We’ve already discussed some of the people you’ll meet when you start your
journey into the Land of the Billables. Now, we’ll cover some of the tools
of the trade.

You wouldn’t wander off into the woods without proper gear, would you? The
same goes for freelancing. Each trade has its tools, but here we list a
few common to all lines of freelance work. Most (if not all) of these can
be filed as business expenses. That should take the sting out of the
pricier items.

PDA

Sure, you have a fantastic memory; but running your own business means
you’ll have plenty of new distractions. Invest in a PDA (such as a Palm
Pilot or PocketPC), or some sort of portable calender/to-do system. This
will be your surrogate brain, your mental storage, the thing that helps you
remember all of those things you’re supposed to do. Until you can hire an
assistant, you’ll need one of these.

computer

You can’t live without a computer, either. Use it to update that resume,
track expenses, and skim the job boards.

Unless your work requires a high-end machine — graphics art, software
development, to name couple — you really don’t need a workhorse. Recent
advances in computer sales technology can put a mid-rage machine in your
home for under $800. A laptop is more expensive, but a must-have if your
work has you in airports every week.

You can save cash by using your existing home computer. Also, check out
the section on fax/photocopiers before you buy a printer. You may be able
to get a multifunction unit.

software

Aside from a web browser, what will you run on this computer? That depends
on your trade. A couple of titles are common to all lines of freelance
work.

Some people swear by Intuit’s QuickBooks for banking and accounting
management; at nearly $500, it’s worth a look into the substantially
cheaper Quicken For Home and Business. Should you grow into QuickBooks,
you can always make the switch. In your early, early days you may be able
to get by on a simple spreadsheet; but then it’s up to you to track and
categorize business expenses for that P/L sheet.

Chances are your computer came with Microsoft Office. Love it or lump it,
Word isn’t just the business standard product for document exchange; it’s
also a recruiter standard. Send a recruiter a non-Word document and your
resume will end up in the bit bucket. (RTF is often a suitable substitute,
but in that case your resume will require some very simple formatting to
survive quirks in different RTF interpretations.)

internet connectivity

The computer’s damned near useless if it can’t talk to the outside world.
Dialup works, but do you really want to have to reconnect every time you
check your e-mail or skim the job boards? Expect to change a lot of
documents with people — some small, some large. Dialup tends to choke on
the latter.

If you don’t need the high tech factor (such as a static IP) you can get
basic DSL for around $30 per month in some parts. Better still, ask your
cable provider whether they offer internet services. If they don’t, time
to shop around: they’re likely missing other goodies, such as HBO 12 and
The Underwater Chess Network.

business phone line

You really want a separate phone line for business matters. For
one, it reduces the chances a client will hear your dry, scratchy voice the
morning after a hard night at the pub. It’s also a first step in
separating your business and personal worlds, which is key to long-term
sanity.

What kind of phone? That depends on where you provide your services. If
you’re home-based, a land line should do you fine. Those of you who
actually go on-site with a client, get yourself a mobile. (This is
especially for those, erm, sensitive clients that disable on-site internet
access.)

Chances are, you already have a cell phone. If you prefer to keep separate
“personal” and “business” mobiles — not a bad idea — many carriers will
let you add a second line to your plan and share minutes between the two.
Furthermore, mobiles tend to take less time to setup: you provide some
personal information and a credit card, and a week later you’re chatting it
up on the metro. (Speaking of which, please keep it down. Some of us are
trying to sleep.)

fax, printer, copier

You’ll exchange some documents via fax (think “signed contracts”). The
photocopier and printer let you keep hard copies of all this activity. As
you’ll soon learn, Paper Storage Grunt is an important business role. You
can get a decent multifunction (copy + fax + printer) unit for under $200
if you shop around.

An always-on fax machine will land you plenty of junk faxes, though.
(”Thank you, but I already work for myself. No, I have no interest in
time-share properties.”) That, and you have to get to it in order to pick
up a document. Consider subscribing to a service, such as eFax, that lets
you send and receive faxes via the internet. This is also a boon to the
new and growing crowd of mobile-only phone users. eFax offers a free
service that lets you receive (but not send) a few pages a month.

Yes, that neighborhood cybercafe is just around the corner. Yes, you could
go to a print shop, such as Kinko’s. Yes, your fancy apartment complex has
a business center with a photocopier and fax machine. These may seem
viable alternatives to owning your own equipment, but you’ll pay with your
time and privacy. Do you really want to burn (potentially billable) time
running out to fax something? Do want to risk your neighbors seeing that
embarassing, first-quarter-in-business P/L statement? Likely, no.

This certainly isn’t the end-all, be-all list of New Freelancer Tools, but
it’s enough to get you started.