Tools I Bought in 2011

As we enter December, there is one thing that is sure to be on everyone’s mind: buying stuff. I’m admittedly not great at this. I only buy from sale racks, I pirate my entertainment (jk, cops), and I will spend hours finding deals online to pay the lowest amount possible. However, recently I have started spending a fair amount on tools that help me do my job better. Though the promise of being able to write them off when tax season comes helps, here are five things that I think are worth every penny. That’s a big endorsement coming from a cheapskate like me.

1. Dropbox ($99 a year)

I would put Dropbox in the same category as my microwave, washing machine, and glasses. I had a good, fulfilling life before them. But then I got them, and I can’t imagine how I lived before. Dropbox (with a little help from Skype) has made it single handedly possible for me to work remotely.

2. Photoshop CS5.1 ($299.00 for upgrade)

This doesn’t really need an explanation.

3. Typekit ($50 a year)

I held off from this for longer than I should have, instead spending time on searching the internet high and low for fonts that were both free and not hideous. Then I bit the bullet and I bought a Typekit account. I knew it would be worth it, but it has gone above and beyond. Between how easy it is to use, how great their customer service has been, the addition of fantastic foundries… I could go on.

4. BBEdit 10 ($39.99 on sale)

Do you know how far my stinginess had gone? I was writing code in Dreamweaver to save a buck or two. Then I saw that BBEdit was on sale, which is my keyword for “go ahead, buy it.” What is my problem? I don’t know. I do know that writing HTML & CSS has become 85% more enjoyable. What used to feel like a chore is now kind of fun.

5. Rdio ($4.99/ month)

I would guesstimate that I have spent at least 200 hours of my life searching the web for illegal music (all a joke, cops). And time is money, right? So the amount of time (money) I have saved just from the ease of using and finding music on Rdio has probably paid for itself about 100 times over. Added bonus: stand-up comedy albums.