Archive for December, 2008
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
I’ve been doing my thing on Bidorbuy, as I have been for the past 2 years. If 2007 was about selling, then 2008 was about bidding for me.
For a while now I have been searching for bargains on Bidorbuy, especially on the Wednesday Crazy Auction (starts on a Tuesday midday until midnight Wednesday). Some of the profit I make through their affiliate programme, gets plowed into buying stuff on auctions. I don’t always win the auctions I bid on, but you know what they say: you can’t play if you’re not in the game!
I like to be in the game. Auctions are my guilty pleasure.
I do have a strategy though. I only bid on R1 auctions and mostly high value ones like solid gold and sterling silver jewellery or computers. I also try to get mixes of beads at a lower price than I could get online or in local stores.
Even though their are collectables like coins and stamps, I stay away since I have no idea of the value. Also, I know what I’m prepared to spend, and do not get involved in bidding wars. As fun as auctions are, they can get a bit emotional when someone seems to be bidding against you! It is not personal, so I walk away if someone wants an item badly enough. Sometimes I become a bit upset when it’s a product I really wanted, but perhaps next week the same sort of item will be auctioned.
Bidorbuy’s Crazy Wednesday Auction which takes place from 12.00pm on a Tuesday until 00.00am on a Wednesday, had me very surprised. The items on auction are reaching prices at a normal rate. You would think the reported credit crunch would slow down sales, but there seem to be a number of bidders for good quality items.
In between there are still a few bargains. I bought some semi-precious stones that came to R67.00 and R38.00, respectively and a sterling silver ring for R50.00 all including postage.
Posted in auctions | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 31st, 2008
The internet is a place with so much potential for starting a business, especially in South Africa where more and more people are getting connected.
Our internet markets are so far from its full potential that I suggest you get yourself ready for the day when broadband becomes even cheaper. The internet will become accessible and cheaper for households throughout the country.
For you to really start earning money from multiple income streams on the internet, you have to have some sort of an online presence.
As I have explained in a previous article on my website, you can earn an income without a website, by signing up for an affiliate programme like the one at Bidorbuy’s auction site, promoting individual products or their seminars.
It is very limiting to only use the e-mail option, most affiliate marketers eventually opt for a website or blog.
Where do you start?
Even though there are many free websites available on offer, it is preferable to get your own domain name to create a trustworthy site.
There are blogging sites like www.blogger.com, www.typepad.com or the popular www.wordpress.com, but most of them have rules about marketing and you don’t have 100% control of your website.
Other blogging sites, like blogs.24.com are social sites and do not allow affiliate links and other marketing tools, so ensure follow the rules of the sites you decide to blog at.
The best option is to pay for web hosting service, like Afrihost. They have various payment plans to choose from, with a reasonable cost of R99.00 per month you can host your blog or website and have total control of your content.
What can you blog about?
The best topics to blog about (or create your website around) would be things you have a real interest in. It might be something you consider to be simple, but other people might be looking to talk about.
If you are a movie buff then talk about the latest movies or if you like gaming, then write about that. You can write about writing, knitting, cooking, crafts, fishing, cars, etc. The list is endless.
Is that all?
NO! You have to do your research! Read everything you can about blogging and internet marketing. A good place to start would be a free resource from Quirk eMarketing. Keep up to date on what is happening in the internet marketing world and you will make money.
What Now?
Now you start writing! Geta few articles done and then sign up for an account with a reputable website like the TrafficSynergy Affiliate Program ,Kalahari.net’s eTrader and/or PC Mall and find campaigns to match your topics of interest. Sign up to Google Adsense immediately and start earning.
Posted in advertising, affiliate marketing | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
How many times have I wanted to type the title “Cricket: SA wins series against Australia”!!!
What a great victory from the South African cricket side! We sort of had the feeling that if not now, then the opportunity would probably never present itself…ever!
Who would have thought victory would be so comprehensive?
We quietly hoped the team wouldn’t fall apart after the first few wickets fell…like they did in the past. When presented with the a quick loss of wickets, someone came to the rescue of the team. Graeme Smith, AB De Villiers, Dale Steyn, JP Duminy, the list goes on. Instead it was the Australians who faltered.
The victory is sweet because of the way the South Africans overcame past deficiencies. Who amongst us didn’t hold their breath each time Smith went out to bat. It was standard belief that SA was in the game as long as Smith was batting. Now it ain’t over until the last batsman has lost his wicket!
If anyone doubted that cricket is a psychological game, then watching the Aussies implode mentally in direct contrast to the growing confidence of their opponents, is enough proof. The body language of the Australians -on the field and interviews – spoke of a team in a state of shock. They looked exactly like previous visiting teams who were anihilated by Shane Warne, Glen Mcgrath and the Waugh twins…dejected.
Now the tide has turned.
The media who played their part in Australia’s victories now derides them. The Golden boys are golden no more.
Australia will for a while probably go into the perpetual rebuilding stage which we know so well, especially after a loss they will talk of the ‘rebuilding’ the team. They will find out how fickle the media and public can be. Whether the opposing team is better or not, victory will be expected of them. Every frown will be a signal of discontent in the team. Ask Graeme Smith and the Proteas, they know all about it.
Which of course makes this series victory even better.
Well done to the Proteas and many more!
Posted in sport | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 30th, 2008
Bobby Brown did an interview with Helen Zille about her make-over, on Capetalk/702 radio stations on Monday afternoon. They spoke about her physical transformation, after a Sunday newspaper (rag) did an article on the subject.
The Sunday Times, with probably no ANC scores to settle this week, concentrated on Helen Zille’s looks and found that it had changed over the years. Their investigation led to the discovery that the change was not natural, but cosmetic. In short Botox.
Surprisingly for the Times, the article contained facts and not innuendo as usual!
According to the radio interview, Ms Zille made the change as a sign of respect for the public. She said that as a public figure, taking care of her public image showed that she respects the people she deals with on a daily basis.
Now whether someone chooses to have cosmetic surgery or use Botox or any other cosmetic is their own business. Some of us after all use lipstick even though it is not natural to have blood red, shiny lips. Maybe the day will come when we choose the option of Botox for ourselves, so no judgements here.
What however bugs me is that there is a perception that the public wants perfection. From Miss South Africa we expect little else, so maybe, but a politician? Most of us really want nothing more from our politicians, other than that they run our suburbs, cities, provinces and country well and with honesty and integrity.
I certainly don’t care about a politician’s appearance – neat and tidy will do it for me – as long as they do the job they were elected to do. I don’t care whether politicians wear make-up or not, wear suits or shirts and pants, or have their hair braided or pouffed.
So Botox or no Botox, it us up to Ms Zille.
She is not doing it for the public, rather she is doing it for her public image to garner votes. Most of us really, really don’t care what she or any other politician look like or Patricia DeLille’s unkept appearance would not have garnered 1 vote in any election.
Those of us who don’t like Helen Zille, do so because we disagree with her negative politics, not her outward appearance.
Posted in politics | No Comments »
Saturday, December 27th, 2008
My cousin e-mailed me a few weeks ago with a book recommendation, The Thirteenth Tale a debut novel by Diane Setterfield.
I waited until my leave started and then headed for the new Claremont library. The book was the first I saw as walked in – on the recommended books shelf. I grabbed it although there was no one else close by!
The Thirteenth tale is the fictional story of a famous writer Vida Winter who near the end of her life asks the daughter of an antique bookstore owner to write her biography. The book’s title refers to a missing story in an anthology of short stories she wrote as a young writer.
Veda is haunted by her past and seems to want someone to discover the truth of her story, which she never told anyone and somehow be able to die in peace.
Margaret Lea is the biographer, who is also haunted by the secret of her own birth. She is told by Ms Winter to not ask questions, but to listen to the story from beginning to end. She however does some background investigations of her own and discovers parts of the story on her own.
The story she is told is about twins and about a haunted house.
For most of the book I was engrossed with the storytelling, but the Jane Eyre references irritated, I felt it was overdone and unnecessary, making the story seem literary pretentious.
I started off enjoying the book, especially the writing style. At first I could not put it down, but closer to the end the unraveling mystery no longer held my attention and I had to struggle to finish it.
Readers who enjoy storytelling with , a clean beginning, middle and ending and heroines that have fainting spells, would probably enjoy this story more. I was sort of reminded of the book Flowers in the Attic by Virginia Andrews.
Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments »
