#65 | buying domain names
God forbid a woman have a hobby.
A note from Jenn: It’s been more than a year since I last featured someone else’s 1 Thing, which was not intentional! I would like to rectify this so I can bring you interesting things from other people. If there’s something you love — a product, a tradition, a habit, a location, some media, anything — and would be willing to share here, email me! I’ll start adding some guest posts on the schedule.
At last count, I own more than 60 domain names.
“But why?”, you ask.
Because I’m a lunatic, probably. But they’re only $11, and maybe one day I will want to start a business with that name!
Or maybe someone else will want to start a business with that name, and they will buy it from me for zillions of dollars.
I tend to do this spontaneously, often while still discussing a topic or idea. I have my favorite domain registrar saved as a bookmark on my phone.
Last year, one of the co-owners of our favorite neighborhood bar mentioned that he wants to start a flower business one day — I bought the domain on the spot so it’s there when he’s ready.
Alyssa & I spent an afternoon running errands & dreaming of all the places The Mahjong Society could expand to — I now own dozens of [midwestern city]mahjong.com variations.
I felt personally wronged by someone but couldn’t do anything about it publicly — instead I bought some domain names I thought they might want one day.1
It’s a silly habit, but it delights me when I discover a domain name I want is available and I can snatch it right up. There are worse vices, ok??2
I won’t be able to keep renewing hundreds of dollars worth of domains forever — I’ll have to give them up eventually when they’re no longer useful to me & my whims — but for now I shall continue to grow my collection, $11 at a time.
ICYMI: Recent Posts to Catch Up On
From the Archives: An Older Post I Still Stand By
I also write them off as a business expense on my taxes.
Have you ever sold one?
🤣🤣🤣🤣 This is amazing. I've dabbled in domain registering myself. Then they sit for several years and I get tired of paying for something my ADHD is never going to make good on. I want to know the craziest one you own!