The impact of recurring costs
Recurring costs can quickly run out of control, especially with so many cloud-based services.
With regards to technology, the goal is to minimize recurring costs, and to maximize the "one-time-only" expenses.
For example, it is always better value to buy a lifetime license when given the choice, instead of monthly or yearly.
I have opted for Zoho One as my main recurring charge ($30 USD per month of $450 CDN per year).
The domain name 'spanglett.legal' also costs around $100 CAD per year.
A business-class laptop should cost $1000 CAD.
I recommend the HP Color LaserJet Pro M283fdw - color laser printer/copier/fax - that currently costs $530 CAD.
I have gone with one-time only software purchases, which include:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| MS Office - retail license | $250 |
| PDF Editor - PDF-XChange Pro | $150 |
| MS Visio - Retail license OPTIONAL | $460 |
| Total | $860 |
SUMMARY: LESS THAN $2500 FIXED (OTO plus laptop)/$50 MONTHLY (Zoho One subscription and domain name)
= $3100 in first year, $600 each year thereafter, $5500 over five years.
Zoho One replaces Quickbooks, Clio, project management, HR, expenses, invoicing, etc.
Compare that with opting for individual subscription services instead:
| Subscription | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| MS Office 365 | $16 CAD | $192 CAD |
| Adobe Acrobat Pro | $16 USD | $250 CAD |
| MS Visio 365 | $20 CAD | $240 CAD |
| Quickbooks | $35 USD | $550 CAD |
| Clio | $100 USD | $1575 CAD |
| Total | $235 CAD | $2807 CAD |
SUMMARY: $1530 FIXED/$2800 ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS
= $4330 in first year, $2800 each year thereafter, $15530 over five years.
THAT IS A $10k DIFFERENCE, USING JUST A FEW LINE ITEMS.
As a principle, do not opt for subscription services - it is almost always more expensive.