Indie Biz - 78 Ways to Save

I just discovered a huge and actually useful list of things you can do to reduce costs. These are focused on small business savings, and let’s be honest, most indie artists basically are their own small business, but can be fully applicable to home in most cases as well. The first chuck of tips on the list relate to technology and number 2 is dear to my open source lovin’ heart:

Technology

1. Go green! Energy-efficient technology will save you money over the life span of your computers, phone systems and other tech tools. There are often tax benefits to green technology, too. Not to mention it’ll help out the environment.
2. Switch to open-source software. An open-source solution isn’t the scary, “You’re on your own!” proposition that larger software providers lead you to believe. Open-source software costs a fraction of the price as commercial products while still offering all, if not more, of the features.
3. Consider a smaller ISP. If you don’t have a big-business budget, smaller ISPs offer good value for their cost.
4. Check out VoIP. VOIP is basically a phone service that uses the Internet. Many small businesses are opting for this cheaper alternative that can save them up to 60% over their traditional telecom costs.