would someone kindly explain step by step how i can use PGN of games in order to transfer them to a database for future reference. i have read about PGN readers that i assume i must download first. then can i copy and paste the PGN to the reader and then copy and paste the reader file to the database?

Well you could omit all those steps and get one of many free database applications that can simply open PGNs and either save back as PGN or into their native db formats.

My recommendation would be SCID.

I have been a member for a month and I want to upgrade from gold to platinum, do I lose the money that is left on the 11 months of my gold plan?

What did this have to do with the thread topic? Perhaps this is a support question for the chess.com staff.

After I posted this I realized I was on the wrong site, sorry.  I will try to figure out where it is supposed to go. Thanks, Tom.