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7 Great Free Resources for the Newly Self-Employed

Published on: 15 Jun 2016

7 Great Free Resources for the Newly Self-Employed

Author Brookson                                                                                                          Date: 15th June 2016

The period of becoming self-employed can be a difficult time, as you sort out the best way to transition from your current working pattern to being your own boss. As many things are done differently when you work for yourself, it can also be confusing to know which rules you need to adhere to and which don’t apply to you.

Something like tax, which is relatively simple when you are employed by someone else, can become complicated and difficult when you start working for yourself. Taking professional advice from specialist accountancy services like Brookson can take some of the burden, as well as the risk, away from you.

However, there are certain things you don’t need to pay for in order to become better at being self-employed, as there are a number of free resources that can help you grow your confidence and your business.

Free Resources

Joining social media websites is normally completely free, though you can pay to have business accounts. If you are just getting your business off the ground, you will probably be fine with the standard features that are free. Getting your brand on platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter can help you to reach your customers, though it’s important that you know how to use social media to avoid any blunders.

Google Drive

Allowing you to access your work on the cloud and completely free, Google Drive is a great tool for self-employed professionals. You can also create spreadsheets and presentations to help you better organise your work schedule or secure more business.

.Gov

If you are struggling with some of the basics of becoming self-employed, such as when you need to file tax returns or what counts as a legitimate business expense, the .Gov website has many free resources. It has a number of guidance articles relating to small businesses and self-employed professionals.

Using a laptop to find free resources

Online blogs

If you are wondering how to grow your brand or improve your online presence, there are a number of blogs that are written by people already making a success of being self-employed. These articles are designed to support those who are just starting out and you can find loads of useful information to help you stay on track with your company, whether that’s tricks to keep motivated or how to organise your working day.

Xpenditure

Organisation can be a massive problem for people when they first become self-employed, and this can have a significant impact on your success if you struggle to keep track of financial documents. Xpenditure allows you to take photos of your receipts and manage your expenses while you are out and about. You can start a free trial of this app, which can be enough to get you into the good habits to carry on with.

Podcasts

The variety of podcasts out there is astonishing, and many can help you when you are first getting to grips with being self-employed. Much like the online blogs, they can provide you with the support, reassurance and confidence boosters you need to make your business work. Most are completely free and can help to keep you up-to-date with industry news, develop ideas to become more creative or simply to improve your brand.

Sage Record Keeper

There are a number of apps that can help you keep track of your business documents. Sage Record Keeper is completely free and specially created for self-employed people and SMEs. It allows you to keep and organise your financial documents, making it easier to estimate your tax return. Designed for the iPhone, there are other similar apps available for Android and Windows smartphones.

Free resources are a great way to help improve your skills, of course, there are things that are worth paying for because they’ll save you money in the long run, by making your company more effective. Brookson can give you accountancy advice to help you make the most of your income, while also reducing the risk of you getting fines from HMRC.

We have a number of specialist services that can ensure you get the best support and advice for you and your brand.