More on a budget than ever, how should a new free-lance writer be equipped?

I thought this thread would be more popular. Maybe I'm so much less plugged-in than everybody else, but I figured there were a lot of people who -- if they could no longer rely upon the stuff issued by their paper and repaired by IT -- could use some pointers on what gear (brands, models) to have if you're suddenly a free-lancer.

And to clarify, I'm still at my paper, but maybe not for much longer.

 

Sorry, J D, I didn't have much to offer beyond the Blue Tooth stuff.

Good luck in the future.

 

No need to be sorry. I appreciate any and all input.

And thanks. Good luck in the future to you too, and even in the present, for that matter!

 

JD ... I was hoping it would be, too, because I need pointers as well.

 

Not <i>any</i> Bluetooth phone. Make sure the phone is allowed to connect to computers via Bluetooth. Not all of them are --- my Samsung isn't, for instance.

 

Well, what you need really depends on the type of work you'll be doing. Will you be shooting lede photos for stories? You'll need a good camera. Just taking mug shots or only need something in the event of breaking news? You won't need as much camera.

 

Am ready to upgrade my sprint phone and the next one will have data capability. However, I have no plans on adding an unlimited data plan. Does anyone know if a regular data pro or data plus will suffice?

 

Again with the camera talk. I should have specified I'm talking about free-lance writing (oh, wait, I did!), but I suppose this should be an ecumenical thread if people also want to talk about still and video photography.

 

Don't be scared off by the home office deduction - if you do it the right way, by the book and keep records, it is your right. Over the last 15 years it has probably saved me $50,000, easy.

 

Anybody here use Adobe Buzzword as their word processor instead Word or WP? I realize it doesn't have all the bells and whistles, but as long as the beta's free, it should be an option for freelancers.

And personally, I'd suggest getting a wireless card (Verizon, AT&T or whatever) if you don't have a bluetooth phone. You never know when you'll need it. I'd buy one for myself if my company didn't provide one for me.

 

<a href="http://www.openoffice.org/">OpenOffice.org</a>, IBM's new <a href="http://symphony.lotus.com/software/lotus/symphony/home.nsf/home">Lotus Symphony</a>, <a href="http://www.neooffice.org/">NeoOffice</a> (native OpenOffice for Mac OS X, although the OpenOffice project now has <a href="http://porting.openoffice.org/mac/download/aqua.html">a version specific to Mac OS X</a>) and <a href="http://www.abisource.com/">AbiWord</a> are also free; unlike Buzzword and Google Apps, they install on your hard drive so you have it available to use in situations when you don't have reliable Internet access.

 

In Exile is right.

Talk with freelancers about their accountant and then select a good one in your area. Accountants are different. I know some freelancers who deduct things and others who said their accountant would not let them do that.

You will be audited at some point. Keep meticulous records, receipts, quarterly files, spreadsheets, whatever you need to have everything for your accountant or IRS prober to review.