After spending a summer painting homes, an entrepreneurial 19 year-old Grand Valley State University (MI) student has created a promotional Web site that offers a year's worth of web time at the cost of $1 per minute.

At the site, http://www.OneYearForSale,com, buyers can now display their messages on the site's home page by selecting as many minutes as they wish to purchase.

"Time is money, so why not sell it?" says student Peter Sauer, who is majoring in business at Grand Valley. In return for the purchase of as many minutes as they wish, the buyers can create a message that is then displayed on the site for the number of purchased minutes. The site message can include a link to any Web site the customer wishes.

Some of the possibilities are:

1. To promote a business for an affordable rate of advertising
2. For self promotion or business promotion to potential employees
3. To wish a friend or loved one Happy Birthday, or another message, in a new way

Sauer feels people should make the message amusing, although almost any message can be displayed. He says the site messages can help to promote and start businesses by attracting attention and might even start a long term business operation.

The creator of the site feels this is a better use of money than some other dollar choices. "A Coke? A 20 minute phone call? Something off of McDonald's dollar menu?" asks Sauer.

Customers can pay using PayPal and they will be notified by e-mail when their message will appear on the site.

The creative, young businessman will begin displaying purchased messages on January 1, 2007, on his Web site. He hopes his idea will help pay for his college expenses, without him having to spend another summer painting houses.