As a writer, there are only a few things I can’t live without when it comes to plying my trade. My Macbook with WiFi, Scrivener, and a hefty dose of morning coffee about sums it up.
Honestly, I use other tools as well, but those are my do or die biggies. Especially coffee.
No coffee, no workee.
I know that’s not the case for everyone though, so here are a few more ideas on some of the tools I use, and some of the tools I know others use to run their businesses remotely. Your mileage may vary.
These tools are in addition to my Macbook and Scriv of course, and I’m assuming you already have Wifi, especially since you’re reading this post. 😉
Cloud Based Storage
I happen to lurve Dropbox, but that’s just moi. They are reasonably priced, they have little ways you can add more storage to your account for free (for instance, if you sign up using my link, I earn more storage, muahahaha), they’re reliable, and I can sync my Dropbox across all my devices, as well as pick and choose specifically what folders I want to sync where. Which is handy, given that I store a lot in my Dropbox, and I don’t necessarily want all of that also stored on my laptop as well.
A Payment Processor
I use Paypal, but only because I started using them forever ago, and I’m resistant to change. I hear they can be a little arbitrary in their dealings with more hefty earners, holding funds and whatnot, but I can’t speak to that with any authority as I’ve never had it happen to me. I’ve always had a good experience with them, my money comes and goes without a hitch, the fees aren’t totally atrocious, and hey… it’s easy. I love when something makes business easier.
An E Sig App is Handy
No, I’m not talking electronic cigarettes here. If you’re running a business, I’m sure you’ve got things that need signing. Tax forms, contracts, legal documents, and what have you. Enter the electronic signature app. It makes signing those documents easy peasy, and makes all that printing, scanning, faxing, and other laborious work pretty much obsolete. Cudasign is one that comes to mind, but there are plenty of others to choose from these days as well.
Budget Tracking Software
I know, I know, sounds daunting, right? I hate budgeting and tracking and number crunching. It makes my eyes cross and my brain hurt. But alas, it’s a necessary evil if you want to keep track of where your moola is coming and going with any sort of organizational prowess. Plus it makes things so much easier for you and your accountant at the end of the year when tax time rolls around. My personal preference is a software called You Need a Budget, or YNAB. Yes, I get a kickback if you purchase using my link, but don’t worry, I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t love it. There are plenty of others of course, but YNAB has been my fave for a couple of years now.
Over to You
I’m sure this list could probably go on forever, there are just so many tools one could use to make life easier when running a business from home, but I hope this post at least sparked a few ideas for you. What about you? Any specific tools you use to make your biz run more smoothly working from home, or from the local coffee shop? Do tell!
