After this Friday my new address will be: El Gringo Gordo con Dos Bastones, Villa Mucho Dinero, Calle de Oro, Cabo Polonio, Rocha. (The fat Gringo with 2 canes, Big Money Villa, Golden Street, Cabo Polonio—way the heck out past Punta).
I made so much money from these websites that I am retiring.
After a year-and-a-half of hard labor, they have become so profitable that International Living is buying the entire group from me. They simply made me an offer I cannot refuse and I took it and I am history.
The trick was to get everyone to pay me for everything we did. A peso from every taxi driver, a ten spot from every hotel or restaurant listing, a kickback from every realtor or consultant, and of course, huge revenue from Google Ads. (Not to mention selling mailing lists made from people attending the Thursday night Open House—we had to pay for that food and booze somehow!) Costa Rica even hired me when I agreed not to trash them as much as I wanted to. Pure capitalism, and you’ve gotta love it.That was the story I was told by two people yesterday.
At first, I thought they were talking about someone else—then, I realized they were talking about me.
The truth is slightly different. These websites were started almost by accident—and then they simply grew. As people asked for more, we tried to give it to them. Several times we did indeed consider ways to try to make these websites into a business—at least so that they might break even.
But we decided against that. We decided that the only way to keep what we are doing pure and clean is to continue our practice of foregoing any income from these websites. To this end, we have even decide to pull the Google Ads and forego the US$57 we have averaged each month in income from them. (I gave the order yesterday.)
Instead, and as you may have noticed, these websites are now being publicly sponsored by our Private Banking company—our real business—which has privately sponsored them all along, and is footing the US$2000 per month we spend promoting Uruguay though them.
Some companies support the Olympics, we choose to support Uruguay—it is as simple as that.
To the best of my knowledge, no one has made any money from these websites or any UruguayLiving sponsored activity or website, except for the Google Ads money and the income from the sale of my book—all of which has been used to support this blog on Living in Uruguay, our Uruguay Information website, our Uruguay News service, and our Uruguay Forum. This is not, and will not be a commercial operation. This is a labor of love for my new home, totally supported by the Capital Conservator Group.
If there is anything about our policy that remains unclear, or about which anyone has any question, I urge them to ask me, or the Copperhead or Santiago. This will undoubtedly be more helpful than asking someone on the bar stool next to you…
Too bad Dave… we were looking forward to lomo, escargots and chocolate soufles on Thursday nights
Left by Fish on August 1st, 2007
Bravo! Well answered, David, and thanks again from Gundy and I. We have been here in the forum since near the start and it has truly grown into something awesome and useful. I am glad you believe in and invest in Uruguay.
Left by syd on August 1st, 2007
Dangitall, Dave!! Why didn’t you just whack those two down with one quick blow of your canes?? Either that, or run them down with your Harley-chair?? Have you been in the deep, deep South so long that you’ve forgotten how to handle “those people”?
All kidding aside, don’t let the surly comments of disgruntled types get you down. You’re doing a real and tangible service to your fellow man, and we’re grateful.
Left by Sandlapper on August 2nd, 2007
This gringo rocks!
Your blog is my Sunday Morning´s Good News. I am sending now the link to a mexican friend who is planning to come to live in Montevideo, and everyone is telling him he´s nuts (the other alternative he chose was Slovenia, so maybe he´s nuts, anyway).
Greetings and congratulations from a local survivor
Gabriela
Left by sorjuana on August 5th, 2007