If you are considering starting a blog or a website, you should buy a domain name and hosting package before you begin. Like most bloggers, I learned this lesson the hard way. I started an experimental blog on Blogspot.com to “test the blogging waters”. It didn’t take long before I started getting visitors and I discovered the limitations of using someone else’s resources. I knew I needed my own domain and hosting but kept putting it off because of the uncertainty and inconvenience of moving. This hesitation simply delayed the inevitable and just made the problem worse. After 9 months of lollygagging, I finally got my blog moved and though it was inconvenient the payoff was worth it. In the years since, I have started several new blogs the right way and seen much success. I only wish I had seen this list before I started the first one. Read the rest of this article »