How to Make a Family Tree for Free

A very common question among beginners is "How can I make my family tree for free?" Though genealogy can evolve into an expensive hobby, here are some ideas to start to make your family tree for free.

Download free family tree software

One of the best software programs to help you make your family tree, Personal Ancestral File (PAF), is also free! Download PAF (link) to start organizing your information and making your family tree charts for free. Start your family tree by entering your information (name, birth date, birth place, etc.) and continue to add as much information as you know about your family. Once you have entered in everything you personally know, it's time to get help from family members to expand your family tree.

Interview your parents, grandparents and other relatives

The next step in making your family tree--interviewing relatives--is also free! Sit down with your parents, grandparents and other relatives and find out as much information as they know-names, dates, places-about their parents and their grandparents. These interviews should help you make your family tree back to your great-grandparents or even your great-great-grandparents!

Search at free family tree websites

Though many family tree websites require a subscription free, there are a handful of excellent websites that can help you get started:

1) http://www.familysearch.org/ - One of the best places to start searching for your family tree. Search for each of your ancestors from your family tree who have passed away by name and with any other identifying information (birth date, death date, etc.)

2) http://www.cyndislist.com/ - With more than 250,000 links to genealogy websites, this is a must-stop for any person trying to make their family tree. Browse through the links related to your family surnames-you may find websites with information that can help you expand certain of your family lines.

3) http://genforum.genealogy.com/ and http://boards.ancestry.com/ - There are thousands of message boards for surnames where you can post as much information as you have on each surname from your family tree and see if there are others also researching the same line who may be able to help!

Visit a local Family History Center

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is very involved with genealogy and has over 1800 Family History Centers in the United States where volunteers can give you free advice on how to make and research your family tree. These volunteers can also help you search for microfilms that you can look at to find your ancestors in records from all over the world.

Share your family tree

After you have followed the steps above to make your family tree for free, share what you have found with other family members. Consider making a family tree website so that others who are researching similar lines may find parts of their family tree for free!

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About James Groberg

James Groberg is a fan of making your family tree online. For more details and to make your family tree, visit FamilyPulse at http://www.familypulse.org.


And here is another random article you might be interested in...

The Voice Of Experience: Getting Guidance For Your New Business

Many people dream of leaving their nine-to-five jobs and going into business for themselves, but very few actually understand how to start or sustain a profitable E-Biz. In a traditional job, you can always approach a supervisor or co-worker with questions about how to execute a project better, perform a task more efficiently, or handle a particular situation. However, once you venture into business on your own, you're literally on your own â€" and that's a very frightening place for most people. That's why, when starting your own business, it's imperative that you get guidance from the get-go.

Don't Go It Alone

If you don't have a support system in place, or any clear sense of direction, it's easy to grow frustrated or scared, and retreat to your comfort zone without achieving the independence you dream of. A reputable business coach can teach you the best start-up practices and help you implement winning business strategies. Another option is to join an online forum, where you can present your questions to other E-Biz owners who bring to the table the seasoned advice of those who've already achieved eCommerce success.

According to Andy Jenkins, creator of online business forum http://StomperNet.com, "Most new E-Biz owners face exactly the same issues and challenges â€" and they're a whole lot easier to handle when you have someone helping you, who's already faced them successfully."

Understand the Pitfalls

Having mentored thousands of new entrepreneurs, Jenkins sees the two most common problems they confront on a regular basis as 1) determining correct priorities and 2) overcoming what he calls "paralysis by analysis."

1. To run your business effectively, you have to organize your priorities. The difference between a successful E-Biz and a failed E-Biz is often determined by where you spend the bulk of your efforts and energy. As a new entrepreneur, you have limited time and funds. Spending too much of either on peripheral matters means you're neglecting your core concerns.

It's easy to waste tremendous amounts of time trying to learn the ins and outs that are necessary to manage your business, but that don't really generate a profit in the long run. In an online business you should have a three-fold focus:

* finding the right products
* driving targeted traffic
* converting that traffic into sales

That's it. All other issues are secondary â€" you have to deal with them in your day-to-day operations, but don't lose sight of the big picture.

2. Another common problem with eCommerce newcomers is that they tend to over-analyze every scenario and develop "paralysis by analysis." When you don't have all the answers, or aren't certain of your next move, it's easy to just sit back and procrastinate. But making excuses or putting things off will cripple your ability to do even the most fundamental things to grow your business. It's important to deal with the business aspect of things in a timely manner. You need to treat your Internet business like a real business â€" time is money, and you can't waste it being indecisive.

Launching your own E-Biz may seem like an intimidating prospect; but you largely improve your chances of a positive outcome when you find experienced, knowledgeable mentors to help you get started right. States Jenkins, "Starting a venture is always a risk. But you can greatly facilitate your own success by seeking out qualified support to help you find your focus and keep your business moving forward in the right direction."

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About Chris Malta

Chris Malta and Robin Cowie of http://WorldwideBrands.com are the Writers and Hosts of wsRadio's Product Sourcing Radio. Visit http://www.productsourcingshow.com for more FREE E-Biz info from wsRadio!