Earnings May 2010

Not a huge profit again this month, evidence of the squeeze on internet earnings and the need for new revenue streams. I am close to scoring another Google Adsense payout though and have managed £63 ($100) worth of blog postings. Had I not invested in some CD's and renewed some domains, the profit for the month would have been doubled. I have already completed a decent amount of PU2B posts and one from 'blogsvertise' to be paid for during next month, and anticipate fewer outgoings for June. I am also developing a new project which will demand another domain and will make good use of my new unlimited hosting package - this on top of the other projects that I still have in the back of my mind...
The good thing about my latest project is that it requires me to complete some of my outstanding website updates first - so pursuing this new project will force me to complete a lot of work which has been on my 'to-do' list for quite some time. If I can get it launched within the next month or so, I will certainly post about it here. In the meantime, I am not getting many cassette conversions to do which leaves me free to mine other revenue channels.

Hairloss

Loss of our hair is something most of us have to come to terms with at some point - hopefully later rather than sooner. I am fortunate to have retained much of my hair, but even so, there is no doubt that it is waning and definitely on a path to rapid decline... You can spend your time worrying about what causes hair loss, but there is always the razor to fall back on if you are a man...
I bought myself a trimmer last year and have given myself a severe trim three or four times already, but for some, this is a step too far.
Nevertheless, it is far preferable to buying a wig - I am sure there are a range of products that one can cover ones balding pate with, but I am too mean to spend any more than the cost of a trimmer - and of course I don't have to pay anyone to cut my hair any more...

Favourite TV programs

I am missing some of my favorite late-night viewing on TV... it has been a while since MTV has even given us any re-runs let alone new series of 'cribs' or 'pimp my ride', two of my favorite MTV offerings perfect for late night viewing.
The appeal of these two shows just never wears off for me, however many star's houses with their private pool and private cinema with home theater seating that I see, I still want to see more. However many outrageous car 'pimping' episodes that I see, I just want to see more...
I don't know whether that says anything about me, but I am really missing these shows and hope they come back soon.

Dieting

There are, no doubt, some diet pills that work, and there are, no doubt, plenty more that do not...
The whole question of dieting is a perplexing one, and in most cases, it has to be said that diets are only a short-term fix. If you cannot rein in the propensity to eat the wrong TYPE of foods, and step up your weekly exercise regime, then dieting alone can really give you no long term benefits.
Realising that your body needs proper sustenance and a proper workout, is the first step to a healthier lifestyle. Trying to medicate your way to fitness is a non-starter...

A change for the better

It is never too late to start a fitness regime and get some fitness equipment installed. I am a big believer in 'lifestyle change' for weight-loss and general fitness, I do not believe in crash diets and certainly would never take 'medication' of any sort in an effort to get into better shape.
The only real long-term solution for being out of shape is to get a mind-set that is determined to make the right lifestyle changes to promote fitness and well-being.
It is a great idea to make an investment in this change by buying some fitness equipment of your own or taking out a gym membership to demonstrate your willingness to make a change. The demonstration has to to be more than just mere gesture... it has to mark a change that you can commit to for the rest of your life.

Cheap webhosts and domain registrars

During this month, I am going to be posting about the domain services I am using, this is mainly because I have just gone through a period of changing all my hosting around so that I am getting a better deal.
My new strategy is to treat domain registration and webhosting as separate things because webhosts (even though they sometimes offer one domain for free) are not usually the best people to offer cheap domain registration, and the best domain registrars do not offer the cheapest webhosting.
I have had a couple of UK hosting services because I started with UK domains, then discovered that the best service for registering gobal domain names (.com, .info etc...) is GoDaddy, the best service for registering UK domains is 1and1, and the best webhosting package is from Webhostingpad.
These individual companies offer the best value for money for those who aready have multiple domains, or are thinking of adding domains to their portfolio.
I have been able to save myself a lot of money by taking steps to ensure I have the best cost-effective solutions, and would encourage all my readers and friends to do the same. Click on the links above to find the individual posts about each company.

Acne in Adults

The basic elements that cause acne in teenagers can also combine to produce acne in adults. It is basically hormonal activity in puberty that is the main cause of acne, but hormonal imbalance and / or stress can promote acne in adults too. Surprisingly, causes of adult acne also include birth control measures and even the wrong type of makeup.
Teenage acne can also have a lasting effect in our adult years if the problem is wrongly treated and pock-marks remain on the face primarily, but also on other parts of the body.

SAT tests

I have recently discovered that UK students wishing to study at a US University will probably need to take a standardised written test called the SAT. The test is intended to measure critical thinking skills, testing the subjects' ability to analyse and solve problems in maths, critical reading, and writing.
Naturally, there is something of an industry built up around this vital test and you can go online to get sat prep courses to ensure that you are ready to take the course. Knewton.com even have a sample questions page which kept me amused for quite a while - I took four questions and got three of them right... now, which University shall I apply to .....??

My new hosting plan

I am delighted with how my new hosting package is working out at the moment. I have managed to get an unlimited package which allows me to host as many sites as I like all for a single price. I can also add subdomains which makes it easy for testing sites before buying a domain name - I have even found that it is relatively easy to get a subdomain listed in Google results, so I can test out SEO techniques on my subdomains too. The whole package is administered via a Cpanel dashboard which gives me full control over domains and subdomains, MYSQL databases (also unlimited) and FTP and file handling.
[note the screen-shot showing a bandwidth of 100000MB, disk space of 10GB, and databases, suddomains and FTP accounts etc... all going up to infinity...!]
I was previously paying about £25 a year for site hosting (per site) I have moved two domains to my new package which will save me £50. The costs for my unlimited hosting package will not cost me anywhere near £50 a year, and I can just keep adding domains as I feel like it.
I am using 'livewyre.net' as my main domain, and have found it ridiculously simple to add sub-domains for site testing, I also plan to add domains for my friends who are only using the email part of their domains and have not constructed a website as yet. I am now contemplating extra domains to support the various projects that I am working on at the moment.
I wrote about the services that I use for hosting and domain registration on livewyre.net, if you want to find out how you can get a similar deal, visit the link above...or the banner below:

Ferrari parts

The internet is a truly wonderful thing, it brings knowledge to the masses through wikipedia and millions of informative websites, but it also brings massive savings. Online purchases are growing despite the general economic slow-down for two reasons.
The first reason is that stuff on the web is just cheaper, online retailers have far less overheads that high-street retailers and that is generally reflected in the price.
The second reason is that due to the economic decline, activity on sites like eBay actually increases as half the population look to liquidize some assets whilst the other half seek to grab a bargain. Even if you're looking for Ferrari parts, it pays to use the web to do your shopping and save yourself a fortune.

Acne

Acne can be a serious problem in our formative years as well as sometimes in later life. In general, we tend to think of it as a problem for teenagers as the adverts for acne lotion are pretty much exclusively aimed at youngsters. Acne is caused when the substance sebum, a natural moisturising oil, gets trapped in hair follicles. The natural 'good bacteria' which is supposed to be protecting the face, then causes the sebum to become irritating and inflamed. The production of this oil increases in puberty, and tends to slow as we leave our teenage years behind us.

Weightloss

It seems to me that there is a modern preoccupation with the speed with which weight is lost. Hence the rise of sites such as quickweightloss.org. I am personally of the opinion, that whilst quick weight loss is fine for a special occasion or event, a far healthier approach is to implement some basic lifestyle changes to achieve longer-term goals.
Where a 'quick-fix' is needed (for getting into the wedding dress or swim-suit..), then caution should be exercised to ensure that any medication taken is well tried and tested, and more importantly approved of by an independent health-care professional.

Doorbells and home security

In times past, the only alarms on a house would be doorbells, however home security is now a very well-established market and the modern home may have many sophisticated security measures including CCTV and motion detectors.
The kind of gadgets reserved for the rich and famous, are now available to anyone who cares to have them. Motion detectors and garden lighting are commonplace in the most humble of modern homes. CCTV powered by a home PC costs little more than the price of a weeks shopping...for one!

Becoming a 'wrinkly'

Age is all relative of course, and coming to terms with getting older is something that most of us struggle to do well. In fact, before reaching for the hair dye and wrinkle cream, many folks go through a small crisis and display some odd behaviour. Only today I saw a man in his fifties driving an pale blue open-top Ferrari down the street, an action which screams 'mid-life' crisis (or possibly says more about my envy...). Anyhow, I have taken a good hard look at myself and given myself a kind of audit around the clothes I wear to make sure they are appropriate for my age. On the whole think men are a bit better at this than women, but I think it's an exercise worth doing once you have reached 'the hill' and are on your way 'over' it...
I have replaced jeans and combats with corduroys and chino's - I haven't actually thrown all my jeans and combats away, but I have got rid of the most worn-out ones. I bought myself a smart jacket (in the sale) too, and I have a good supply of shirts and ties from previous clerical jobs.
I don't plan to wear ties very often, but I do think that I need to wear shirts more often, and t-shirts less often. I suppose it's a bit conformist attitude (and I am not really 'into' conforming..) but I really don't want to suddenly find myself looking silly in jeans and a T-shirt - I am happy to embrace the more mature me (at least when it comes to clothes).

Domain registration

When you start your first website, it is quite natural that you will have a combined domain registration and webhosting package, especially as many hosts will include domain registration for free. As you develop your ideas and branch out and experiment with new sites, you quickly discover that this can be a very expensive way of operating.
My preferred method is to see domain registration and webhosting as two entirely separate services and buy them from different sources. I have written about the services that I use on this blog and on Livewyre.net - I created a new page all about the cheapest webhosting and domain registration packages (click on the link). Besides the unlimited webhosting package that I am now using, I also have two domain registration services that I use, GoDaddy for iinternational domains, and 1and1 for UK domains. If you are using UK domains, you could do yourself a favour by having your domains hosted by 1 and 1 - my .co.uk domains are costing just £2.99 a year!

Apple Gadgets

There is little doubt that since losing out a little in the PC market, Apple have taken strides in the gadget market securing the top spot as one of the most innovative firms on the planet. Microsoft may have the largest chunk of the computer market, but when it comes to phones and music/video players, ipods, and iPhones are the first brand-names that spring to mind.
It remains to be seen whether Apple can extend it's popularity that it has founded with these little gems, back into the laptop market with the iPad. The jury is out on whether this has been a wise move for the recently crowned kings of the gadget...

Television

Television is still in the throws of establishing itself in the modern market. It has been around for sixty years, and for fifty years the most striking improvements have been 'colour' TVs followed decades later by 'stereo' TVs. The demanding gadget-oriented market has dragged the humble TV through many many changes in the last decade. We have seen:

• flat-screen
• plasma
• wide-screen
• massive 40" (and bigger) screens
• HD
• 1080p
• digital TV receivers

...and more all in just the last few years, recent TV innovations are struggling to keep pace with technology and our TVs (which used to last for 20 years) are now defunct after about 4 years.... The price of each new innovation has turned the TV into a major investment, which is where modern manufacturing techniques and a highly competitive market can help out. If you hunt around for decent tv deals, you can get yourself a thoroughly modern entertainment centre (we used to think a record player and a radio was an entertainment centre...!).

International domains

I have posted a lot recently about mu new webhosting and domain regsitration services that I am using. The reason is two-fold, firstly I am committed to bringing you the best information I can to help my visitors make money online, but secondly because each of these services have affiliates!
Having said that, I would also add that I am genuinely supportive of each of these companies as I truly believe that they offer great value for money which is why I use them...
The company that I have been using the longest is the one that this domain (munny4hunny.com) is registered with, and in fact ALL my blogging domains are registered with GoDaddy.
Now, to be absolutley clear, it is their domain registration service that I am praising, I do not think that their webhosting is particularly cheap. The domain registration is second-to-none, and the only reason that I ever use a different service is that GoDaddy are not really set up to handle .co.uk domains. Their control panel is comprehensive and allows you to change DNS records, configure your email and re-direct your domains wherever you want them. Added to this, the prices they charge for .info domains are crazy, often no more than a few pence a year....
They are constantly coming up with offers and cheap deals, sometimes even including free hosting as part of a package. nevertheless I think it definitely pays to treat hosting and domain registration seperately - having control over your domains in the way that a good domain registration service offers, means that you can always redirect to another host with very little disruption. If you want to check out Godaddy's pricing, feel free to click below:

New tips and tricks

Anyone who has read this blog before will probably know that I am a big fan of free software.
My latest software 'toy' is 'JING' - a great little application that makes screen-shots and screen-movies for you at a click of a button. Do a search for 'Jing Project' and download it from a trusted site.
Once up and running, it sits on your desktop and when you hover on it, it pops up a little cross-hairs icon. You click on this and drag the cross hairs over the part of your screen that you want to highlight. Now you have the option of saving or sharing a screen-shot (PNG format), or making a screen-movie (up to 5 mins) in SWF (flash) format - you can do a voice over through your PC microphone. I have just used it to demonstrate to a friend how you can change the 'swap' file to a faster disk in Windows XP. I have plenty of other uses lined up for this great little toy...

Life skills

If you learn to play piano at a young age, it is a skill that stays with you throughout your life. I certainly wish I had paid a little more attention to my piano teacher when I was younger. I am quite sure she found me a very frustrating pupil.
Of course, the learning experience can be started at any time of life, and often you find time for learning new skills later in life when you may have more time on your hands, and have acquired some patience along the way..
I know people who learned the piano after having children and seen them through the early years of school. Piano playing can be a way of relaxing, or a challenge, or a means of entertaining or even part of a job such as a teacher or dance instructor.
Learning the modern way may include learning in your own time with CD's and interactive video or website tutorials as well as traditional lessons. Whatever stage you are at, or time that you have to spare, there is a lesson plan ideally suited to you.

Invitations...

Where does the time go?
My diary is full of extra-curricular activities already and the events keep popping up, I am already taking one day off work each week for the next three weeks to make sure I get to all the events I am supposed to attend, and then birthday, engagement or baby shower invitations drop onto the mat, and the diary is full again....
However I can't complain, it is really nice to be busy and also very nice to receive an invitation, especially if food is being provided! I have also been recently 'invited' to a speed awareness course by the police...and it's certainly the type of invitation that you don't turn down. I have been invited to pay £80 for a half-day course in return for which they won't give me more points on my licence... I don't think they're providing food!

The plan is coming together

I am so pleased with my new hosting package that I am planning all sorts of changes including a new Livewyre.NET button badge... Livewyre.NET is my main domain which all my projects will link back to. This badge will effectively be the trade-mark that appears on all my sites. My long-term plan is to move all the content onto a Wordpress platform - I don't plan to move my blogger blogs at all, but the option is always there...
I now have a comprehensive package for domain registration and webhosting which I believe is a world-beater in terms of pricing, and I will post about these separately over the next few days. In the meantime, I am clearing out some defunct affiliates and will be replacing them with affiliates for my hosting & registration services - the beauty of these affiliates is that I am confident that they genuinely offer great value - which to be fair, is not always the case with affiliates (especially the better-paying ones).
Major changes (including moving domains and hosting packages) always come with their fair share of problems and traumas and I will be also talking about how I have overcome the problems of uploading (via FTP) to a new host that requires Secure Shell encryption (SSH) when your copy of Dreamweaver doesn't use SSH...!

Crash Diet

Are there any crash diets that work? Whilst the answer is yes... things are never that simple...
Short term solutions such as a crash diets may give you a result for a target date, ie. for a holiday, or for a special event or occassion, but longer-term results can only really be achieved by a change of attitude and lifestyle.
Even surgery can have short-term effects that may be counter-acted by a lack of will power in the long-term. All too many people suffer serious illness before they acknowledge the wake-up call to introduce a proper healthcare regime of sensible exercise and a balanced diet in their lives.

Fit for purpose

Fitness becomes an issue as we get older, and starting a fitness regime at an early age is the best way to address fitness issues later in life. Lifestyle is the primary concern when it comes to health and although there are a host of quick trim solutions available, long term plans for regular exercise and sensible eating are probably more effective.

One of the issues with using supplements or medication is that unless you plan to use it permanently, when you stop the course, you will probably revert to how you were before. So the main reason for using this type of remedy is for a short-term result.

April 2010 Earnings

I made a net loss this month, but not a very large one considering what I have in return. I have taken on a mega-hosting deal for four years that will hopefully allow me to host as many domains and sub-domains as I want. Not only that, but I should also be able to create Wordpress blogs and add databases at no extra cost. This four year deal has only cost £64, which for me is a no-brainer as I pay more than that for a single year for three hosted domains at the moment.
Actual earnings this month have been low, a total of about £57 all-in. I have already completed a bunch of paid posts which will be paid out in the next week or so, so hopefully May will be a bit more profitable.
I will post more about the new hosting service when I have managed to migrate more domains onto it.

Latest developments

I should be posting my earnings today, but I am in the (long-awaited) process of changing my web-hosting plan. So far, I have moved my main domain (Livewyre.NET) to a new server, and am waiting for additional domains that I own to come over to the same host. The beauty of my new plan is that I can host multiple website through a 'cpanel' configuration tool at no additional hosting costs!! Not only that, but I can also set up as many subdomains (of my main domain) as I need - at no extra cost!!
This is going to revolutionise the way I have been operating on the web and will allow me to add domains for fun!
I will post more about this as I progress, in the meantime I will post April earnings shortly, although offsetting them against my setting-up fee for the hosting has actually reduced by earnings to a negative amount in April!