The Breadwinner Mom

Today's post features some of my favorite web applications - the ones that help me make more money, save time, and/or stay organized. Please note that I have not been paid to write about any of these applications. I just use them and think they're really helpful, so I thought I'd share them with you.

After you've had a chance to review the list, please add your own favorites in the comments! 

1. Mvelopes - Mvelopes is a personal finance application that helps you create and stick to a budget. It's easy to use and much simpler than programs like Quickbooks. You create a budget and virtual "envelopes" for each spending category. Then you assign a certain amount of money to each envelope. As you spend money throughout the month, the amounts in the envelopes adjust. So when you get halfway through the month and you want to buy a new shirt, you can quickly determine how much money you have left to spend on clothes that month. 

2. Backpack - Backpack is, well, a virtual backpack. You can create pages and store a bunch of stuff - notes, files, whatever - on each page. You can share individual pages with clients, coworkers, friends, basically anyone you want to see the page. It's actually much cooler than it sounds from my explanation, so if you're curious, just check out their website and see for yourself.

3. Batchbook - Batchbook is a contact management system without all the craziness of some of the big-time CMS applications. It's simple (one of my favorite features in a web application) and integrates with Freshbooks (which I use for invoicing clients).

4. Google Reader - Without Google Reader, I have no idea how I would keep up with all the blogs I'm following. This application allows you to add all of the blogs you want to follow, and then provides you with a constantly updating list of new posts. It's like having a separate e-mail inbox just for blog posts you're interested in reading.

5. Freshbooks - I use Freshbooks to track time and invoice my freelance writing clients. It's easy to use, simple to set up, and allows me to give clients the option to pay online or by check. While it doesn't have all of the functionality of a program like Quickbooks Online (which I use for another business I manage), it's perfect for freelancers and other solopreneurs.

So there you have it. I look forward to hearing about the web apps you're using and loving these days - and I'm sure I'll have more to add to my list before too long!

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photo credit: moonlightbulb

Traci Feit Love is a freelance writer, entrepreneur, and small business consultant. Traci blogs at The Freelance Parent and The Breadwinner Mom. Follow Traci on Twitter at @tracilove.