Much of the software out there is so ridiculously expensive that it makes it nearly impossible for most people to get started with even basic computer tasks. Take for example an RN starting a part-time business as a Certified Legal Nurse Consultant. Purchasing MS Office, antivirus software and basic graphic editing tools can easily exceed a $1,000 price tag.
I’m going to show you how you can get by on a zero dollar budget and still have access to amazingly powerful tools.
Office Suite
The most popular suite is Microsoft® Office and not surprisingly it is also the most expensive. We have several free alternatives here. The most powerful in my opinion are the free online office tools from GoogleTM known as Google Documents. Google Doc’s gives you access to word processing, spreadsheets and presentations (in essence replacing Word, Excel® and PowerPoint®). My next favorite office suite of applications is another freebie known as OpenOffice. It completely replaces Microsoft® Office and will save you hundreds of dollars.
Email is a big one. I hate seeing people use the email addresses their web service providers give them. Surely most don’t know better but the reason they are given those addresses is so that they cannot cancel their Internet service (or change it) without losing that email address. Anyone who has changed their phone number or email address in the past knows how big a hassle this is. So go to GmailTM and get an account. They usually have better spam filtering and antivirus tools than your Internet provider. You can also incorporate Google Calendar to manage your schedule.
To manage your emails, you should download Thunderbird. This will act like MS Outlook® and let you download and manage your emails when not connected to the Internet (like when on a flight or out of a wireless network range).
AntiVirus
Norton and McAfee® are very expensive but unfortunately, there is no way to avoid anti-virus software. Fortunately there is a free alternative known as AVGFree from a company called GriSoft. I have no problems with it and it runs just as well as Norton and McAfee® in my opinion.
Graphic Editor
Checkout a free online piece of software called SplashUp. It is a highly stripped down version of Photoshop® (and based on flash) but it allows for some fairly advanced photo manipulation including blending effects, layering and filters. It even ties into some of the online photo storage databases like Flickr® and PicasaTM. You can also find free stock images to use for your website or other marketing materials at Bad Neighborhood.
Pretty cool, right? Well…at least to the people who haven’t already shelled out $1,000 for the software they now know how to get for free.
Guest Blogger Profile
Brian Horn is an Internet marketing consultant who specializes in search engine marketing, site optimization, social media marketing, link building and web data analytics. Brian has consulted with Vickie Milazzo Institute for over three years.
Brian also speaks at seminars and conferences throughout the U.S. and Canada on how to use the Internet to improve business.
Tags: antivirus, Brian Horn, Certified Legal Nurse Consultant, editing tools, free software, Microsoft, Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, Vickie Milazzo, Word software
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March 2, 2009 at 2:18 am
Claire Hull, RN, CCM, CLNC
I agree that it’s always fun to see things for free. When it comes to office space, I love MS Life Office®! It’s free and I can share some or all of my documents with my fellow CLNC ® consultants if I want to. It also works great for those larger files you are sending to attorneys. The documents can be stored there and your attorney clients can just pick them up when they are ready for viewing.
Great tips for those who are online!
March 1, 2009 at 3:22 pm
Paule Toon
MS Word …. $300.00 $Norton …. $200 Vickie’s Blog and all the great info …. PRICELESS!!
This Maverick is going to San Antonio and will arrive on 3/11 for the VIP Reception ready to sign-up all you cowgirl and cowboy subcontractors.
Let’s ride off into the Sunset of Success together!
February 27, 2009 at 3:53 pm
Susan Schaab RN, BSN, CLNC
Brian,
Great information! I have enjoyed the challenge of finding cost-effective methods for building my office and marketing my services. By following Vickie’s advice, I easily earned enough in 2008 to repay all my start-up costs.
Thank you all very much for the best information available!
February 27, 2009 at 8:57 am
Brian Horn
Another slick one is http://www.gliffy.com/. Any CLNC® consultants who create flow charts or use diagramming software will enjoy this. It can totally replace programs like Microsoft’s Visio.
If you can find a way to add it to presentations, it can really look professional.
February 27, 2009 at 12:02 am
Rahul
Very nice article Brian! I completely agree with the points you have mentioned. Even I believe in using FREE tools instead of wasting a lot of money for getting the same service as the FREE tools.
I am using gmail and google docs a lot.
Also the AVG anti-virus you recommended is one of the best! Even better than Symantec (Norton).
Additionally I am using the FREE account of DeskAway (http:/www.deskaway.com) for project management & collaboration. It is providing a free account which never expires and also you will get almost all the features available in a paid plan.
February 26, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Diana Schmitt, RN, BSN, CLNC
After I became a CLNC® consultant in 2005, I immediately started setting up my office and office systems. The Core Curriculum for Legal Nurse Consultanting textbook and VIP materials were complete with step-by-step instructions. Where I am today did not happen overnight. By utilizing the CLNC® Mentors and Vickie’s Blog, I have been able to build my legal nurse consulting business one action step at a time. I have attended every NACLNC® Conference with much enthusiasm. I look forward to every Tom’s Tech Tip as I bravely branch out technologically. Vickie so graciously shares her consultants such as Brian to give away their expertise to us. Thanks, Brian. And thank you Vickie.
February 26, 2009 at 11:09 am
Tom Ziemba
Brian,
Good points about the free software, but remember, not everyone is online, all the time.
When you get out of reach of the Internet (like on an airplane) you can’t work on your Google Docs (On the plus side — you can get to your Google docs from any trusted location where you CAN get online and log into your Google account — so your documents are always available (sort of).)
For legal nurse consultants that travel or have limited (or even slow) Internet access, Open Office would be a more logical choice (On the plus side, like MS Word, you store your documents locally on your computer so you don’t need to be online to access them).