-less, so signatures are only an issue if you want to test/compete elsewhere.  In a pinch, an email/scan from the officer to the other club's chair could suffice, with the original to follow.  You seem to be on top of things, so I'm sure this won't be an issue.

You wouldn't have voting privileges at your current club for officers or proposals, but you might/might not at the new one.   
I don't know if that matters to you, though, unless you're active in one or the other and want to have a say.

Skater support might be an issue, if your club offers it and you're eligible.  My kids and I received a check for competing at Synchro Sectionals last year, and for testing.

OT: When the USFSA raised the Individual Membership rate, I wondered if anyone chose to join a club in name only, to save money.  I'm sure that was the intent behind the 40% rate jump.  Our club rep asked about that and was assured it was "only" 16%, which was untrue.  He didn't make an issue out of it at Governing Council for that reason.  Maybe someone was looking at the wrong line on the chart.) 

I could see an enterprising club (that needs members) offering a bare-minimum rate to long-distance members.  It's a win-win: save the skater some money and boost the membership count for the club.

[techskater]

Most clubs have gone to the blanket approval letters in our area, so suggesting to the test chair/membership chair wouldn't be out of the question.