5 free resources to grow your business

Entrepreneurs and small business owners need all the help they can get. When you’re a self-starter, you’re constantly on the go, multitasking and doing all you can to grow your company quickly. Luckily, there are a ton of free small business resources that can help you along the way.

That’s where we come in. We scoured the internet for some of the best freebies you can use. For example, we recommend saving money on Microsoft Office by using its free alternative, LibreOffice, instead.

It works just as well as Microsoft’s official programs but costs nothing, so you can put your money toward your small business. Tap or click here for our 10 favorite free apps. We also found a ton of business freebies you can use to grow your company. Keep reading to get started.

1. U.S. Small Business Administration

The Small Business Administration is the perfect place to get free small business resources. It shares many free sources and advice for small business owners like you.
Think of this website as a one-stop shop for your small business needs. It’s the perfect place to get advice.

We love this website because it’s practically the Valhalla of small business knowledge. It can help you get funding through SGA-backed loans. It also has many programs to procure financial and federal contracts.

On top of that, it has guides that walk you through expanding to new locations, mastering your management system and more. It also offers specialized advice for female business leaders, minorities and veterans.

You can even use the SBA to find loans that help you when natural disasters hit your small business — or when expanding overseas. It’s a website you need to bookmark. Best of all, it’s free.

We’ve got you covered if you’re short on time and don’t want to click through pages trying to find free resources. We put together some of our favorite freebies from the SBA site. Scroll down for all the details.

2. Master market research and analyze your competitors

You’ll find many helpful small business tips online. Not all of them will apply to your specific situation, though. Sometimes, you just need hard data.

Continue reading

This tech mistake is costing you money every single month

It’s easy to overspend on consumer tech or make a purchase that won’t last long. For example, you don’t need to pay for Microsoft Office and shouldn’t waste money on cheap chargers. Tap or click for five ways you’re wasting cash on tech.

Continue reading

📝 Spellcheck your ALL CAPS: By default, Microsoft Office programs and Outlook don’t spellcheck words written in all caps, so your BIG TITLES might be full of typos. To fix this in Office apps, go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE. For Outlook, go to File > Options > Mail > Editor Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE.

Cassette sales skyrocket, side gig brings in 40K/mo and secret keylogger signs

Open/download audio

Plus, I was in the pool when a spy drone hung out in my yard. I’ll tell you what to do if this happens to you. You don’t have to waste money on Microsoft Office, get out of people search sites, and the best way to get internet off the grid.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

💻 Microsoft Office 2024 is here: Expect new features like adding live camera feeds to PowerPoint slides and pasting images into Excel without messing up the formatting. Prefer to pay once, like in the old days? For one device, Office Home 2024 costs $149.99, and Office Home & Business is $249.99. FWIW, Microsoft 365 is $69.99 per year with regular updates.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Tech 101: How to record your computer screen

Sharing your screen can revolutionize video meetings. Whether on Zoom, Google Meet or Skype, you can use many features to enhance your experience. Tap or click here for five pro tips for making the most out of video conferences.

Continue reading

Money tight? 14 great things you can get for free

There’s always something new to spend money on regarding tech. Here’s a secret some companies don’t want you to know: You can get a lot without spending a dime.

Speaking of money, I hear from people all the time who want to cut Netflix, Hulu, and other expensive streaming services. Did you know that mobile carriers offer free streaming service subscriptions as part of their plans? Here’s what T-Mobile, Verizon and AT&T are offering.

Continue reading

🔒 Password-protect a document: In Microsoft Office or Google Docs, click the Help button in the menu bar. Click Help again, then type in Encrypt with password, and your program of choice will walk you through the steps. So easy.

Work for a nonprofit or school? The more you get for free (or cheap), the better. TechSoup is a solid resource for finding discounts and free stuff you might not know about, like Microsoft Office or IT help.

10 tech freebies to grab now: Software, phone service, logos and more

There’s never a dull moment when you own your own business. You don’t report to anyone but are on the hook for all the big decisions. You have complete control over what you spend your money on, but the bills never stop coming. Tap or click for small business tips that will save you money.

Continue reading

How to ditch Office for Docs and Excel for Sheets

Microsoft Office has been around for a long time, and understandably, people love the familiarity with its applications. But it is expensive.

As more businesses and educational institutes switch to Google programs such as Docs and Sheets, it can’t hurt to check them out. And you can save money by switching.

Continue reading

PC acting up after the latest update? Try this

The latest update from Microsoft fixes 14 issues in Windows 10, but it’s not going smoothly for some.

There is always a chance that something can go wrong during an operating system’s update, and the last patch is creating havoc for some users. It’s not as severe as past update consequences, but it can still hamper productivity.

Continue reading

5 small biz freebies to save you some cash, from shipping materials to logos

Owning or working for a small business is full of joys: Seeing your business take off, working closely with a small team and watching your ideas flourish.

It’s not all a walk in the park, though. Small teams, limited budgets and not enough time in the day can make things challenging.

Continue reading

Use Outlook or Microsoft Office? Malware red flag uses a new twist on an old trick

Cybercriminals constantly update their techniques to make malware, viruses and other cyber-threats as hard as possible for humans and artificial intelligence to spot. Antivirus apps check for infected files and malware, but there’s one kind of attack that humans and apps are relatively bad at noticing.

Continue reading

The best free templates for Microsoft Word and LibreOffice

When Microsoft Word came out in 1983, it was a game-changer for college students and business professionals alike. They could say goodbye to typewriters and use a straightforward word processor to get the best results.

Continue reading

Update your PC to patch 6 zero-day flaws, 90 vulnerabilities

The first major updates of the year from software developers pack a bit of a punch. Microsoft released a swath of vulnerability fixes in what has become known as Patch Tuesday. Tap or click here to find out why you are seeing more ads on Microsoft Edge.

Continue reading

9 free software copycats that work better than the real expensive programs

There are more features and tricks hiding in your Mac or PC than most people will ever know. You can do even more if you know the right software to download.

If you’re relying on your computer’s built-in spell check to catch all your grammar mistakes, for example, it’s time to upgrade. Here are five stellar options to make you sound smarter.  

Continue reading

Update your PC - New Windows fix patches 55 bugs and major vulnerabilities

Microsoft released another round of updates on what is commonly known as Patch Tuesday. The November edition is a significant one, as it fixes several zero-day exploits. No more passwords? Microsoft says you can ditch yours and use one of these secure methods instead.

Continue reading

Use Google Drive on the go? You're going to love this new offline feature

Google Drive is a great online application to collaborate with people and keep documents in one place. Even if you don’t have Microsoft Office, Drive allows you to use Google’s similar tools. Tap or click here for 15 smart ways to get more out of Google Drive.

Continue reading

Stop paying for software! 7 free versions of popular programs everyone uses

Some of the best software for your professional life comes with a heavy price tag. Luckily, there are a ton of great resources that carry you through heavy tasks. For example, you can visit free editing websites to check your writing for grammar issues. Tap or click here for five free sites that keep your writing professional and typo-free.

Continue reading