I am planning to set up another blog, so I think it’d be better to just write down the steps as a guideline for others and also for my future reference.

It’s easier to set up a blog in Blogger.com or Wordpress.com, we just need to register an account and follow the instructions. But I’d prefer to set up a Wordpress blog, as it’s easier to add in any plug-ins and easier to configure it. Also, we can always backup the database and files as we wish.

Step 1: Get a web hosting site.
As a newbie, I’d prefer not to invest any money yet, hence I am using the free web hosting site – 000webhost.

Step 2: Download latest Wordpress.
The current version is 2.9.1. You can download it here – Latest Wordpress version.

Step 3: Set up Wordpress blog in the web hosting site.
I have written an step-by-step guide on this, you can refer to it here – Set up Wordpress blog in 000webhost. Though I was writing it based on hosting in 000webhostt, you can also use the similar methods in other web hosting sites too.

Step 4: Get a blog template
It’s always said contents is the king. The look and feel of the blog also plays an important role, as it makes the readers feel more comfortable in visiting our blogs and also reading the articles. Hence, getting a nice and suitable theme is a must.
Again, I am looking for free templates. I am currently using this free Wordpress template from Design Disease.

Well, it’ll take me some time to complete the steps above. I’ll continue to share the following steps later. Do share with me if you have any good sites for free web hosting and blog templates, so that I can update my list. Thanks!

This is the forum I am currently active in, which I have just reached the minimum payout in less than 4 days, simply because the pay rate is quite high.

Payment information:
- per thread: $0.05
- per reply: $0.04
- Limit of threads: 7 threads in one section (including sub section) per day
- No limit of reply post
- Minimum payout: $4.00
- Payment Processor: Liberty Reserve

There are some fun contests for you to win some cash too. Currently there are two contests which you can take part:
1. Install Alexa toolbar and review Money Vision Forum. You’ll get $0.50 for this.
2. The daily top 3 posters will get $5, $3 and $2 respectively.

My experience:
There is a making money section, where I can also share and find more new opportunities. As the forum is still new, there are many blank spaces for you to post a new thread and discuss with others, also the pay rate is high, hence it’s not difficult to reach my first payout. I have requested my payout, and waiting for the money to be processed. I did not have Liberty Reserve account before this, but this forum seems to be quite good, hence I just went and opened a Liberty Reserve account.
I’ve got paid 2 days after I placed my request, and I just requested for my 2nd payment while I am writing this. I joined the site on 24 Jan, and I’ve earned $8 in about a week, which is a pretty good opportunity to earn and learn.

My first payment proof:

Feel free to join Money Vision Forum.

I have always been hearing article submission is a good way to generate traffic to our blog, here I found a free article submission site - PubArticles.com - Better Articles Pub.

Advantages of submitting your articles to PubArticles:
* You can publish your article easily and instantly.
* You will get quality backlinks and targeted traffic.
* Your articles will be exposed to more people, compared to just publish it on your site.
* You have a statistic page to see which article is being viewed most, hence you know what readers like to read.
* Most importantly, it’s FREE!

Feel free to join this Free Article Submission Service.

For readers but not publishers, you will get to read quality articles, as the published articles have been approved by PubArticles team. Also, when you are reading an article, there are related articles listed for your further reading too. PubArticles is really a relaxing place for publishers and readers to meet up and enjoy writing/reading.

Feel free to visit PubArticles.

Do you want to make your blog into a book? I just found this web site which I think is quite interesting. It helps to make our blog turn into a professionally printed book and keep it with us physically.

You can customize your blog book:
- choose the design of the blog book
- include or exclude the comments for your blog post
- pick a range of dates for your blog post to get printed

Pricelist:
Hardcover: $24.95
Softcover: $14.95
PDF: $7.95
For 20-page book.

It is actually quite pricey to me. But if you are really doing very well in blogging, you can publish your blog and sell it on store or as an e-book. Or if you want to keep your blog as a memory, this is a good way to do so. For example, you have a blog about your baby, and want to make a blog book for him as a birthday present.

Well, I am actually not promoting the site and I do not plan to print my blog to a book too. I just find it interesting and we can try it out in the web site, to view it online but we can’t save it. It seems like we can only try with Blogger, Typepad and Wordpress blogs. Also, they do not support Google Chrome, so try with Internet Explorer or Firefox. It’s fun to see my blog being printed in a book.

Try it yourself, just for fun – Blog2Print.

I am hosting my Wordpress blog in 000webhost, though there is a backup function provided, I always failed to generate the backup automatically. After a few attempts, I decided to use the manual method to backup my Wordpress database and files.

Below are the steps to backup Wordpress database and files in 000webhost. It should be similar to other web hosting sites, as long as you are using cPanel.

Backup Wordpress Database

1. Login to your 000webhost account, and click on the cPanel link for the domain you want to backup the files.

2. Click on phpMyAdmin icon under Software / Services category.

3. Here you will find a list of current databases, just click on Enter phpMyAdmin link to enter the phpMyAdmin for the database you want to backup.

4. Click on Export tab.

5. Set the options as below:
Export
Select all WordPress related files and click on SQL.

Structure
Select the following options:
- Add DROP TABLE / DROP VIEW
- Add AUTO_INCREMENT value
- Enclose table and field names with backquotes

Data
Select the following option:
- Complete inserts
- Use hexadecimal for BLOB
- Export type: INSERT

Save as file
- Leave the File name template as it as (i.e. __DB__)
- Compression: None

6. Click on Go button to proceed on backing up the database.
7. A db_name.sql file will be downloaded to your computer. Done! ^_^

Backup Wordpress files

1. Launch the FTP program.
(If you need to find a free FTP program, you can try out FileZilla.)
2. Enter your Host, Username and Password to connect to your web hosting site.
(In 000webhost, you can get your FTP information from FTP Details.)
3. Select all the Wordpress-related folders and copy them to your local computer. That’s it! ^_^

Downloadbuyer.com is an online store where you can buy and download the legal software. It has a huge catalogue of Apple Mac and PC software from well known and established developers. You just need to search for the software, pay for it, download it and you can straightaway use it.

There are many advantages of buying products from downloadbuyer.com, including:
- It is faster to get the software. You can just use it after downloading it.
- It is more environmental friendly. You are helping to save the world as there are no papers, boxes, transportation, and other resources required for the purchase.
- It is cheaper than buying in a store, whether online or offline. As there is no delivery involved, hence you can buy the software at a more reasonably price.
- It is easier to search for the software you want. You can browse the products by the platform (PC or Mac), by brand or category, or key in a search word in the search box.
- You can read the users’ reviews before purchasing the software.
- You can chat with a live assistant anytime, from anywhere.
- Besides paying by VISA card and Master card, now you can also pay by PayPal.

Feel free to visit downloadbuyer.com if you want to buy any software.

PeopleString is a social networking site, just as Facebook, but you get paid by referring your friends to join and logging in to the site. It gives its members back 70% of the revenues.

What do you get from PeopleString?
- online community
- self-destructing email
- video emails
- contact management
- web based IM: AOL, yahoo, gtalk and msn with self-destructing feature
- 1 to 1 video conferencing
- Cash back shopping
- Share ad/search revenue
- Mailbox cash

How do you make money?
- Sign up for free PeopleString account, take a short survey (you get $1.50 for taking the short survey).
- Login at least once a month
- Refer your friends and family to join PeopleString

How much do you earn?
There are two types of membership, free and entrepreneur.
- Free members earn 5% of their direct referrals earnings and 2% of all earnings on levels 2 through 6, and get paid once a month.
- Entrepreneur members earn 20% of their direct referrals and 6% of all earnings on levels 2 through 6, and get paid every 2 weeks.
- Minimum payment amount: $25.00 (I suppose this is the disadvantage, which is too high!)

My experience:
I just joined PeopleString yesterday, and got $1.60 in my account after completing the short survey. ($0.10 was given when I signed up.) I think it’s quite nice, as my office already blocked Facebook and other web mails, and yet I am still able to access PeopleString for communicating with others. ^_^

If you like to interact with others via social networking sites or instant messenger, sending emails or clicking on ads, why not get paid for what you are already doing by joining PeopleString?

Feel free to join PeopleString.