Money-Saving Tools that Entrepreneurs who are involved with business opportunities, franchises and work-at-home positions know how important it is to track money and manage money, which ultimately helps you save money.
The goal is to have more coming in than going out, but it can be difficult without the use of money-saving tools. Even when your company grows, saving money is essential to a healthy bottom line.
To help you, here are the top 30 money-saving tools for your business.
Accounting and Billing
As a small business owner, you need to keep on top of your finances and money saving tools can save you big. But unless you specialize in accounting, it can feel like learning a new language. Thankfully, there are online tools that can simplify the process. To control you cash flow, you need accounting software and a reliable way to bill your customers.
Accounting software acts like a day-to-day financial diary, telling your what is going out, what is coming in. Look for programs that have a wide range of features, including invoicing, expense tracking, ability to create quotes, tax prep and access from mobiles.
Quickbooks. Considered the gold standard for accounting software, it is flexible and is fairly easy to learn.
Xero. This accounting software is gaining in popularity. It has a short learning curve and a wide range of features.
To have money to budget, you need a constant flow of payments from customers. With the right tools, billing doesn’t need to be complicated. Look for programs that are cloud-based and easy for you and customers.
FreshBooks. This is actually another accounting software, but the area it really shines is in billing.
Bill.com. It’s motto is “Pay or get paid in half the time!” That’s hugely appealing for small business. It easily integrates with other programs and lets you go paperless.
Financial Management
It helps to step back and see how your finances are doing. It can be hard to monitor on a day-to-day basis. Two tools that help are a financial dashboard and budgeting software. A dashboard gives you a snapshot of how healthy your money is. Budgets are maps for money. You need a map to know where you’re going, so you’ll know when you get there!
LivePlan. This lets you track your KPIs, key performance indicators to see how much progress you are making.
InDinero. This is accounting software plus a range of financial tools to monitor KPIs. You can see everything in one place.
PlanGuru. This budgeting program is a money-saving tool that lets small business owners gain strategic insights from your income statement, balance sheet and statement of cash flow.
Float. This cash flow forecasting tool helps you get a handle on your financial future. Cash flow analysis lets you use your financial patterns to forecast what your money situation will be in the future and this money-saving tool you can’t do without.
Track Expenses, Handle Payroll
It’s easy for a small business to spend too much on a day-to-basis on small things, from lunches out to travel and fancy apps. That’s why it’s so important to keep a handle on expenses. Payroll is probably the biggest expense for any small business. Doing it right keeps employees happy and the work getting done. It also makes life easier at tax time.
Expensify. This makes reporting expenses and monitoring them easy and reliable.
Xpenditure. You can digitize your receipts as you get them and easily manage and report expenses.
Gusto. This online program is simple to set up and does tax filing automatically.
Zenefits. Called an all-in-one HR platform, it handles your payroll and benefits, as well as taxes and compliance issues.
SurePayroll. This is a highly customizable online program that lets you do payroll any time. You have full control of every phase.
Credit Cards
A business credit card helps you improve the credit rating for your business and obtain higher credit limits when it comes time to borrow. There are lots of choices. Start with the bank where you have your business account. Here are three others to check out.
American Express Simply Cash Business Credit Card. It has no annual fee and offers a $100 statement credit.
Chase Ink Cash. The business credit card from Chase is a money-saving tool lets you earn $200 cash back.
Since so many small business work with Paypal, here are two options for cards.
PayPal Business Debit Card. The first is a debit card, not a credit card. It has no annual fee and lets your earn 1% cash back.
Paypal Extras MasterCard. This credit card money-saving tool isn’t limited to business owners. You can earn points on purchases.
Management
Keeping your business organized is hard work and time consuming. Time is money, and these tools can help you save time and money.
WorkEtc. This is a project management, collaboration and customer relationship management suite of tools, all easily accessible online.
BlueCamroo. This online platform is chock full of apps you can use to gain time, monitor projects and handle marketing.
Adios. This business suite has just about everything you need and more. The great thing is it lets you pick and choose what you need, and pay just for those.
Selling
The foundation of every business is customers. These apps can help you connect with them and keep them.
Sellsy. This is online sales management software money-saving tool that is easy to learn and helpful for a wide range of businesses.
Bitrix. This online platform has a bit of everything, but shines with its helpdesk, online meetings, collaboration and marketing tools.
Ebay. Sell your products online without the cost of setting up your own website with this money-saving tool.
Just for Service Businesses
Different business categories have specific needs. Here are apps that target jobbers.
Jobber. This is aimed at mobile service business owners.
mHelpDesk. This platform offers field service software.
WinTac. This is the most popular field service software now on the market.
Booker. This handles booking, collecting payments and customer management for service businesses.
Marketing
Few small business owners understand how to market, but they all know how essential it is for the health of their bottom line. Here are tools that can help.
BuzzSumo. Money-saving tools can help you quickly research what types of content your target audience is reading.
Mention. Online your reputation is everything. Money-saving tools allows you check out what people are saying about you.
Google Analytics. Monitor and use the data that you can get from your websites, apps and other marketing channels. There are free and paid options.