Dividends of researching

I was out and about on the internet last night, trying to buy a .com.au domain name. The guys I'm hosting my website with suggested an Australian domain registrar, so I checked the registrar out. Their price for registering a domain was $140 for 2 years. Earlier on, I had come across the Au Domain Administrator while I was busy registering my business and they had a list of accredited domain registrars on their site. Feeling hopeful, I proceeded to hop back on their site and go through the list of registrars and was pleasantly surprised to find a registrar that charged $26.97 for 2 YEARS!
Naturally I got curious. There had to be something important that the latter guys were leaving out, so I have gone ahead and checked out both registrars this morning. No, they are offering exactly the same product. There's no doubt that I will be settling for the extremely cheaper option, though I couldn't help but wonder under what conditions someone would purchase a domain name for $140 when there were other accredited people willing to offer the same product and service for $26.97. Two reasons came to mind:
1. Lack of adequate research; and
2. Wanting to make a status statement

However, I have observed how the current harsh economic conditions are making even the rich and famous to cut down expenses and I doubt that reason #2 holds enough water. I guess I'm left with only one reason, unless of course you're able to come up with more.
Suffice it to say that I learnt a good lesson, though thankfully not the hard way. So, before you type in those credit or debit card details, do some research.

It can't be that hard!

Ok, so i have never blogged because i've always had this niggling feeling that I wouldn't follow it through. I have always started the new year with exciting new diaries and planners, but round about March when I'm tidying the study, I find them neatly shelved but ...empty. So, I pull them out, read through a couple of pages, (usually the only days with entries would lie between January 4th and 15th) and make an entry for the day.
My last entry was on the 23rd and it was to remind me of some business marketing ideas.

Well, here I am, and presently fuelled with the strongest resolve in the world to keep up with this blog (you should see how furiously fast i'm typing and did i mention its 1.22am?)
Wish me luck :)