Initially, I genuinely believed I would stick to only essential expenses. That I would be frugal enough to put in more labour time to save money on expenses I didn’t need to keep my business running. That worked for the first few years, but I quickly learned that optional freelancer expenses can be just as valuable — if not more so — than the essential freelance expenses I talked about already. I’ll explain why after I tell you what they are!

Worthwhile professional expenses

As someone who is constantly counting my pennies, it was tough for me to budget for these seemingly unimportant things that I didn’t technically need (spoiler alert: I did need them; I was just in denial). But here are the things I put aside cash for and enjoy every single workday!

• Grammarly: I openly admit that while I am a dedicated professional writer, I have awful grammar. I used the free version of Grammarly for years. Then, I decided to try the Premium version. I’ve kept up with the Premium Grammarly every single year since. Yes, it’s an expense that maybe I don’t technically need, but having it — and using it for everything I write — makes me a much better, more attentive writer. Even if you are naturally good at grammar, the Premium version helps make your writing more concise and engaging, which is a great learning experience!

• VPN: I also started with a free version of this included in my antivirus software and then upgraded to a larger capacity VPN. Internet security is essential since I am constantly checking messages, putting invoices together, and so on. When I am outside of my dedicated workspace, I love knowing that I can turn on my VPN, and I’m doing my best to protect the client information I need to access. Plus, if you spend time travelling and working (a huge perk to freelancer life), this is a lifesaver!

• SEO tools: As you can probably guess, I started with free trials of SEO tools, too! While I am an experienced SEO writer, I don’t have dedicated SEO experience from an analytical perspective. So, investing in SEO tools that help “translate” the data into valuable keywords that I can use for my clients and projects to make them the best they can be! Plus, keyword research is a popular client request, so it’s a worthwhile choice.

Expenses build with experience

You can manage freelancer expenses and income by focusing only on essential expenses like I did. But I believe that a massive part of being a professional freelancer is understanding where you should spend that money so that you can be your best professional self, too.

It’s only in the most recent years that I’ve budgeted for these examples. Still, they have dramatically increased my quality of life as a freelance writer! I also believe that it shows you are a true career writer rather than a hobbyist (if that’s the vibe you’re going for).

Fellow freelancers, what do you think? Are there any that you’d add to take off this list? I’d love to hear about it!