Virtual Assistant Forums

#1 (**permalink**) 02-20-2009

Hey!!

At the moment, I have a wordpress blog (julianeal.wordpress.com) but I am currently making my own website using html.

I am looking for a domain for my site [preferably .com] that will enable me to have a .com name as well as emails (I only need about 5 maximum!)

The problem is, as I am on a limited budget, I only have around 10$ to spend on domain names a year (!) - the cheapest .com domain I have found is about 11$ with an irish company (who are repitible) BUT they don't have any emails with it (boo).

I know that I can use google apps for their emails BUT I know that their sites won't let you upload .html pages (I have just tried it out with a temporary page - I did used to be able to do it with google a few months ago but I think they disabled custom sites on there now)...

so, I'm in a dilemma - I am creating my own professional website, yet I need a professional domain and hosting for "peanuts" (I have just registered with webs.com but you will pay £20 a year for hosting, which is out of my bracket range)... I have just tried doteasy.com but you have to pay $20 for a domain, which is a bit out of my bracket.

Any help/advice, etc please say!!

p.s. if I can't get a .com for cheap I will look at .eu domains....

#2 (**permalink**) 02-21-2009

Try 1and1 Internet http://tinyurl.com/c8vjf7. I have several domains registered through them. With domain registration your get one free email but they have very inexpensive web hosting also.

#3 (**permalink**) 02-21-2009

Thanks!

I have also learnt that OfficeLive are still doing their free domains, plus you can upload your own HTML/CSS templates. However, I'm not sure whether you can use the same card to register another domain as I have "bought" a domain with them before and then I cancelled it after 3 months....

thanks again in responding!

#4 (**permalink**) 02-21-2009

Originally Posted by Lia-VSS

Thanks!

I have also learnt that OfficeLive are still doing their free domains, plus you can upload your own HTML/CSS templates. However, I'm not sure whether you can use the same card to register another domain as I have "bought" a domain with them before and then I cancelled it after 3 months....

thanks again in responding!

I forgot about OfficeLive. I use that for a non-profit client I have and it works great and provides emails. I have started several for different clients so good luck!

#5 (**permalink**) 02-21-2009

Greetings,

I use DixieSystems out of Atlanta, GA (aka 8-95.com) for my resellers hosting account, and *love* them: http://www.dixiesys.com/ . You will also see their mailing address as being Alabama, USA.

They *used* to have a deal where you registered your domain with them, and then they did the hosting. It was $16.95 per year, I think. *I, personally, have never seen anything cheaper*. Then again, I did my 2-3 days of straight research, found 8-95.com, and was done. Or if I have found something cheaper? It was scary, had bad reviews -- and, well, JUST SAY NO to scary hosting companies. Those I know who took advantage of this deal were very happy with the results.

Research the above "deal" at http://www.dixiesys.com/ yourself, please. I do not know if they still do that deal. I know they have had some changes in the company, but I have yet to have the company fail me.

The only thing I do not like about that kind of deal they had -- you can't pay up years in advance. (make sure you do not miss that bill! you do not want to get snaked out of your domain name!!!!) And it combines domain registration and hosting. Granted, Dixie Systems has never steered me wrong, in fact I have gotten emails personally from the boss when I have messed something up! But, I liken mixing those two to having your firewall and anti-virus all controlled by one application. If things go wrong? They can go really wrong.

My advice? Buy your domain totally separate from your hosting, and pay it up YEARS in advance. Then get hosting separately. If money is a show stopper -- only then compromise.

The bottom line is.....you do not want to get yourself into a situation where you get hijacked by a hosting company that has a lot of down time, emails are inaccessible, or they straight up hold your domain name hostage if you try to move your domain to another company. I cannot stress enough that your web presence is insanely important. You do not want your customers to experience ill effects of a bad hosting company.

ALWAYS pay your domain on time! Or better yet, pay your domain up 5-10-20 years in advance (just don't forget to pay the bill in 5-10-20 years!). Don't let someone "buy" it out from under you. Worse yet?? Don't let someone snag your domain out from under you and put OBJECTIONABLE material on the site! This happened to a friend of mine who turned around and the content was changed to some seriously bad stuff. Can you imagine your customers getting the kind of shock when they visit the website one day??! If you have to make yourself a deal where you do a once a year project just for cash so that this bill is paid without question? DO IT.

I apologize that this reply did not meet the "less then" monetary requirement, but its important to share, and I think worth your time reading.

Lesley
Virtual Computer Consultant
Portland, Oregon, USA

#6 (**permalink**) 02-21-2009

Lia, realistically you should be able to budget for more than that if you're running a VA business and working online. Your website doesn't indicate your location but your fees are in pounds so I'm guessing perhaps the UK? $10 is really very little.

Have you planned an expense budget for your business? Have you secured any clients yet? If you want to have a professional looking site self-hosted then realistically you do need to invest $$ into it and it does become a taxable expense. it will also work for you drawing in more work and clients if you are prepared to put both money and time into it.

Best regards,

Kathie

#7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009

Any suggestions about how much to budget for DNS/hosting?

#8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009

Hi,

You can get inexpensive domain names at GoDaddy.com (I think they run right about $10 per year, but Google GoDaddy discount codes and you should be able to get a domain for right around $7 and some change for the first year). As far as cheap web hosting, though, I'm not sure about that...I use Hostgator, which is just under $10/month.

Good luck!