[AlisonMSmith]

I responded in detail, but the system logged me out and it was all lost. Again. I'll try with brevity to recreate my response.

Originally Posted by disneyteddies

I know you're trying to help but what does any of this have to do with my original question?

Maybe nothing, but this is an open forum and all are allowed to give input. That was mine.

most people don't understand all that's involved with this dream and the curse on our private lives that keeps teasing us with getting close and then throwing a huge financial crisis in our way...FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS!

No, I'm sure we don't understand the specifics. But there are lots of folks here with centuries of combined experience. Maybe we can save you some further pain and frustration.

We don't have the privilege of coming from money or even to catch a lucky break once in a while.

Who does? But isn't the plan you're pursuing NOW just looking for that elusive "lucky break" again? Why pin your dreams to that star.

I have owned a business since 1987. We've made our entire income, since 2001, from our three companies (a C-corp, an LLC, and a sole proprietorship). We had no "privilege," no spare cash for start-up, no investors. We just took the Dave Ramsey route, only bought what we could afford, bootstrapped, worked hard and expanded only as we made sales to support it.

You seem to think these two sites are basic and should cost only 100-300 dollars to set up and run to do what I want.

Yea, I do. Unless there is some unknown there, the site you linked to is very basic, not to mention outdated.

Here's the thing, Hank. You said you "don't know computer lingo or programming." Might that not mean that you are vulnerable to being taken advantage of by those who do? And while you'd like to layout the huge bucks, it doesn't seem in line with your budget. So you're putting your entire dream on hold waiting for something you can't do on your own.

That's fine! I just want you to realize it's not your only choice.

I have gone through thousands of websites (basic ones) and none can do the extra unique things we will have and not even the basic stuff we need.

Cool, what is the "extra unique" functionality you need?

I would love to pay only 1-3 hundred dollars for our site but then everyone would have an excellent website instead of all the poor ones out there.

Logical fallacy. But it does confirm what I heard over and over in a professional web master forum. "You need to charge triple or quadruple that or people won't value your services." Funny psychology that.

After interviewing dozens of website companies locally we have found the average cost of a comprehensive site to be in the area of 8 to 14 thousand dollars.

As I said, maybe I'm missing some serious underlying technology there. (I'd love to know what it is.) But if you're paying 8,000-14,000 for a site like the one you linked to, you're getting shafted.

We just need our one break to make this a lifechanging moment.

Maybe you already got it, but don't recognize it when you see it.

Good luck with your dream, Hank. My best to you.