Many freelancers are in a profession that requires a computer. Whether you are a content writer, or a graphic designer, or are indulging in other professional services, a computer does crop up somewhere along the line. Unfortunately, many, many, many freelancers are still of the mindset that ‘it’s work, right?’, when it comes to upgrading the computer. Unfortunate but true, one needs to upgrade their computers at least once in five years when it is feasible, or else they might need to carry out some immediate – read urgent – upgrades overnight.

The main reason that many people are not comfortable going shopping for a new computer is because they have not yet got a grip on how to get a good computer for work, or how to make sure that they got the best deal on the computer that they just purchased. While this article cannot tell you which computer would be best for you – you are the better judge of that – here are some tips that we can give you, which might make the ordeal of buying a new computer less painful.

#1 Cheap is Not Best, Most is Useless

You must have read this in many of the computer books that just came out in the eighties and the nineties, but to reiterate, the most important components of the computer are the motherboard, the processor and the RAM. Everything is compatible with everything else. Basically, what processor you buy decides what motherboard you buy, and both these things decide what RAM you buy. The rest, the monitor, the keyboard, the printer, etc. are just plug and play things that should not be a big problem when it comes to compatibility.

Depending on what the target of the shop is, there is every chance that the salesman is pushing you’re the cheapest computer not because he has your budget in mind, but because the machine that he is selling you is obsolete and everyone has upgraded. Buying obsolete hardware does not matter much in the technological world today, unless you are doing something very technical, but there may be chances that some of the latest hardware is not compatible with your machine at all.

To clarify, there are more than three types of RAMs available – DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR5 and not to mention the SD RAM. SD RAM is now almost obsolete, and the motherboards that supported SD RAM would not support the DDR RAM, so on and so forth. In fact, even some motherboards that would support DDR1 would not support DDR3. So, if you find out that the motherboard can only support DDR1, you need to look for something else, because in the weird, weird world of computers, DDR1 RAM is more expensive than DDR3 – part of the reason is that the many salesmen all over the world have pushed such obsolete technology to innocent customers, and the demand that they created in the market after their obsolete SD RAM conked off jacked up the prices of the ‘rare’ commodity.

The above paragraph may have you hunting for the latest motherboard and processor, but again that is not the right way to go about it. Many of the ‘latest’ hardware would be uniquely useless for you, apart from the warm fuzzy feeling that you will get in your belly when your software boots up in a quarter of a second, while your friend’s does the same thing in half a second. Many of the ‘new’ models coming out are just very mildly tweaked versions of their predecessors, and then the law of ‘new’ is always more ‘expensive’ holds true here too.

The best way out is to go for middle ground. That way, you have the speed that many people are using, and also have not spent an arm and a leg now, so you can spend an arm and a leg when you really need to.

Ask for Windows 7:

We are not going into the Mac/Win fight. But from a strictly economic point of view, the Windows machines look lucrative, and if you have decided for Windows, we would suggest that you ask for Windows 7. In the past decade or so, Windows has come out with some good and bad operating systems. After Win 98, the launched a few until they did Win XP and then Win Vista and finally Win 7, which will be succeeded with Win 8 late next year.

You will meet many old schoolers and other random individuals who are still sleep with their Win 98 and Win XP copy clasped close to their chest and would cluck and nod at you when you tell them you are getting Win 7, but there is a reason for that.

If you have been using Google Mail for a while, you will see that it is slowly phasing out the old look, and the new look is slowly creeping in. You will find many people who are stubbornly sticking with the old look – and all because they have a reason to – not realizing that they are becoming accustomed to ignoring the ‘new look’ and will finally be at sea when Google will finally pull off the old look – and spend a good part of their day talking about how Google and all tech companies do not care about their users.

Even mothers stop spoon feeding their children after a few years, so that they grow up, and begin eating themselves, and taste better and different things in life. A tech company is giving you more than a month to learn a new look that will become default in a while – and yet Gmail is wrong?

There is a very, very good chance that Windows will just pull out all support to Windows XP and 98 in a while, and people who are still using this software will have arrived at the party quite late, and not know whether to exit or enter.

Other than that, it is important to take a bite of the latest operating system, because you never know which software you are missing on. More and more software manufacturers are making their software for Win7 or Mac, and if you do not own a machine that has any of the two, you better reach there before the boat leaves.

If you are still not comfortable using Win 7, tell the software guy to install both Win 7 and Win XP on your machine, and you will be able to use one of the operating systems as the main system, and learn the other operating system. That is possible, and that brings us to the third point -

Divide Your Hard Drive:

It may cost you a couple of dollars more, but do not, ever, leave the shop or let the software guy leave unless you have divided your hard drive into four or five components. It may take an hour more, but you will forever be thankful to your software guy – and this blog, we hope – and the main things will come to the fore on the unfortunate day that your machine conks off, but not unless you follow the other step listed here.

Your My Documents is a disaster waiting to happen and your Users/User folder is a minefield that will wrench off limbs even before you can say ‘Backup’. If you have saved anything on your C:, you wouldn’t even get a chance to kiss it goodbye if your machine crashes and you need to reformat it.

From the first day onwards, make it a point to save all your stuff in the other drives, other than the C:. use the C: as an operating system drive only, and use the other drives for your work. This can be possible if you invest in a large capacity hard disk. We would suggest you get a 1 TB hard disk, and then go for another if you feel the need – but do not put in any of the important files in C:. This way, if your machine starts acting angry, you can simply format your C: and still have all your files on your other drives – just like that. If you use the same browser and do not empty the cache – which is not recommended – there is every chance that the browser will remember the path that you had last saved a particular kind of file, making life easier for you.

These are the three tips that we would position at the very top, for those who are planning on a new machine or an upgrade. Agree/Disagree with us? Tell us about it in the comments section!

The concept of the home office is increasingly becoming popular. More and more people are converting into commute from home. It is not just employees, but even companies who are now suggesting that a part of their employee base work from home to cut down costs on various aspects. While the company provides all the information in the latter case, if you are in the former case, you would be the one who would be making all the decisions about setting up a home office. Here are three things that you would really, really need if you were setting up your home office.

A Workarea

This may the most risky one in this list, but we firmly believe that it does have it place here, and at the top too. Some might even debate that it is not possible for everyone to set up a dedicated place in their home. Basically, when we say that you need a workplace, we do not mean a snazzy cubicle like the one Mr. Lodge had in Archie’s Comics. Even if you have a spot in the house where you go only when you are working – that would be your workplace. Of course, if you do good work, you might soon be able to make some renovations to your home – but for the moment, just suffice it to say that you do need a workplace in your home office to make it a home office.

Office Furniture

Again, by this we do not mean the top of the rack glass domed tables and expensive leather chairs. All we would like you to set up is a chair and a table where you lay out your work. Believe us, even that chair with sentimental value works, as long as it is comfortable and not coming apart. Most human beings need to be psychologically tuned to do something. If people are in bed, their psyche is ready to sleep, if they are on the dining table, they are ready to eat and if they are sitting on an office table and chair, they are ready to… Work! Therefore, make it a point to get some furniture that at least has a semblance of an office set up and then take it ahead from there.

A Work Computer

Let’s face it – there are few businesses that can be run today without digital communication and a computer. Even if your core business does not require a computer, you would do well to invest in a computer and an internet connection to interact with clients, keep records, accounts, etc. As a freelancer, you would need to take up many roles, ranging from secretary to accountant, and a computer, software and the Internet are your big friends in this little battle of yours.Again, you do not need a monster of a machine that processes words, edits video, renders 3d graphics – unless you are a video editor of some kind. Most offices have the most basic versions of computers, and those would be the ones that would settle right in your home office. Get them, and see how cheap computers are actually.

It can be very difficult to focus on work at home when you have a house to clean, laundry to do, and dinner to cook, especially when those household chores are staring you in the face. When you work from home, no one is looking over your shoulder making sure you are staying on task, so it can be very easy to turn on the television or surf the web instead of focusing on your work. The only person who can motivate you is you, and you are also the one who knows the best way to keep yourself motivated. The following are my favorite ways to stay motivated while working from home.

Dress to Impress

When you wake up in the morning, you should take a shower, comb your hair, and dress up to go to work. Dressing down for work is a way of saying I really don’t want to go to work today. When you are prepared for a full day’s work, you should feel more motivated to accomplish the things you have planned.

Another way you can keep yourself motivated is by “dressing” your work space to a more work friendly environment. You want this space to be the place you work and nothing else. If you work on the couch, you will be more tempted to turn on the television. If you work in bed, you could make it more difficult to fall asleep. The brain will associate the bed as a place to work, so when you lay down to go to sleep your mind might be at work. The best place will be a separate room that is your office, with a desk and very little decoration. More decorations and pictures mean more distractions for you. Keep it simple and comfortable.

Set a Schedule

Have a routine that you stick to every day. I know that I work best when I work for an hour and 40 minutes, then take a 20 minute break. For your job, it might be better for you to finish a project and then take a break. Whatever works best for you set the schedule and stick to it.

Another important part of your schedule should be the end of your day. Give yourself work hours, and know when you are supposed to stop. When that time comes, stop your work for the day and leave it there. If you have more work to do that day, save it for tomorrow. If it can’t wait, do it as quickly as possible so you can leave work at work. Try your best to push through the afternoon so that you don’t have to work late. These set hours will help you because you will be able to say I can stop working in two hours, and then keep working hard until you are done.

Give Yourself a Reward

Your scheduled breaks are already serving as a form of reward, but if this isn’t enough you may want to try something else. Some people respond well to food, while others would rather focus on a fun date night at the end of the week. Whatever works for you, use it. However, it is important that you don’t give yourself this reward if you have not earned it. The only way this strategy will work is if you know that the only way you will get your reward is with hard work and dedication to your job.

In such a scenario, it becomes quite important for one to become more professional in their dealings, so as to leave a lasting impression on the would-be client. Portraying a professional picture to the client is not a simple task, and it can also cost a pretty penny – if you do not know how to go through it all. Here are three simple reasons that will help you portray – and even become – a more professional freelancer than you already are.

Please keep in mind that these tips in no way suggest that you will get an assignment only because you act professional. One gets an assignment because of various factors, including skills, ability, and of course the budget, but coming across as a professional surely increases the chances.

Stationery:

If you think that the visiting cards, letter heads, and other collateral stationery have gone out of fashion in the digital age, you are sadly mistaken. A nicely designed visiting card, a neatly typed out proposal letter on a letterhead and other such stationery supported communications still have their own little place in business communication. Suffice it to say that having your stationery is as important as having your website today. After all, one person can go to your e-mail only so many times to check out your phone number, this is where the nifty little visiting card comes into play.Of course, a decade ago printing your own stationery would be quite expensive, but the costs have been slashed drastically since then –mainly because of better printers, lower ink prices, and the ability of a printer to take smaller orders too.

A Phone that only rings for you:

Believe us when you tell you that the client will not mind whether you are working off your basement or a chic office on a world famous address. All they want is consistent communication with their freelancers – or to quip the corporate – ‘their stakeholders in the project’.

There may be some clients who would not mind holding the line while the young ‘un or your spouse gets you over the line, but it would be a cringe worthy experience if they ever have a conference call and an unknown voice takes the call when it is on the speakerphone.

Therefore, try to invest in a telephone that would become the ‘official landline’ for your business. This would be the phone that only you – or someone related to your business would receive if it ever ringed. With the slashed down telecommunication prices, it should not be very difficult for you to get a connection that is almost free.

Email, Email, Email:

Yes, we all know about power lunches, power brunches, and now even power gymming – but nothing beats the cast in stone aspect of conversations via email. Even if you have to meet your clients over lunch or other social callings, remember to jot down all that you decided over the meeting, and then send it across to the client in an email. This way, you can be sure that the client basically undertakes all the actions that you will be taking as regards the assignment.

We would also suggest that you set up a website with a Host that offers one of those ‘professional’ e-mail ids, like ‘you@mefreelancer.com’ – inherently better looking than ‘you@webmail.com’. This is no longer expensive, and you can actually have a website up and running for you at something like $10 per month.

List down all your debts

You need to take stock of all your loans. It could be credit card due, personal loan, car loan, housing loan, education loan, loan from FD, loan from insurance policies, loan from your employer, hand loan and so on. For each and every loan you need to note down how much you owe, the present interest rate, EMI, Number of months to be paid.

Negotiate for lower interest rates

If you could negotiate the interest rate and bring it down then you can come out of debt faster. Most of the credit card companies come forward for negotiation if you really show interest in repaying. They need not run after you to collect the debt. It will reduce their expenses. So they will be happy to negotiate. Balance transfer offers from credit cards are also a way to reduce your interest rate.

Refinancing and consolidation

Replacing a loan with another is known as Refinancing. By doing a refinance it should reduce your interest rate and it should bring down the time you are in debt. But most often people go for refinance that provide them lower EMI but increasing the time they stay in debt.

Categorise your debt

Housing loan can increase your net worth over a period of time. Housing loan gives you tax benefit also. For a business man car loan provides some tax benefit. Based on these factors a debt needs to be categorized. This will help us in comparing different loans.

Prioritize your debts

After sorting out various loans, now we can comfortably prioritize the loans. Obviously this will be based on the interest rates and tax benefits. At times paying off a small loan first can give you a lot of motivation to get out of debt.

Creating and Executing a Debt payoff plan

You need to create a debt pay off plan with different scenarios. So that you can find out how some more savings or a different repayment order will help you to get out of debt faster. When creating a plan, you need to choose one which is comfortable to your attitude. Otherwise, you may not execute it properly.

Refrain yourselves from applying for fresh loans

You need to make a vow that you will not be adding any fresh loans, till you come out of all your debts completely. Think for a moment, how you will feel when you become debt free. This will give you a lot of positive energy to come out and stay out of debt.

Postpone buying major assets

Buying a property or any other assets need to be postponed till you get out of debt. With your new ownership comes the new, probably large and unpredictable expense. This can make you deviate from your debt pay off plans and at times the consequences could be uncontrollable.

You stop using your credit card

There are two groups. One group of people uses the credit cards responsibly. That is they will repay the credit card dues in full when they receive the bill. The other group will pay the minimum amount due and carry forward the balance amount due. If you belong to the second group, you need to stop using credit cards temporarily. Take out and keep your credit cards in the locker. Once your financial situation and buying habits improve, then you can start using your credit cards again.

Change your spending habits.

Being in debt obviously means that you have been living beyond your means. The solution is very simple. Spend less than you earn and you will get out of debt soon. You need to change your spending habits. Then only this simple solution will be achievable. If you buy things you don’t need, you’ll soon sell things you need. Don’t save what is left after spending; spend what is left after saving.

Involve all your family members

You need to inform all your family members and dependents about your debt status. Then you will be able to take decisions with much more clarity. Moreover, if your family members know about your debt, they will also change their spending habits and support you in getting out of debt faster.

Consider the postage stamp: Its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there. Similarly, you need to stick to your debt pay off plan till you get out of it.

The author is Ramalingam K, an MBA (Finance) and Certified Financial Planner. He is the Founder and Director of Holistic Investment Planners (www.holisticinvestment.in) a firm that offers Financial Planning and Wealth Management. He can be reached at ramalingam@holisticinvestment.in.