PHP Membership Script
johncc @ May 28, 2008 # No Comment Yet
If you want to run a membership online (ie. paid newsletter, recurring service, etc.) then you need a membership script. It allows you to set up the sales page, processes payments, and takes care of the membership access to paying members.
A PHP membership script is something you should consider as PHP is a web programming language that is widely used and support by most Linux-based and Windows web hosting service.
There are many PHP membership scripts to choose from. Some free, and some that you have to purchase. I would recommend always buying a good, solid membership script to begin with and with paid products usually come with support as well if you need it.
Here are some choices:
PHP Membership Script - this is a simple membership script (as the name implies). It is easy to install and configure, and you can even run a dime sale (price increases as each sale is made). You can also configure it to run a free membership site (good for list building). However, the downside to this script is that you can not set up a recurring membership. If recurring payments is important to you, then consider buying the 2nd choice below.
MembershipSiteScript - This is a very powerful membership script that allows you to create a membership around an existing site or blog that you may already set up. It’s very easy to use and has all the horsepower you need to run an affiliate program. This is definitely a great alternative to Amember.
Simplemembership and MembershipSiteScripts are what I use everyday and I highly recommend them.
Discuss how you can make money by running a membership site at Internet Business and Marketing Forums.
Real Estate ? Managing Risk ? Part I
johncc @ May 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
In the world of property investment, there are various points along the ‘just looking’ to ‘ready to sell’ spectrum. Protecting your investment takes on different hues at different points.
When first looking for property you have to consider the amount of ready cash available, the state of the current market, as well as your own level of experience with the many aspects of investing.
The first lesson of risk management is: know the law. Whether a novice or a savvy investor of long experience, few things can put your investment at greater risk than ignorance of the rights and requirements of regulations. No need to become an attorney, but a working familiarity is a must.
After investigating the current market ? what’s available at what price, and what’s the current level of buyer interest ? judging the likely future is required. Property values have been rising in most markets for several years. In a rising interest rate environment, that can’t last forever. No one knows with certainty how long the trend will continue, but you can look at some signs.
Is the economy in general still on the upswing? Are employment prospects good for most individuals? What is the rate of new home construction, relative to the last five years? All these and more are good indicators of whether property values are more likely to continue to rise, level off, or even see a correction.
Once you’ve purchased a property there are several ways to minimize the risk of seeing your investment wind up ‘under water’. At the moment of purchase, make every effort to invest in a large down payment. Seriously consider putting in at least 10%. You’ll create instant equity and usually get a lower interest rate.
That level of initial outlay decreases your liquidity ? you have less cash after the deal is closed ? but there are few alternatives that have the return rate, low level of risk, and degree of capital appreciation of a real estate investment.
When looking at funding options, consider how long you intend to keep the property. ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortgages) get you in with less cash and an attractively low relative rate. There are 1 year ARMs, 5 year, even 7 year ? the number signifies how long the offered rate is good for, after which the lender adjusts it according to prevailing interest rates.
But if you intend to keep the property longer than the initial period, you can see that attractive rate climb several percentage points. Unless you sell, or have paid down the principle substantially within that time frame, you can see yourself saddled with much higher monthly payments.
At the same time the ARM rate is going sharply up, property values are under pressure to level off or even decrease ? because of the rise in interest rates. Your investment gets hit twice. Of course, it’s possible for rates to go down, but that’s less common and refinance is usually toward a fixed rate, in those cases.
There are insurance options that can cover the increase in payment in such scenarios but if you pay more than a couple of years of premiums, they are usually not worth the extra outlay. Better to use the extra funds to pay down the principal by making more than twelve annual payments, or paying more per month than the minimum.
If you can’t come up with a large initial down payment, weigh the value of continuing to rent versus any tax break you get from owning a property acquired with low or no down payment.
So, invest as much as you can up front, make at least one extra payment per year, lean toward fixed rate mortgages of the minimum length you can afford. A 15 year mortgage pays down the principle quicker, so you spend less on interest, increases your equity rapidly, and usually carries a lower rate.
Take a long term view; real estate is still one of the least risky, highest paying investments around.
Check out Marshall Reddick Investment Club.
Content Is King?
johncc @ May 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
That’s all you hear. Gotta have GREAT content on your web site. That’s how you get the big bucks. Okay, but did you ever stop to think why this is true, if indeed it is true? Just doing something because somebody tells you to is like letting a blind man lead you through the desert. You may eventually get home but it’s going to take you a very long time.
Content is actually a double edged sword, both edges very good.
The first edge has to do with the way search engines behave. Search engines are funny beasts. They love content. The more the better. Why? Because it’s part of how they go about deciding how popular your site is. The more content your site has, the higher up the rankings you’ll go, though granted you’re not going to shoot to number one overnight. But just throwing up a web site with lots of content isn’t the answer. You want to do this in a way that is going to get you the most bang for your buck. That is going to require you to add content to your site almost on a daily basis. So if you have 100 articles ready to go up on your site, it may be a better idea to put 50 up the first day and then add one every day after that for the next 50 days. This way, every time the search engine spiders come to your site they will see that it has been updated with new content. And as you are in the process of putting up those additional 50 articles, one day at a time, you should be in the process of writing new articles to put up after those 50 are done. Within 6 months to a year you will start to see traffic to your site like you never dreamed of as long as your content is relavent and you have optimized your web site keywords for the search engines.
Yeah, search engines blasting your site up the rankings is great, but now comes the second edge of the sword. People who go to your site, thanks to your rise in the rankings, will see all this great content going up day after day and will eagerly await for the next day’s installment. You will slowly build up some regular visitors. These people, after a while, will be more inclined to trust you when you tell them about the latest great program on the Internet. After all, you’ve given them all this great content for free. Imagine how great the stuff they have to pay for is going to be.
There is no doubt about it. Content is king. Without it, your site might as well not exist. If people go to it and all they see are a bunch of ads that scream “give me money” they are going to run away faster than a groom in a shotgun wedding.
Fill your site up with good relevant content to your niche and you will reap the benefits of your work for years to come.
Discover how I earn a 5-figure passive income online.
Las Vegas Wedding Ideas
johncc @ May 19, 2008 # No Comment Yet
If you are looking into getting married in Las Vegas, you need to make sure that you know all the great available opportunities. Here are as couple of fantastic options for Las Vegas weddings, aside from doing it at the famous Las Vegas wedding chapels.
1. Red Rock Canyon
Wedding packages are also frequently offered by wedding locations at this canyon. Located west of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is able to offer a breathtaking panorama, which makes it a coveted site to have wedding ceremonies.
2. Helicopter Weddings
There are a lot of the wedding chapels in Vegas that offer helicopter weddings. You can have the ceremony while you hover above the dazzling lights of the Strip or you could also opt to fly over to the Grand Canyon to say your vows there.
3. Mount Charleston
A famous Las Vegas getaway, Mount Charleston is less than an hour drive from the Strip. More people prefer to go there particularly in summer, when its temperature is lower than the Valley temperature by thirty degrees. The hotel and the lodge on the mountain have available wedding packages.
4. Yacht Weddings
You could also choose to have your wedding aboard a 60-foot yacht that floats on the beautiful Lake Las Vegas.
5. Gondola Weddings
Gondolas also offer a great wedding venue on Lake Las Vegas. Gondola weddings are also offered by the Venetian in one of their beautiful canals.
6. Lake Mead Weddings
You could also choose to have your wedding on a paddlewheel boat, Mississippi-style, as it goes around Lake Mead, a popular man-made lake.
7. Stratosphere Roller Coaster
For the adventurous, nothing would be more exhilarating that getting married on the Stratosphere roller coaster, situated near the top of the 1100-foot tower.
8. Bonnie Springs Old Nevada
Located west of Las Vegas near the Red Rock Canyon, Bonnie Springs Old Nevada is an Old West mining town replica in the 1880?s. Wedding ceremonies could be done in the western-style chapel and there are barbecue dinners for wedding receptions.
9. The Las Vegas sign
There are some wedding chapels in Las Vegas that offer to have the ceremony done at the Las Vegas sign.
10. Aboard a Hot Air Balloon
Another interesting and unique idea for a wedding venue would be on a hot air balloon as you soar above glitzy Las Vegas.
Visit http://www.somewedding.com for more Wedding Ideas
Real Estate Agents in Colorado
johncc @ May 16, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Are you considering a relocation to Colorado? You can live in the mountains, in the city, or somewhere in between. Colorado has varied topography with wide open plains in the eastern part of the state, mountains down the middle, and high desert to the west and south. Real estate agents in Colorado are knowledgeable about the different areas and can provide you with a wealth of information regarding available real estate options. You may need to visit the state a few times if you are not sure where you want to live. It may be a hard decision, unless of course you are relocating for a job, in which the choice you make is somewhat limited. If you have a certain area in mind, you may want to consult with real estate agents in Colorado to help you find exactly what you?re looking for.
There are quite a few websites that can help you locate homes for sale and real estate agents in Colorado. Some of the most popular are www.relo-experts.com, www.coldwellbanker.com, www.agentevaluator.com, and www.alamode.com which feature contact information for only the ?cream of the crop? real estate agents in Colorado. You most certainly want to seek out someone experienced and knowledgeable about the real estate in the area you are considering. If you are moving to Colorado from out of state, you will need to ask a lot of questions to ensure that you choose the best home for you and your family. Relocation is a big deal and you want one of the best real estate agents in Colorado working for you. You will want to request further information on various neighborhoods, proximity to points of interest, school districts, and answers to any other questions you may have, which can all be provided to you from real estate agents in Colorado. They will be glad to assist you in any way they can in your search for a new home, and can offer lots of advice regarding relocation too.
There are many real estate agents in Colorado that are just waiting to assist you. Colorado is a popular state, with it?s mountainous beauty and numerous recreational activity options. You will never run out of things to see or do, just ask real estate agents in Colorado, they?ll tell you the same. If you love the outdoors, Colorado is the place for you. Just like John Denver says, “Colorado Rocky Mountain High”. I would have to agree as will real estate agents in Colorado!
Try our complimentary internet real estate leads to jumpstart your real estate career!
Being 1 Month Pregnant
johncc @ May 16, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Some women may or may not know when they are 1 month pregnant, and if not, it?s only a matter of time until the symptoms of pregnancy become evident. A missed period is usually the first indicator, which may also be accompanied by sore breasts, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, light spotting, or mild cramping. If using the calendar method of calculation, being 1 month pregnant means that it has been one month since the start of the last menstrual period. Ovulation usually occurs around the fourteenth day or midway through the menstrual cycle, and after the egg has been fertilized by the sperm, it takes another ten to fourteen days for the newly formed embryo to implant in the uterine lining. During implantation it is quite normal for some light spotting to occur, but if bleeding is heavy or bright or dark red then a physician should be consulted, that is if the woman knows she is pregnant. Otherwise, the spotting could be seen as the start of the menstrual cycle.
During the first month of pregnancy a lot is happening. Hormones are fluctuating, and periods of being extremely happy are exchanged for times of crying for no apparent reason! No wonder the women?s partners can?t quite figure out what is going on. (Hmmm. I brought home her favorite dessert for after dinner and she cried for an hour afterward not really knowing why!!! Something strange is definitely going on!!!) In addition to crazy hormone changes, appetite may change too. At 1 month pregnant nausea may occur from time to time, especially in the morning, and foods that were once favorites may smell too pungent to eat and cause a mad dash to the nearest restroom. Other significant changes are also occurring at this time. The amniotic sack is forming as is the umbilical cord, and until this process is complete, the yolk sack protects and provides nourishment to the developing fetus.
With all these changes going on at once, being 1 month pregnant is a significant time. Some women may not even know they are 1 month pregnant, and may not even suspect until the second month or so. These women may have experienced a lighter flow during their cycle, but not suspect anything until they miss their next period completely. A planned pregnancy is much different because these women know before they are even 1 month pregnant that they are expecting; they know as soon as their cycle is a little off because they are looking for all the little signs of pregnancy, no matter how subtle. Being 1 month pregnant is just the beginning.
For more pregnancy and parenting tips please visit http://www.gagazine.com
What Is The Craigslist Slap
johncc @ May 4, 2008 # No Comment Yet
If you are not familiar with the Craigslist posting process, you first select a city and category to post your ad in. You then fill out the form which is your actual ad, type in the image verification, agree to their terms and service, and you will receive an email with a link to the ad. You will need to visit that link and click on the “Publish” button for the ad to go live. After you publish your ad will go live on the Craigslist?s website in about 15 minutes from when you published it. If you were to visit the same link in the email after you have published it, the webpage will indicate that you already published this ad.
If the link brings you to a webpage where it says that your ad has been removed by staff, it means there is something in your ad title/description (or even your email address, IP address where you are posting from) that triggered the filter so Craigslist will immediate take your ad down.
This is all fine and dandy up until Craigslist recently changed its algorithm so that when you click on the link in the email to publish your ad, it will show that your ad has been successfully published, even though in reality it never made it live on the Craigslist website. Marketers who got “slapped” will go the actual Craigslist site and not see their ads that have been successfully published! This surely had many marketers scratching their heads or simply gave up on Craigslist altogether. Good. Less marketers and more room for you to play with now!
Learn how to make $300 per day with just Craigslist