If You Have WebHosting And Have Your Domain Names Set On Autorenewal.......

Hi Rod,

I do it the old fashioned way - by hand. I don't use auto renew.

I use two registrars. I have an A4 folder with various sections in it, and for each registrar I have a page of A4 paper for 'renew' and a page for 'let go'.

Just before the start of each month, I log into the registrar websites and sort the list by expiry date. I take note of those expiring that month (and just after) and do my analysis and make a decision. Then I write them down onto the relevant pages.

The reason that I take note of those expiring 'just after' the end of the following month is in case something occurred at the end of the month which would delay me from carrying out this process, like getting really drunk.

One advantage of this system is that I have a historical log of domains I have let go, which provides some interesting research, although at times it can be frustrating if an error of judgement has been made!

Perhaps you could set them to auto renew, but operate this system as if you hadn't set them to auto renew, therefore you would have an extra layer of 'insurance.'

If you use namecheap, you get a little extra time to renew. Once they have expired, they are listed in the 'reactivate domains' section - I'm not sure, but I think they either disappear for good after a month from expiry, or the list clears all domains at the end of each month.

I renew the domains which need renewing just after compiling the list (better discounts when renewing in bulk with godaddy sometimes). The ones that I am letting go, I go through the list at some point and on that list I have tick boxes for actions that need to be completed - EG -

* remove from parking domain list on Sedo/parking site
* remove account from (reseller) hosting account
* cross them off from another A4 paper list of domain usernames/passwords for hosting
* remove the domain from anywhere else it is listed, EG large affiliate programs that require domain details

Systems like this can be a slightly cumbersome pain in the arse, but it works - it's virtually infallible. And as mentioned above, keeping records of things provides valuable insights - often types of insights that cannot be predicted in advance, but prove useful years later.

I also have systems for new domains - when I create a username and password for the hosting, I write this onto a paper list and paste it into my ftp program, after copying it while setting up the hosting. By writing down these steps and spending a little time re-arranging things, you can utilise the clipboard and get it down to the minimum amount of copy/pastes and mouse clicks. At the same time, you develop a system that is designed to ensure that no important steps are left out (forgotten), as well as minimising the risk of incorrectly entering a complex (secure) username/password into different areas -

EG - it's a pain in the arse if you enter the wrong details into ftp. All you know is that your ftp won't connect, but you then have to run through a series of checks. By copy/pasting it as you create it, you guarantee that it will be correct.

You can't copy from ftp into hosting because ftp disguises the password as dots. But you can copy from the hosting into ftp, therefore the first time I type it is into the hosting account, then copy. Anal I know, but effective.



Hope this helps.