Since leaving my jet-setting, executive-type sales/marketing position at a technology company, I’ve become ultra cheap. Not just kind of cheap. I mean really, almost insanely cheap.

Examples:

• At first I budgeted 3 trips a week to my favorite coffee shop, but then I discovered that I can buy 25 tea bags and make chai at home for the cost of about two cups of coffee (not including tip!).
• I spend evenings perusing books at Borders bookstore, and I take pictures of the ones I want with my cell phone camera so I can come home and order them on Half.com.

Cheap. Cheap. Cheap.

Here is a list of free discoveries I’ve made since starting my own business.

1. Microsoft Office Accounting 2007 — The Express edition is free and covers the needs of a small consulting business just fine.
2. EverNote — When I was employed, I really grew to like Microsoft’s OneNote, which allowed me to kind of “throw” important notes into the service without having to save, organize, etc. EverNote does the same thing, but it’s free.
3. Survey Monkey — I use electronic surveys to gather information for articles for my monthly eNewsletter, plus I send a survey to my clients after a project is finished. The basic service is free and covers all my needs.
4. Pelotonics
   The name for Pelotonics comes from cycling: a peloton is a group of riders working as a team to increase efficiency and conserve energy. I use this group collaboration website to manage all my projects. We upload files, drafts and versions; set deadlines; keep track of communication. There’s a free level, but I now use one of the paid levels (still cheap!).
5. FreeConferenceCall.com — It’s exactly what it says. You can set up your own conference calling line for collaboration with your clients. Everyone calls a regular phone number and pays regular long distance charges, but we can all be on the line together. 1-800 conference call lines are also darn cheap.