Developer builds domain expiry checker script after costly lapse to redemption status

A developer lost access to a live, traffic-receiving domain after forgetting its renewal date, which was spread across one of three registrars they rarely logged into. The oversight pushed the domain into redemption, requiring a significant fee to recover. To prevent recurrence, they wrote a Bash script that reads a list of domains, queries WHOIS data for expiry dates, and can be scheduled via cron to email weekly reports. The script has limitations, including inconsistent WHOIS output formats across TLDs and no visibility into DNS health or domain hijacking. For larger portfolios, the author eventually built a dedicated tool called Domainium, though the script remains a practical option for managing a small number of domains.