Once again, thanks for the patience of the readers checking out this site frequently on the latest happenings. We are two weeks to relaunch of what I think will be pretty friggin' revolutionary in terms of traveling, living, etc all abroad. I really would love to explain on what the site will be about but I feel it is best to wait for relaunch. Expect some very cool features and tools that will hopefully answer your questions of living abroad and trying to make a bit of extra coin. As I said before, this site will cater to everyone (more specifically to retirees though really it will be for anyone who wants a change in their lifestyle) looking to live abroad and cheaply.
Im in the process of cleaning up my house and moving some stuff. Im pretty busy for the next few weeks but when I am done with everything, the relaunch will occur. Two more weeks so stay tuned!
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Relaunch Coming To The Site
It has been awhile since Ive updated the site, and fret not, many BIG changes are happening to me at the moment. My dream of living in Thailand is looking more like reality than just a dream. I will update you on all of my personal details later on but here is the scoop:
A relaunch of this site is coming VERY soon that will not only have cool, very useful unique content, but it will have videos as well as to the inside scoop of LIVING in Thailand. And I am not stopping there. Wonder how it is to live in Korea? How about Cambodia or the Philippines? This is the tip of the iceberg of what's to come and there is some other cool surprises as well. While this will cater to mainly ex-pats and retirees, I will not neglect the crowd that actually is tired of the old routine back at home and who want to travel abroad. And yes, the main issue is something that is very affordable, safe, clean, hospitable and provides something to do.
Stay tuned for more info but this is going to get exciting!
A relaunch of this site is coming VERY soon that will not only have cool, very useful unique content, but it will have videos as well as to the inside scoop of LIVING in Thailand. And I am not stopping there. Wonder how it is to live in Korea? How about Cambodia or the Philippines? This is the tip of the iceberg of what's to come and there is some other cool surprises as well. While this will cater to mainly ex-pats and retirees, I will not neglect the crowd that actually is tired of the old routine back at home and who want to travel abroad. And yes, the main issue is something that is very affordable, safe, clean, hospitable and provides something to do.
Stay tuned for more info but this is going to get exciting!
Saturday, July 27, 2013
New Ads on My Blog
New ads on my blog. As you can probably see I got some new ads on my blog. They are not from Google's Adsense as I am saving them up later once I really fix up the site nicely and get some more real content going. Instead I opted for Chitika's ad services to see how things shape up. I've heard mixed opinions on their payouts, services, etc. but I wanted to experiment how Chitika stacks up.
So why did I decide to put some ads on my blog? A for a variety of reasons. No, I don't need the money now as I doubt making $. 02 (yes, that is 2 lincoln pennies) a day is really going to help with my living contributions. And I'm not exaggerating or anything of that nature when I say I will be making 2 cents a day. Because I figure that's what I will average.
Getting 50 Page Views Per Day
I am not even getting 50 page views per day so why am I even bothering with getting ads in the first place with low amounts of people coming to the site? Even though the site is still growing little by little?
That's because I want to experiment how it feels like to be a publisher working with an advertising agency. I want to see how people feel where I place ads. I want to see how the site looks, loads, and all of that stuff.
How Do I Make Money as a Blogger
This is my end goal while providing content with you and learning something from it. Learning do's and don'ts, what's the best advertising site, etc. I have ZERO experience with HTML. In fact, placing the ad banners was a bit of a pain since I barely knew how to place them. I have ZERO marketing experience when it comes to the internet. I am slowly spreading the word through a few blog comments. I did try one forum about my weight loss journey but stopped because I hurt my hamstring and lost motivation (although I am getting back into the exercise routine, stay tuned). But I do want to fall, make mistakes, and learn from them. My trip to living in Thailand is getting closer and closer and I need to make strides.
Stay tuned for more stuff and yes, I will get to the Thailand stuff!
So why did I decide to put some ads on my blog? A for a variety of reasons. No, I don't need the money now as I doubt making $. 02 (yes, that is 2 lincoln pennies) a day is really going to help with my living contributions. And I'm not exaggerating or anything of that nature when I say I will be making 2 cents a day. Because I figure that's what I will average.
Getting 50 Page Views Per Day
I am not even getting 50 page views per day so why am I even bothering with getting ads in the first place with low amounts of people coming to the site? Even though the site is still growing little by little?
That's because I want to experiment how it feels like to be a publisher working with an advertising agency. I want to see how people feel where I place ads. I want to see how the site looks, loads, and all of that stuff.
How Do I Make Money as a Blogger
This is my end goal while providing content with you and learning something from it. Learning do's and don'ts, what's the best advertising site, etc. I have ZERO experience with HTML. In fact, placing the ad banners was a bit of a pain since I barely knew how to place them. I have ZERO marketing experience when it comes to the internet. I am slowly spreading the word through a few blog comments. I did try one forum about my weight loss journey but stopped because I hurt my hamstring and lost motivation (although I am getting back into the exercise routine, stay tuned). But I do want to fall, make mistakes, and learn from them. My trip to living in Thailand is getting closer and closer and I need to make strides.
Stay tuned for more stuff and yes, I will get to the Thailand stuff!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Day 22: Update on Alexa Ranking!
This question pops in my head all the time...which is this..
Can I Make A Living By Blogging?
And while part of me gets a bit pessimistic with doing this, it's stuff like what I discovered today that adds fuel to my fire. Read on....
I just finished doing a nice cleansing on the blog trying to get rid of some spam that was showing up as page views.After days of waiting, I finally applied Google Analytics to see how many visitors are coming to the site. Some days it looks REALLY depressing and other days it makes me go WOW.
Just not long ago I decided to do another check up on Alexa to see if there has been any change. Much to my surprise there was a change, a BIG change. My Alexa ranking improved BIG TIME. I'm not sure what did it because it's not as if a big wave of people came to the site to read every article or anything. I know some may think Alexa ranking is not important, but for now, Ill take the improvement. Any good boost for my pysche is very helpful at this stage of blogging.
So what was the Alexa Ranking?
3,566,905
Yesterday it was in the higher 4,000,000s. This is a huge improvement though I still have ways to go! My goal for Alexa is to get in the under 1,000,000 range by September. Take note also that I do NOT have an Alexa toolbar installed at the moment which helps with Alexa rankings.
I will also get to the other part on Thailand as I've been writing my draft on this blog. Some good stuff to read that you might learn which was quite helpful for me to live there. On a closing note, thanks once again for reading the site and stay tuned as I have some good stuff coming out soon!
Can I Make A Living By Blogging?
And while part of me gets a bit pessimistic with doing this, it's stuff like what I discovered today that adds fuel to my fire. Read on....
I just finished doing a nice cleansing on the blog trying to get rid of some spam that was showing up as page views.After days of waiting, I finally applied Google Analytics to see how many visitors are coming to the site. Some days it looks REALLY depressing and other days it makes me go WOW.
Just not long ago I decided to do another check up on Alexa to see if there has been any change. Much to my surprise there was a change, a BIG change. My Alexa ranking improved BIG TIME. I'm not sure what did it because it's not as if a big wave of people came to the site to read every article or anything. I know some may think Alexa ranking is not important, but for now, Ill take the improvement. Any good boost for my pysche is very helpful at this stage of blogging.
So what was the Alexa Ranking?
3,566,905
Yesterday it was in the higher 4,000,000s. This is a huge improvement though I still have ways to go! My goal for Alexa is to get in the under 1,000,000 range by September. Take note also that I do NOT have an Alexa toolbar installed at the moment which helps with Alexa rankings.
I will also get to the other part on Thailand as I've been writing my draft on this blog. Some good stuff to read that you might learn which was quite helpful for me to live there. On a closing note, thanks once again for reading the site and stay tuned as I have some good stuff coming out soon!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Day 21: Blog Continues to Grow!
I was about to do a third part of my Living in Thailand series but I still wanted to save that for another day. Just wanted to post a site update and share with everyone of what is going on. So how can a blog with a micro-niche grow without hardly any marketing? Beats me, but I can at least guess. One part I believe is sharing your experiences on a particular subject. One that I know quite well is living in other countries for pennies on the dollar.
How can you live in Costa Rica for pennies on the dollar?
Is it possible to live in Colombia for under a $1000?
Can a person retire in Thailand with small income?
These are some of the areas that I know pretty well and have actually LIVED and will LIVE. Anyhow, onto the blog news
My blog has been slowly but steadily growing. Right now my average after 21 days is approaching the 30 per day range. Again, for some people, getting 30 page views per day on a blog is not a big deal, but for me any kind of growth is great news. If people continue to come to this blog and learn a little something from it, Im very happy.
Soon I will clean up this blog and use a real domain name that anyone can easily remember. This blog will also get a nice face lift yet keeping it clean and simple. I'm going to separate this blog into different sections:
- One for articles in relations to living in different countries
- One for my daily journals and musings
- One for my weight loss goals which is kinda part of my 200 day transformation.
That is all for now, I'm pretty damn hungry right now and need to feast on some frozen organic blueberries. YUM!
How can you live in Costa Rica for pennies on the dollar?
Is it possible to live in Colombia for under a $1000?
Can a person retire in Thailand with small income?
These are some of the areas that I know pretty well and have actually LIVED and will LIVE. Anyhow, onto the blog news
My blog has been slowly but steadily growing. Right now my average after 21 days is approaching the 30 per day range. Again, for some people, getting 30 page views per day on a blog is not a big deal, but for me any kind of growth is great news. If people continue to come to this blog and learn a little something from it, Im very happy.
Soon I will clean up this blog and use a real domain name that anyone can easily remember. This blog will also get a nice face lift yet keeping it clean and simple. I'm going to separate this blog into different sections:
- One for articles in relations to living in different countries
- One for my daily journals and musings
- One for my weight loss goals which is kinda part of my 200 day transformation.
That is all for now, I'm pretty damn hungry right now and need to feast on some frozen organic blueberries. YUM!
Monday, July 22, 2013
Day 20: Finally Here at Last!
Just wanted to give a quick HELLO to all of my readers checking out this blog on my 200 day experiment. In case this is your first time reading this blog and are wondering what this 200 day experiment is all about (for more details check out the first few blog posts I've made on my journey), it's basically my journey from quitting a good full time job to making a living by blogging. Yes, I do understand that I'm not going to make nowhere the amount as I do in my normal job, but I will compensate this by reducing my cost of living by moving overseas. I'm also doing this too so that others who are considering blogging but have NO computer skills at all like myself who barely know how to use a laptop have a chance.
Do I have backup plans in case if 'things don't work out'? Yes I do, but let's put it this way, I'm REALLLLLY hoping that things work out in the blogging world. And why 200 days? Because that is the time when I am leaving to Thailand from the starting point of this blog. All leading up to....
How To Monetize a Micro Niche Blog
This is where it comes down to. How am I going to monetize this blog? This will discussed more into detail like displaying ads via AdSense or Media.Net, etc. Now some people may not be too eager to hear this kind of info on my blog but I'd rather be upfront and tell you exactly what I'm doing. I've seen a few blogs that say that getting an income from their site is of no importance.....
REALLY? LOL
Then why do I see ads on their blog? Anyhow, I don't want to delve into another topic.
So let's RECAP my old goals, here is my old post from Day 1
Do I have backup plans in case if 'things don't work out'? Yes I do, but let's put it this way, I'm REALLLLLY hoping that things work out in the blogging world. And why 200 days? Because that is the time when I am leaving to Thailand from the starting point of this blog. All leading up to....
How To Monetize a Micro Niche Blog
This is where it comes down to. How am I going to monetize this blog? This will discussed more into detail like displaying ads via AdSense or Media.Net, etc. Now some people may not be too eager to hear this kind of info on my blog but I'd rather be upfront and tell you exactly what I'm doing. I've seen a few blogs that say that getting an income from their site is of no importance.....
REALLY? LOL
Then why do I see ads on their blog? Anyhow, I don't want to delve into another topic.
So let's RECAP my old goals, here is my old post from Day 1
"My main focus is to put out content for you guys on a consistent basis. Yes, right now im typing to ghosts so be it.
Between Day 1 to Day 20 I hope to gain at least two or three readers. All we have is page views on Blogger so ill go by that. So if I can get a few readers to enjoy my stuff by Day 20 on a consistent basis, ill be happy.
Keeping it simple for now and give out good quality information.
After Day 20 I will revalauate where to go from there and see how this blog is doing. I will give you, my invisible readers (har har)...some stats here and there.
So lets recap:
Day 1-20 give quality content on consistent basis,keep a few readers. Wish me luck!!
So did I hit my goals? I would have to say a YES, although I wasn't perfect. I wanted to post more consistently (like everyday) though still not too shabby. And did I gain a few readers? Yes I did! My average page views per day now is around 20 per day.
Now time for some new goals for days 21-40.
And here they are:
1. Continue to post consistently with good quality stuff.
2. Cross your fingers and hope readers can spread the word. My goal for now is to hit 75-100 page views on average (yes, I agree that is not the best point and I shouldn't worry about things like page views, but it's a pretty good barometer to see if readers are checking my stuff).
I know some are chuckling in the blogging world for making lofty expectations, but I really want to push things now into a higher gear. On one hand I am patient though on the other hand I do have 200 days to see if I can really see if my dreams of blogging for a living can come at least somewhat true and hopefully inspire others.
I will also do stats update throughout the days. Part of me feels like I won't make my goals since now Im reaching a bit high in a short period of time, but the other part of me fees like it's worth taking a shot at such a goal and see where it falls. Again, I thank you all for supporting me!
One last thing, I do have another goal. Here is my site under Alexa (yes, I know it's not the most accurate and it can really vary, but I still like using it as a basic barometer.
Alexa Rank:
Let's see if I can reach under 4,000,000 range in that time span. I know that rank is not impressive at all but I just want to see if there is an improvement in that time frame.
That's pretty much it everyone! Im pretty happy to see how much this site has grown in a short period of time, let's see where the chips fall in 3 weeks!
Sunday, July 21, 2013
How Much Do Things Cost in Thailand? A Quick FAQ
I've been getting some good feedback on the start-up series for cost of living in Thailand. Also when I scout around in various forums in relations to living in Thailand you start to notice some of the same questions that gets asked around. What I've decided to do for today is to do a small FAQ on some questions pertaining to costs in Thailand. I will continue on with the series since I will getting to other basic costs in more detail.
Here is some basic questions:
How Much Do Things Cost in Thailand?
What's interesting is that I just got this question a few minutes ago and although vague, I do understand what the reader is trying to ask. So how much do things cost in Thailand when it comes to miscellaneous related items? I will do a nice breakdown of some costs but for example, a 500mL bottle of Cola cost around 12-15THB, which is less than 50 cents. For roughly the same amount in the US, it would cost around $1.29 to $1.79 in the store. Not only that, but the Cola made in Thailand is made from REAL SUGAR, not that crap High Fructose Corn Syrup stuff found in the states.
More details about these kind of misc items in my series later on....
How Much Does A Massage Cost in Thailand?
I knew one day I was going to be asked this question and now this day has finally came, LOL. One of the finer highlights about Thailand is their massages. They are simply amazing and it's a must thing to do for anyone that comes to visit Thailand. When you go for long walks around the streets of Bangkok, your feet will be pretty much aching at the end of the day. Nothing is more pleasurable than getting a basic foot massage. The cost of a foot massage can range anywhere from 150THB to 400THB which is around $5-$13. The person massaging your foot puts your feet in a bath of water (which is usually contains some herbs to relax you) and your feet goes to heaven. Yes, there is other types of massages but the foot massage quickly came to mind. I will once again go over this in better detail in part with my series.
Things To Do In Bangkok Thailand
Believe me when I say this, but there are TONS of things to do in Thailand at any time. Whether you have little or lots of money there isn't any excuse why you shouldn't have any fun in Thailand. Thailand is known for their culture and history, and before I say anymore, stay tuned as I will get into further details with this stuff. I will make this into a separate article of its own on discussing what do in Bangkok. But for starters, as I discussed briefly in another article here, you can simply go walking around in different parts of Thailand and do some sight seeing. If you are a girl you can spend weeks going window shopping on all sorts of various stuff. You can try all sorts of different snacks like exotic fruits or fine pastries. Don't worry about getting fat trying the goodies, the amount of walking will burn any calories you get from eating.
How To Manage Money In Thailand
I am really tired of reading people saying it is impossible to live under $1000 a month let alone $600 and for that money you will only eat rice and beans with nothing to do. This is simply false since people tend to manage their money poorly. When you try to budget on living with $600 a month, there isn't too much room for error so some discipline is required. I am going to show you why it is possible to live for this amount and HOW to do it as well. Yes, if you happen to have access to more money than that, then by all means upgrade your lifestyle but it is still possible to live great for that much. Thai people live for almost half of that amount yet manage to live a nice and happy lifestyle. Stay tuned as I might make this Part III of my How To Live for $600 in Thailand series.
There are some more questions but I will get to those later. Please continue to spread the word about this site as I people sharing this site with others! I really appreciate your word of mouth help and your feedback! Expect to see some upgrades on this site very soon.
Here is some basic questions:
How Much Do Things Cost in Thailand?
What's interesting is that I just got this question a few minutes ago and although vague, I do understand what the reader is trying to ask. So how much do things cost in Thailand when it comes to miscellaneous related items? I will do a nice breakdown of some costs but for example, a 500mL bottle of Cola cost around 12-15THB, which is less than 50 cents. For roughly the same amount in the US, it would cost around $1.29 to $1.79 in the store. Not only that, but the Cola made in Thailand is made from REAL SUGAR, not that crap High Fructose Corn Syrup stuff found in the states.
More details about these kind of misc items in my series later on....
How Much Does A Massage Cost in Thailand?
I knew one day I was going to be asked this question and now this day has finally came, LOL. One of the finer highlights about Thailand is their massages. They are simply amazing and it's a must thing to do for anyone that comes to visit Thailand. When you go for long walks around the streets of Bangkok, your feet will be pretty much aching at the end of the day. Nothing is more pleasurable than getting a basic foot massage. The cost of a foot massage can range anywhere from 150THB to 400THB which is around $5-$13. The person massaging your foot puts your feet in a bath of water (which is usually contains some herbs to relax you) and your feet goes to heaven. Yes, there is other types of massages but the foot massage quickly came to mind. I will once again go over this in better detail in part with my series.
Things To Do In Bangkok Thailand
Believe me when I say this, but there are TONS of things to do in Thailand at any time. Whether you have little or lots of money there isn't any excuse why you shouldn't have any fun in Thailand. Thailand is known for their culture and history, and before I say anymore, stay tuned as I will get into further details with this stuff. I will make this into a separate article of its own on discussing what do in Bangkok. But for starters, as I discussed briefly in another article here, you can simply go walking around in different parts of Thailand and do some sight seeing. If you are a girl you can spend weeks going window shopping on all sorts of various stuff. You can try all sorts of different snacks like exotic fruits or fine pastries. Don't worry about getting fat trying the goodies, the amount of walking will burn any calories you get from eating.
How To Manage Money In Thailand
I am really tired of reading people saying it is impossible to live under $1000 a month let alone $600 and for that money you will only eat rice and beans with nothing to do. This is simply false since people tend to manage their money poorly. When you try to budget on living with $600 a month, there isn't too much room for error so some discipline is required. I am going to show you why it is possible to live for this amount and HOW to do it as well. Yes, if you happen to have access to more money than that, then by all means upgrade your lifestyle but it is still possible to live great for that much. Thai people live for almost half of that amount yet manage to live a nice and happy lifestyle. Stay tuned as I might make this Part III of my How To Live for $600 in Thailand series.
There are some more questions but I will get to those later. Please continue to spread the word about this site as I people sharing this site with others! I really appreciate your word of mouth help and your feedback! Expect to see some upgrades on this site very soon.
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