These days, we’re living in a gig economy. So many Americans have left their regular 9-5 jobs and have decided to become freelancers. Whether that’s working as a freelance accountant, content writer, or financial consultant, almost everyone is doing it. What used to be a small sector of the US workforce is now getting larger and larger. One of the great benefits of this is how many resources there are out there to help you run your freelancing business. There are free courses you can take to gain more skills in your industry, and there are many freelancers online you can connect with to trade services with so that both of your businesses grow over time (not to mention finding clients online). And there are amazing tools and software available that make your life way easier, whether that’s by getting you tax deductions that save you money or helping you schedule your numerous freelance projects.
In this article, we’ve put together some of the best tools for freelancers in 2019. By using them, you can save money and time and run your business more efficiently than ever!
1. Calendly
If you’re always arranging meetings with clients, then Calendly is a must-have for you. What’s so great about this tool is that it works across all calendar platforms, whether that’s Google Calendar or Outlook. So even if your client is using a different platform than you, you can still send them a scheduling link and be synced up. Calendly also offers you the option of providing what different times you’re able to meet so that you and your client won’t have to constantly send each other emails back-and-forth to figure out what works for both for you.
Considering that 16.5 million people, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, make up what is known as the “gig economy,” you can imagine how popular this tool will become.
2. Harvest
When it comes to getting your work done, it’s smart to keep track of how long different activities take you. That way, you can understand how productive you are. Additionally, if you work at an hourly rate, being honest about how long it takes you is important. If your clients don’t know you personally, then they might need more than assurances about how long you’re taking from you. That’s what makes Harvest such a great tool. In addition to giving you information on how long you take to work on different tasks for different clients, this time-tracking tool will also provide evidence that you’ve worked those hours and even create invoices!
35 percent of Americans freelanced in 2018, so it’s no surprise that this tool has been created!
3. Todoist
When you’ve just got a couple of clients, it’s easy to manage your projects. But as you start to build your client list and become a more successful freelancer, you’ll suddenly be juggling a lot, from sending emails in time to completing a tiny task that’s part of a much larger project. It’s easy to get overwhelmed! Luckily, Todoist is a great tool you can use to keep track of everything you need to do, whether that’s today’s tasks or tomorrow’s. You can keep everything organized and all in front of you so that you don’t lose track of what you have to do!
Considering how useful this tool and the others on this list are, it’s no surprise that more than 75 percent of freelancers report that technology has made it easier for them to find work.
4. Coconut
One of the biggest headaches when it comes to being a freelancer is figuring out the complicated financial stuff, whether that’s sending an invoice in time or getting the right tax deductions. If you’re a creative freelancer and would prefer to be reading about the best free video editing software of 2019, then you don’t want to spend all day looking at numbers. That’s why Coconut is so great! According to Creative Boom:
“Not only does Coconut allow you to see all of your financial details at a glance, but you can also act on them too. The invoicing tool, for example, has a number of useful features. It highlights when certain invoices are overdue, automatically rearranging the important ones to appear at the top of the list. What’s more, you can search Companies House for your client’s details, easily add, subtract and edit line items, and customize every element right down to the footer.”
This tool helps with your tax return and was designed with freelancers in mind, so it’s exactly what you need. We imagine that more of these tools will be created for you in mind over time, considering that more than one in three Americans freelanced at some point in 2018.
These are some of the best tools available for freelancers in 2019. By using them, you’ll be able to focus more on your business while making the more stressful elements of running it a breeze!
What other tools have you found helpful as a freelancer?
Image credit: Freelance Tools via GaudiLab/Shutterstock