When you are starting a business, you need to save every penny before the big bucks start rolling in. And to be honest, breaking even can take months or even years. The good news is, in this digital age, it’s easier to save money than in the brick-and-mortar days.

Read on to learn about 5 tools that will save you time and money, whether you are a digital business or a business that has had to introduce online shopping or service delivery in these changing times. These tools helped us get to where we are at AZA.

1. Google

When we say Google, we mean the plethora of relevant tools available under Google’s name. For a start, you don’t need to sign up for Google Workspace (formerly called G Suite) to reap the benefits. You can find all these tools under your email account.

Google Drive

This is the key to saving on paper. No printing, more collaboration. Google Docs, Sheets, Slides and Forms will help you create important documents without paying for Microsoft Office. 

Worried about connectivity when on the move? Don’t be. You can use Google Drive apps offline once you activate the feature. Your docs will be available to you both on computer and phone. Changes can be synced later on for all your collaborators to see.

Google Analytics

This tool helps you track data from your website or app. From traffic sources to visitor behaviour, you can derive major insights from Analytics reports. With a few clicks, you can set up goals to measure how you are hitting your targets. It is very easy to install and use.

Google Meet

For a long time, this app was known as Hangouts until recently. Its usage grew exponentially at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, Google suspended its 60 minute limit for unpaid accounts. It’s a great alternative to Zoom if you are looking for a free service right now.

Google My Business

This is a must-have for a business with a physical location. Customers will find you easily on Google Maps and you can also market your wares on search pages for free.

2. WordPress

Did you know that over 75 million websites use WordPress? It’s no surprise as it is free for all to use. You can set up a website in a matter of minutes with WordPress, complete with a free theme. 

Alongside other free marketing tools like Mailchimp and Canva, you can market your products and services on social media without breaking the bank. Even when you have a professional to handle digital marketing for you, they can use these services without paying for them and still produce very professional content to sell your business at zero cost. All these services have affordable premium services once you need to upgrade. 

3. Slack

Slack is the ultimate tool for remote teams. It makes communication and collaboration so fluid that pretty soon, you forget email communication exists between colleagues. For a start, it is free, but to get unlimited archives and apps, you need to pay $6.67/person per month.

4. Trello

Trello is a project management tool that helps in tracking big projects down to task level. Most Trello features are absolutely free. Even when you use a Gantt Chart to track projects, Trello is useful in visualizing what everyone is doing. If you enjoy ticking tasks off the list, this is for you.

5. BFX

Whether you are paying suppliers abroad or making payments between entities in different countries, you need a reliable payment provider at the touch of a button. BFX offers fast and cost-effective cross-border payments in, out, and around Africa. No more bank queues or paperwork. That is time saved, and time is money. 

Talk to us and let us help your business save money on all your cross-border transactions.