Simple Ways to Save Money on Web Hosting, Now!

Web hosting can be both affordable and expensive depending on your personal requirements. A large website that requires a dedicated server, for instance, could cost more than £1,000 per month to host. On the other hand, a personal blog – or even several of them – can be hosted for as little as £1 a month – or even free!. Regardless of your hosting requirements, there are actually some very simple ways to save on web hosting costs.

Discounts and Special Offers

This one is obvious: take advantage of discounts and special offers to mitigate the cost of hosting your site. These special offers usually only apply to the first billing cycle, but you can actually save a lot of money by using the right discount to your advantage. There are also some fantastic incentives for taking plans annually.

The web hosting market is filled with special offers. It”s a very competitive arena. Service providers are trying (hard) to win your business by offering better, more valuable hosting services. One of the ways they do that is by releasing coupon codes and discounts through various channels, including:

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• Web hosting review sites
• Various resource centers and websites specializing in technology, blogging and other related subjects
• Coupons and deals websites
• The companies’ Promotions page
• Online forums and social media

Finding these coupon codes is easy. Choosing the right one to use, however, is another story. There are a few things you need to keep in mind when choosing which special offer to use.

First of all, always read the terms of the offer carefully. As mentioned before, the discount usually applies only to the first billing cycle, so you should always check the actual cost of renewing the account before making any decision. Too many people fall into the trap of thinking that what they pay for the first month is what they”ll pay on going – this in itself is a mistake.

Check whether there are special requirements before you can qualify for the discount. This is particularly handy when you are claiming a cashback or a rebate. For example, you may be required to sign up for a full year in order to claim the discount.

Be sure to also compare the cost of using the service after discounts with other offers on the market. It is easy to get tempted by an 80% discount; it doesn’t always mean that the discounted service is the best one to use based on your personal requirements though. You could find a host even cheaper than the 20% of the total you”re paying.

Freebies & Credits

This one is my personal favorite. A lot of hosting companies now offer freebies with every account. You can get over £250 worth of advertising credits such as AdWords Vouchers just by signing up for a hosting account. When you are starting a new site, being able to promote the site without spending any extra money is a huge plus.

A free domain name is also a great offer. You need to be extra careful when claiming a free domain name, particularly when it comes to the ownership of the domain name in question, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. Just like other parts of choosing a web hosting service to use, always know what you are getting into before making any purchase decision.

There are also free resources to claim. Themes, eBooks on web development and free tools to help with SEO and web development are all great and can be highly valuable. Take these freebies into considerations when comparing web hosting services based on their prices and values. w3 Schools is a great place to start if that”s something you”re considering.

Longer Billing Cycle

You can also reduce the cost of hosting your site by opting for a longer billing. It is common for web hosting companies to give customers extra months – usually a free 1- or 2-month hosting – with longer contracts. Take a look at some of the pricing here for example. This is typical of a hosting firm. You can save up to 30% in hosting costs just by choosing a longer billing cycle upon signing up for an account. If you know your project will have longevity, this can be a huge bonus.

Of course, you need to be certain that the hosting service is reliable before you can confidently opt for a longer contract period. Having to move hosting after just 3 months (or even fewer) because the service is unreliable could prove to be difficult and time consuming.

Also check if the company offers refunds and a money back guarantee with their hosting service. These two points will help avoid unnecessary costs should you find the hosting service to be less than satisfactory. Some companies are now offering unlimited money back guarantee, no questions asked. This means you can stop using the service at any time and get the unused portion of your hosting cost refunded without a problem.

A good way to approach a longer hosting billing cycle is to try the service first. There are free trials available and they allow you to objectively assess the quality of the hosting service without spending any money. Some hosting companies also allow you to pay as little as £0.1 as part of a paid trial offer.

Saving on web hosting doesn’t mean sacrificing the quality of service at all. Use these offers and promotions to help reduce the cost of using your website (or websites) easily.