Hosting as a GIFT
 

One of my customers knows I am trying to start a small site. He offered to buy me my hosting and domain online, as well as help me pay for design. If I was to use a host he purchased, what can I do to protect myself if anything bad happens between us? I dont want to offend him with any contracts, but it would be a legitimate business move to make sure that it was given to me as a gift and is rightfully owned by me after all is said and done. HELP!!

DO NOT DO IT!!! A gift is for shit if the domain is in his name and you two start arguing later down the road. What are you going to do? Mail Internic and tell them the guy gave the domain to you a couple of years ago? Forget it.

I know a girl who started a page like this which became successful. After two years her "friend" who had managed her site to this point, demanded $ 20k to purchase a domain name from him which she thought she already owned. I am not saying your friend is going to pull the same thing on you, but why take a chance. There is nothing wrong with him paying for the design, but when it comes to owning the domain, you need to register it yourself.

Get a cheap dedicated host at first, like Servage or Dreamhost. This only costs about 10 bucks a month, if you prepay it's even cheaper than that. Once your site is up and gets more traffic you can either move up to a mamaged/dedicated plan with them or get your own server. So what's the point of letting someone else do it? Saving 10 bucks?

It's also a good idea to draw up a contract if you start a biz with someone. That's how it's being done in the real world and that's how it shoul be done in the online world as well.

The thing is which is hard on me is that I was a victim of identity theft and I do not use credit cards, unfortunately from what I have seen many hosting/domain companies require that u pay online, which I cannot do. He also wants to feel as if he "helped me," but I am scared for the exact reason u mentioned above. I HAVE BEEN SEEKING A HOST AND DOMAIN SITE THAT CAN BILL ME THRU THE MAIL...anyone know of any?? If there are he can send me cash lol, which is the only way to do it!

What Jenny says sound k I am currently hosting a couple of sites at servage and I must say the service and hosing are excellent up to now.
Perhaps it's sometimes a liitle bit slow but that's the only complaint I have but for $8 a month for 1100 gb a month I am not complaining.

I got some networks with unlimited bandwidth and disk space, with limited advertisements. It's a good start if you're starting with a small site, contact me if you're interested.

besides CC-Cards, Servage does Paypal, bank transfer, and Cash.

http://servage.com/

Hosting and buying a free domain is so cheap nowadays, you can do it yourself, get a free domain and cheap hosting with a huge bandwidth in my sig.

yeah same idea .. get your own :)

You'd be better having him help you by purchasing some traffic, or buying banner ads/search key terms once your site is up and running :)

vegasgirl theres ways. Im sure youll find companies on this board that would take a money order for a few months prepay

You could also load up a virtual credit card and use that.

WHatever you do dont allow him to buy the domain.

Hosting can be changed, design can be changed, but domain is something that should be under your name

You could also stop by just about any cash checking store and get one of those prepaid credit cards. Give them cash and they'll load it for you.

I'm pretty certain that Dreamhost will also let you pay by check and if you sign up with them for a hosting account, they will throw in the cost of your first domain. That's probably a great way to go. I'm sure someone here can give you a Dreamhost coupon code to get your initial hosting very cheaply.

Don't do that :

You will lose your domain and a friend ....

Some host and registrars accepts money order payment.

I accept m.o. as well as ACH transfer ( you have a bank account, you can pay that way ) if paid for 3 months at a time.
If interested, email me for more info.
Virtual starts at 6.00/ month, and can be upgraded as required.
Cpanel/Fantastico included.

vegasgirl, if you r in vegas , as i am, c'mon. Don't do anything without a contract. You know how the people are out here, especially when it comes to money. Don't do it. Debit cards work too, online. You'd be better off with a relative (mom) doing it for you, less chance of getting screwed. Don't let your inability to use cards stop you. It will make you reliant on people forever,and more than a few of them will screw you over. C'mon, It's Vegas Baby!

all of this advice is gold, you should follow it. Owning the domain is more than half the battle.