Software is necessary especially if you have a small business. In most countries, companies are obliged to purchase software and application licenses instead of just downloading free pirated versions. Even as an individual, you are supposed to have an original copy of software. Needless to say, it pays off more to spend money on software than on piracy fines.
No matter what type of software you need, there are for sure numerous such programs on the market. The most popular programs are those for document management, time management, team collaboration, data analysis, accounting software, etc. Every software category has a great deal of different software vendors and they often offer products at different, competitive prices. Purchasing the cheapest software on the market that at the same time meets your needs is the obvious and smart move. But there are other things you should keep in mind when purchasing software so let’s find out what they are.
5 Tips for Saving Money When Purchasing Software
Remember, it is common knowledge that you can save some money if you buy the cheapest program you find on the market, under the condition that it has the features you need. But what else should you have in mind?
1. Think in advance! Make a list of all the programs you will need for your business or personal needs.
Cindy is a brand evangelist and IT manager at PDF Converter software company. She loves all things technology and enjoys sharing computer tips at PDF Tips and Tricks blog.
When you list programs, don’t mention brands but types of programs. Ask yourself, what purpose do you need a program for? Write down all the purposes and different program categories. Then add an additional column where you will write the usage frequency of every program.
Note: Some programs you need on a daily, weekly basis, while other programs you need once or three times per year. Logically, prioritize the programs you need the most often and for other programs organize the schedule (when approximately you will need them) and the deadline for getting those.
How can this help? This method will help you think in advance and not to wait the last moment to purchase a program. For instance, it is January and it turns out that you will need one program in November. Don’t wait till October to provide yourself with the program but follow the discounts during the year and purchase the program you need at a cheaper price. It will also help you decide what programs you need the most, in case you cannot afford to buy all of them.
2. Look for limited-time licenses. This pays out when you don’t need a program for the whole year but only at a specific period.
Some software companies offer their programs at a cheaper price, but for a limited-time. Maybe the full, lifetime price pays off more, but if you want to save your finances why not choose the smaller paying fee.
There are also software vendors that have a different paying model in the subscription form, so you can buy the six-month subscription instead of a lifetime or annual one to cut the costs.
Don’t forget: This tip makes sense when you are not sure whether you will need one specific kind of a program in the years to come, for example an email management or time management program. If you are not sure whether you will need a program, or you will need it just for a limited period, buying cheaper subscriptions is a smart move. But if you need that software for a longer period, spend more money now and save in the long run.
3. Follow giveaway blogs and other media outlets that offer affordable deals.
There are a lot of blogs that offer software giveaways and give away free license keys. Of course, you need to be lucky to win the giveaway, but you can still check out those vendors that give away their software for free; maybe they have additional discounts on the website. Also, many blogs notify their users about software deals and inform them when they can purchase programs at the discounted price.
Did you know? You don’t need to visit all these blogs on the internet to find giveaways and deals, but you can subscribe to their newsletters and receive notifications in your inbox. In addition, you can set up Google Alerts and be notified by email every time someone posts about software deals and giveaways, even if you didn’t subscribe to the same news outlet.
4. Take advantage of demo and trial versions.
Almost every company offers a free demo or a trial license key you can install and use to finish the job. If you have made a list of programs and the timeline of when you need every program, you can assume that you shouldn’t install trials before that period. When the time comes, and if you couldn’t find any good deals, you can request a demo or a trial version and complete the task.
One more trick: You can install free trial and demo versions of different software vendors that have similar programs and postpone the purchases for some other time when your budget is not so tight. Of course, don’t install all these trials at once, because they are all time-limited.
5. Consider volume licensing. If you don’t need more than one license, partner up with someone else.
Many software vendors offer their software at a lower price if you purchase more licenses. The higher the number of licenses, the smaller the price. If you need more than one license, look for software vendors that offer this benefit, often called volume licensing.
Check out: Maybe it is possible to partner up with another company and purchase more licenses at the same account. If it is not possible (it depends on the company), check if they have some discounts if you recommend their product to another company and they want to buy it too. Don’t be shy, talk to their sales team and try to negotiate the price!
BONUS TIP: (for those who have a blog on their company or personal website)
If you have a blog on your company’s website and the software you need can somehow fit in that blog content, reach out to the software vendors, preferably their marketing team, and offer them a deal. You can include their program in some of your future blog posts and tell your readers about it. In return, they will give you a free license key of the program you want.
