This is not an article suggesting that you spend the money you have not yet earned on a high powered computer with all the bells and whistles and a nifty set of office furniture that costs more than the gross national product of a small third world nation! At the same time, it is a reminder that home businesses need the right gear to get started, and while you should never buy something if you do not truly have to, there will be times when not making a necessary purchase will hold you back. You need to be able to discern the difference and make a solid decision.

The right gear may of course be anything and everything and it is up to you to decide what this will be. Here are some suggestions to consider:

?If you use a computer for your home business, and the odds are good that you will, make sure you have a model that will support the software packages you need to run. In other words, an old machine that hiccups every time you try to use Microsoft Office will do you little good, if this is the software which you rely on the most.

?Do not go out right away and buy the latest model computer but instead consider honestly your current needs and those that your business will have in the future. Find creative ways of planning for future needs, without investing a lot of money now to make them happen. For example, you may be able to head off future software expansion problems by simply purchasing a computer with the option of inserting extra memory which can then support the software you will run.

?Buy used, if you can, and always look for a warranty.

?Do not lease your equipment; the cost is far higher when you lease than when you buy and considering the reasonable prices of computers nowadays, leasing is a waste of money.

?Refrain from investing in office equipment which is redundant. If you have software that permits you to receive faxes and a scanner, you do not need a fax machine. In the same vein, if you have a cell phone you rarely use, you may be able to get away with using it as a business number and thus do not have to invest in a second home line.

?If you are in the market for home office furniture, look in the paper for business dissolutions, furniture sales of dinged merchandise and floor samples, and also do not discount the various “going out of business” sales which are so regularly held. Find a neutral color that will lend itself to accessorizing and you may be able to get away with not having matching pieces. For example, a matching set of wicker chairs in an egg shell white will go well with desk painted in the same color. Add a glass top table and you have an attractive office suite. Remember that pain is your best friend when it comes to furnishing your home office!

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andrew brogden writes on a variety of subjects. this one could change your life shyml.com/iqfpson copyright © andrew brogden