I’m going back to basics after 17 years

Hi — Richard Ellwood here. In my latest video I explain why I’ve pulled my site down, moved away from costly subscriptions and decided to go back to basics after more than 17 years of trying to make money online. I’ve been around the niche since 2008, bought hundreds (okay, about 1,500) of products, learned a lot — and I’m ready to use simpler, free tools to get back into the groove.

🔧 Why I’m simplifying: costs, subscriptions and retirement

For years my site rickwood.com was hosted with GoDaddy. It’s worked fine, but the recurring costs and subscriptions became a pain. I’m 61 next month and realistically thinking about the next few years until I reach official retirement in the UK (around 2031). That made me ask: why keep paying for hosting and premium services when there are perfectly good free options?

I’ve had subscriptions lapse because I didn’t realise there were renewals, and I’ve paid for “lifetime” access that didn’t last. One product I paid around £500 for promised lifetime use and then vanished. That sort of thing has taught me to be more careful and to favour low-cost or free platforms where it makes sense.

📝 Choosing Blogger and going back to basics

I’m forwarding the domain rick.com and moving rickwood.com to Blogger. Yes — Blogger is old, but it’s dependable, easy to use and free. I had two posts on there from 2019, so it’s not completely new territory. Google seems to have opened up some features that used to be behind paywalls, and that makes Blogger an attractive platform for someone who wants to keep things simple.

There are other free ways to publish, and I’ll write about those on the blog too, but for now Blogger gives me what I need: no hosting fees, straightforward posting and a place to rebuild without the subscription overheads.

📚 My online journey: 17 years, 1,500 products and lessons learned

I started in this niche back in 2008 after buying Michael Cheney’s Affiliate Millions product. Since then I’ve invested in well over 1,500 make-money-online products, courses and tools. Some were great — a lot weren’t. That’s the reality.

Key lessons I’ve picked up:

• Not every paid product is worth the price — and “lifetime” doesn’t always mean forever.
• Free tools can be surprisingly powerful if you learn to use them properly.
• Keep things simple. Complexity often means ongoing costs and maintenance headaches.

I don’t want this to sound like a moan — it’s just honest. I’ve learned a lot from the mistakes and the wins, and I plan to share those lessons on the blog so you can avoid some of the same pitfalls.

⚙️ Technical options I’m considering

Aside from Blogger, I’ve been looking at other free hosting options. For example, I can build free HTML sites on my Dash Next account and serve them through Cloudflare, which avoids hosting fees. I’ve also been experimenting with a WSO/ghost platform that sparked the idea of coming back to free platforms and social media to push affiliate offers and the “your money page”.

For now, Blogger is the quickest, easiest route. I’ve got my domains sorted until around my retirement date, so I’ve got time to decide whether to stay on Blogger, move to Dash Next or try something else.

🌍 Other bits — life, uniform, roots and goals

On a more personal note: I recorded the video from the side of a quiet country road because sometimes that’s the best place to think. I’m wearing an old polo shirt in the clip with a flag on it — odd thing, my work uniform was updated and the flag removed, likely for other reasons, but it made me smile. I’m proud of my Irish background — my grandparents were from Cork and Gway (Galway) — and I’m equally proud to be British.

Health-wise, I’ve got some goals too. I’d like to get fitter and lose a bit of weight: “a few chins” is how I put it. It’s part of the plan as I settle into a simpler, more sustainable online approach.

✉️ What to expect on the new blog

My mission with the revamped blog is straightforward: give honest, practical information about digital products, affiliate marketing and free tools. I’ll cover both new launches and older products people might already own, and I’ll aim to be upfront about what’s worth your time and money.

Plans include:

• Product reviews and follow-ups on older purchases.
• How-to guides for using free platforms (Blogger, Cloudflare, Dash Next and similar).
• Tips on promoting affiliate offers without paying through the nose for subscriptions.
• Occasional personal updates — the human side of this journey.

I’ll also try to get a subscription button on the blog so you can sign up for notifications. I’ve said that before and not always followed through, but I’m serious about rebuilding properly this time.

✅ Final thoughts

After 17 years in this niche I’m heading back to basics: fewer subscriptions, more use of free tools, and a practical, honest approach to what works. I’ll be sharing my findings, mistakes and successes on rickwood.com as it reopens on Blogger.

"Don't forget — this time next year we'll be millionaires."

Okay, maybe that’s optimistic, but I’m excited to be back. If you’re interested in simple, low-cost ways to run an online presence and promote offers, stick around — I’ll be sharing what I learn along the way. Cheers and speak soon.

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Subscribe and follow

If you want to be notified when I publish new posts, or when I republish rickwood.com on Blogger, please sign up for updates on the blog once the subscription button is live. I'll also post short video updates and quick tips as I move back to free tools and simpler workflows.

What I'll cover next

• Step-by-step guides for using free platforms like Blogger, Cloudflare and Dash Next.
• Honest reviews of older products I bought and what still works today.
• Low-cost promotion ideas for affiliates without recurring subscriptions.

If there's a specific product or topic you'd like me to investigate or review, please leave a comment on the new blog or reply to the email updates once they’re available — I’ll prioritise reader requests as I rebuild.

Thanks for sticking around — more detailed guides and walkthroughs will appear here soon as I relaunch and test these free options in real time.