December-2023: Well, I didn’t have time to do a video this week. Actually I didn’t have anything worth doing a video on. I was working on getting the house ready for the people who will come live in it while I’m gone, and surprisingly it requires a lot of cleaning(Akela Disagrees) and organizing. The person who is coming was my mother’s cleaning lady for a number of years, so I know she will have a keen eye for dirt and clutter. And since she hasn’t actually been here before, I would be slightly upset if she turned around a left because it was a mess.
We made a few changes to the Website, We updated some docs and checklists. Added Wolf Pup docs (and will be adding a lot more) Had to take down a lot of “sales items as you’ll see below. But take stroll around and see what you think. Any suggestions for improvements are always taken to heart!
I have been working hard on the Wolf Pup. I’m hoping to get it out and camping the week after Labor Day. I have a good portion of the solar changes done, but still have to get the panels mounted and wires run. So that is a future video that may not actually happen until Thanksgiving.
So many things that need to be bought and delivered! And Amazon and I are not on friendly terms. They through me off the “Affiliate Program” where if you buy stuff off my channel or website they give a 2-3% commission for sending you to them. I’m not really sure why they through me off. All they will say is I violated their terms of service. There was no warning, no discussion or anything. I went through the appeal process, but they came back with the same answer. “Violation of Terms of Service” . No “strikes” or “citation” or warning. And they cut me out back in February and didn’t tell me. They usually pay their commissions 3 months out, after any possible returns have been done. So in April I got nothing and I went online and it said my payment process wasn’t filled out. Not sure how that happened, but I re-filled it out. I mean after 7 years I guess they could have lost it. Then in May I still didn’t get anything and I contacted them and they sent me a reply that there had been a problem and it would be fixed in June.
June came and they sent me a notice that I violated their “Terms of Service “ and I need to stop using the word Amazon in any of my videos, writings, or discussion of where I buy stuff. Ya right! Like they can stop all that. And of course I have 600 videos with 7-12 links to their sales items. Anyway I did shut down the “Shopping” page here on the website of Amazon items (well almost everything). But I actually have a pretty good number of companies that are willing to pay me a slightly better commission (10-25%) if I steer people to their sites. So you will see that inthe shopping page. But it will only be things I use and feel are a good buy. Many will give YOU a 10-15% discount for coming from my site. Most are cheaper than Amazon. And since it seems like Amazon no longer does 2 day shipping (not to me anyway). Might as well by direct from the manufacturer. Also of course buying from the Manufacturer will allow you to automatically be registered for any warrantee or support issues. More on these later. Basically it is stuff I’m installing in the Wolf Pup like Solar Panels, Lithium Batteries, Camp Chairs, etc.
And on another money related note….. Similar to Amazon, YouTube pays a few month late. So I started the “THANK$” button thing and people have been very generous and you can’t understand how that helps. Mentally and Financially! But I see what everyone gives, and then it didn’t add up in the payouts. So I contacted YouTube and they “Disclosed” that they take 30%, and then there are fees and costs that are associated with different types of transactions. Talk about money hungry oversized companies. SO screw you google. So, I placed a PayPal “Tip Jar” on the website here. So if you look at the very top of the page, there is a “$$ Make a Donation $$” link. That will take anyone who so pleases to a PayPal donation account just for this channel and no money goes anywhere but to me! (Well, 40% goes to me, the rest goes to Akela’s “Stick Bank” and Biscuit fund) So I wanted to let you know. This will be in the next video, as soon as I get it out. Probably next week, but late since I’ll be on the road.
Anyways, I wanted to tell you that so you knew. I know there are only about 60 people that come over here from the Channel, but you are definitely some of my best viewers. So we are headed tomorrow back up to New York for some serious season end camping and visit with my brother and his blueberry farm and then attend my son’s wedding! So lots of videos to pull together as we are camping at 10 different campground in the month of August. Maybe even more if the ones I have on my route aren’t very good.
So stay tuned, maybe Akela with surprise me with a quick video about what we have been doing!!