Website & hosting
Hostinger
I use Hostinger for Shopping Guru PhD, WordPress, the custom Finds subdomain, backups, SSH, caching, and the less glamorous work that keeps a real website running.
Read Why I Use HostingerThe practical side of running the work
Business Tools I Actually Use
The useful tools behind Shopping Guru—explained from the user side, not copied from a sales page.
Running Shopping Guru means there is always a website to maintain, information to organize, or one more operational detail asking for attention. These are tools I use in that real workflow, along with the reasons they have earned a place in it.
Explore the toolsReal use
Useful before promotional Clear limits. Practical context. No automatic endorsement.Behind Shopping Guru
Tools that have to work in real life
A tool can sound impressive and still add friction. I care about what it helps me organize, build, protect, or finish—and what I need to understand before relying on it. This hub will grow only when another tool has enough firsthand use to deserve useful coverage.
Currently in my workflow
Four tools in this growing library
Each guide explains my own use and the practical context around it. Hub links lead to firsthand articles; any commercial relationship is disclosed inside the relevant guide.
Business & money organization
Mercury
I use Mercury to give different business, affiliate, personal, and savings purposes clearer places to live. The value for me is organization—not pretending every account does the same job.
Read Why I Use Mercury
AI-assisted operations
ChatGPT & Codex
I use ChatGPT to help reason, organize, and plan—and Codex to help inspect, implement, test, and document bounded work across Shopping Guru and Lifetime Tutors.
Read How I Use ChatGPT & Codex
Creator tools · Video editing
CapCut
I use CapCut to turn raw product footage into Shopping Guru videos—tightening clips, showing details, adding captions and feature text, working through audio, and preparing the final TikTok version.
Read How I Use CapCutHow I evaluate a business tool
The feature list is only the beginning
I look at what the tool does in my actual workflow, how much control it gives me, what takes extra effort, and whether the useful part remains useful after the introductory shine wears off. A referral program does not decide the editorial conclusion—and a tool can still be worth discussing when no public referral link appears.
- Firsthand use before personal claims
- Operational strengths and limitations in context
- Clear separation between editorial coverage and monetized links
- Updates when the real experience changes