Aunty just signed up for another newsletter – couldn’t help myself – the copy was that good, and the information that I was promised was going to be awesome….
It is a “field manual” survival book and a 12 month newsletter by Dr. David Eifrig (I know, his name could be a joke if you switch around a couple of letters) that will let me know how to get silver coins super duper cheap (no worries Paul, that one I promised you I wouldn’t post), a device that will purify water and fits in your pocket, and a defense mechanism that will repel attackers, available for cheap on Amazon!*
All this and more for an annual subscription fee of $39! Such a deal, such a deal, with SO much more valuable information . Aunty is such a soft sell, so I figure, “why not?” And if it is worth the $39, Aunty will review and let you know so you can get in the deal too.
However, immediately after putting in the numbers of Aunty’s corporate dedicated credit card (note to Aunty: write a post about the stupendous advantages of having a C Corp), another super duper special offer popped up, with 6(!) expert newsletter people and all kinds of goodies that will make Aunty rich(!), happy(!), secure(!) and all that good stuff came, worth at least $12,000, with no annual renewal fee and a time sensitive super duper special of $1000, period, good for Aunty’s lifetime!!
$39 with annual renewal or $1000 without?
$1000 is a lot of money, even if it is for 6 experts that I really don’t know, sending me newsletters and tips. This is much more than $39 to find out how to purify water and repel bad guys. The publisher of all those newsletters putting this deal together is a master of newsletter affiliate marketing. A master almost to the point of being annoying. AND, this $1000 lifetime guaranteed deal is not just $1000, because there IS an annual fee of $149 for something that isn’t called an annual renewal. So now it is confusing – there is an annual fee?
Okay, that was a turnoff. Maybe the information and lessons are worth thousands IF Aunty practices it. Maybe Aunty will become a millionairess overnight or in the next year. Maybe Aunty will be retired with Uncle with no cares or worries, living a lifestyle that is perfect for us. Maybe it will be so, but da buggah stay lie [translation: the publisher/marketer was being deceptive.]
Auwe!
First, he says “no annual renewal fee” and then he says “small fee of $149 charged annually.”
This publisher – Stansberry Porter whatever – might be a good guy, but he really should be more ethical, IAO (in Aunty’s opinion), or at least not talk through both sides of his mouth with different stories.
Has Aunty ever paid a lot of money for a subscription/service?
Yup. In fact one of the most recent ones is The Wealth Builders Club by Mark Ford. This one cost $1500, paid with Aunty’s corporate account, and is worth more than $1500, IAO (in Aunty’s opinion). Lessons are unfolded like peeling layers off an onion. Each layer is delicious, rich with content, and done with sensitivity to those of us with moderate income wanting to improve our lives. Recently (IAO) it spends a bit too much emphasis on the paid in additional riders of mutual whole life insurance, even though it IS an awesome way to save and use money. Several strategies for income and investment are broken down and taught, all very possible, all well researched and even tested. Membership does cost a lot of money, but Aunty feels that she is getting her monies’ worth and even has an affiliate relationship with them.
Aunty recommends this “Club” only if you are serious about investing and have the means to do so. If you are not yet financially solvent or just starting off, then Mark Ford’s Palm Beach Letter is a less expensive option and rich with content, just not as frequent and detailed as the Wealth Builders Club. It is one of my favorite, and is a bargain. The Palm Beach Letter is $39 annually. Aunty highly recommends this newsletter and also has an affiliate relationship with them. If you click on The Palm Beach Letter, you will have access to their rather long (and excellent) sales copy and subscription button to join.
However, subscriber, be aware!
Be Aware, not necessarily Beware. ALL of these self help, financial, be better, etc. newsletters are in the business of affiliate marketing. EVERY one of them, especially the free ones. You will get a LOT of invites to view other products/newsletters/secrets/strategies. They all have appeal and urgency with impending doom. One thing almost all financial and investment newsletter like to do is bash the President in office, and that is kinda overdone. In this day and age, in our current crisis/non-crisis, it doesn’t matter who is in office. We have to take charge of our own finances, growth, retirement.
Subscribing to newsletters is a good start, just be careful who’s opinion (it is all opinion until history proves it to be fact) you want to adopt as your own, and be ready for a lot of emails pitching this newsletter service and product or that service and product. Your email address and contact name has been melded into “THE” list of potential buyers, and the campaigns will begin.
Some of them are fantastic, some are pretty good, some of them are not so good. Aunty reads them all to get a general bigger perspective and then either forgets about it or bookmarks it in one of the 35+ email folders for newsletters on my laptop. Penny stocks, mortgage updates, recipes, gloom and doomers, silver bugs, investment advisories, yada yada yada. Yep, Aunty gets daily emails from subscriptions, and because of them, the number of newsletter and offers keeps growing.
Just a heads up to be aware that others will send enticing sales promotions to you. Be choosy in what you do buy or subscribe to.
Aunty also affiliates
Aunty is starting to monetize her website, and Aunty also has affiliate marketing relationships. However, the affiliate markets that Aunty has are those that are tried and true, tested and used by Aunty.
The google adsense ads that pop up are not of Aunty’s choosing but those are monetized by Aunty’s content and people clicking on those ads, and so far…….drum roll please………over the last 2 months……….Aunty has made…………$14.11! It’s a start, thank you very much.
Future lessons about how that is going as well as more of Aunty’s journey into websiting will be covered as time goes on. If you ever had an inkling or itch to start your own blog/website, just go for it. Aunty’s “Website” page walks you through the process. For less than $50, you can start your own blog without having to hire a designer/programmer/expert. It will be a learn as you go experience. In the beginning, just post content. Later on, you can start to monetize with google ads or other affiliate ways and when you make over $14 like Aunty, please let Aunty know so we can celebrate together!
Aunty the millionairess
It will happen, and it’s not because Aunty sits around meditating and focusing on a dream board (Aunty still doesn’t have a dream board and lacks the discipline of meditation). Warren Buffet, the brains and heart behind the super successful Berkshire Hathaway fund/company said, “Be greedy with others are fearful, and fearful when others are greedy.” In other words, don’t necessarily do what everybody else is doing or says to do.
Instead, read, learn, listen, then form your own conclusions. Determine your path and take the steps, one by one, inch by inch (“NIAGARA FALLS!!!….” lol – sorry, I digress).
If you have any questions or want Aunty’s take on something, please comment below. Just let Aunty know in your comment if you want it to be private and Aunty won’t approve it for posting.
*[Update: the manual is pretty good, lots of useful information. The water filter that was hyped and can be bought on Amazon for around $20 is called LifeStraw. The device that will repel people and animals is an airhorn, the louder the better.]