Posted in finances, freelance, opinion on August 16th, 2010 by scott – 3 Comments
Being a freelancer and co-owner of a business, one of my goals is to keep my costs (and those of my business) down. I do that by cutting out any unnecessary spending, only buying new hardware and software if I absolutely need it, and try to do as much on my own as I can. I also use as much free/Open Source software as can, and wherever possible free Web applications.
But there are services I am willing to pay for. Why? If only because I don’t have the skills or time to do certain things myself. And because the service either helps me make money or makes my freelancing life a little easier.
The types of things that I have no qualms about paying for, and even paying a good price for, include:
- Web hosting
- Skype
- One or two (maybe three) Web applications
- Online storage (OK, I only pay for one service that I use, but will need to upgrade the other ones soon)
- Design services — there’s no way I could have created the logos on my freelance Web site or my company’s site
- Promotional items like branded pens, notepads, and USB flash drives
- Professional accounting
So what services are you willing to pay for? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment.
Photo credit: elke peterson from Photoxpress
Kurz Nachgedacht
Posted in tools, writing on August 9th, 2010 by scott – 1 Comment
When most of us think of spreadsheets, images of number crunchers and bean counters probably come to mind. They usually conjure those images for me.
While spreadsheets don’t have a lot to do with actually writing, they’re more than a financial tool. Writers can use spreadsheets in some interesting and very useful ways. So useful that they can increase your productivity.
What can writers use spreadsheets for? Here’s how I use them:
- Track queries and submissions
- Keep on top of earnings
- Record the progress of a larger writing project, or one on which you’re collaborating with others
Intrigued? Read on.
read more »
Kurz Nachgedacht