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Home offices have been around for many years. Dad or mom had a desk in an extra room or a cubby hole where they compiled and paid the household bills, filled out the yearly taxes and stored the family health and other records. Nowadays, the home office has expanded to include dedicated rooms for the telecommuters and freelancers to perform a variety of tasks ranging from bookkeeping to architectural design. The computer and Internet have made working from home a true vocation in every sense of the word. Furnishing the home office and stocking the basic supplies doesn't have to break the bank. The following tips are a good guide to setting up and maintaining your home office on a budget.

Computer: No matter what type computer you have you need to make sure you have enough space on your hard drive to save important files. As a telecommuter or freelancer you are responsible for saving and keeping client files. (See section on backups.) Your system doesn't have to be a top-of-the line computer as long as you have enough memory to run the software needed for your specific clients. Your current system can be updated on a budget far less than purchasing a new computer.

Software: There are literally hundreds of thousands of types of software on the market. Job specific software will be a costly item, for example, graphic design software such as Adobe Suites can cost upwards of a thousand dollars. Be prepared for this cost. There are alternatives to some software, such as Photoshop Elements instead of full blown Photoshop. However, do your research and make sure the products you choose perform the necessary tasks.

Regardless of the field you will be working in, you will most likely need word processing software and an email client such as Microsoft Office or you can choose a freeware program such as Open Office (www.openoffice.org which is compatible with Office and makes sharing documents with your clients easy. Additionally, you will want to obtain a PDF maker, there are many on the market which can be inexpensive or even free, such as Primo PDF Maker (www.primopdf.com). A PDF maker is invaluable tool, as it allows you to send work files to clients and other people that are not as easily editable as the document itself.

Back-Up Hard Drive or Location: Consider this, your biggest client has a deadline and you have finally reached completion. Just before you hit the send button on your email, your computer crashes and is not recoverable. Without a backup source you have just lost your client and any positive comments that bring work to you. There are several options, you can purchase a backup hard drive rather inexpensively or choose offsite storage through the Internet. No matter which option you choose, you must have a disaster plan and you must save your work often.

Printer: You shouldn't need to invest a lot of money in a printer. With the availability of email and FTP sites, printing will be a minimal expense. You will want to print a draft and final copy for proofing your work before sending it out and there will be the occasional client who asks for printed work to Fedexed. A good inkjet printer with color and black and white should suffice. You can refill the black ink jets, it's not recommended to refill the color jets and it can void your warranty.

Filing Cabinets: Again, you can keep this cost at a bare minimum using filing boxes instead of purchasing filing cabinets. If decor is a concern, scavenge the local thrift shops and Craigslist (www.craigslist.com for a used one, you might even find a free one on Craigslist.

Communication: Telecommuting and freelance work both involve a distance between you and your client. Long-distance charges can add up quickly. There are a couple of options to avoid long distance charges. If you have an unlimited cell phone plan, use your cell phone for your business calls, this also makes your cell phone bill tax deductible. You can also use your computer as a means of communication with one of the many Voice Over IP (VOIP) phone solutions, Skype (www.skype.com is actually a free VOIP for basic services, and the only cost is a headset to connect to your computer. You can also use Instant Messaging for communicating with clients.

Office Supplies: Pens, paper, inkjets, paperclips, staples and more are all a part of office supplies. Some you will not need and some you will need quite often. A very basic grade of copy paper should be fine for printing, unless you have a job that requires you to send them the final work printed, and then you would want to invest in a few reams of a more professional looking paper. Sign up with your local business supply chains for business pricing and be sure to watch for coupons and sales. You can also occassionally find free or reduced cost supplies at local thrift stores or on Craigslist.

Setting up your home office doesn't have to cost break the bank. You can be ready to accept those job offers in no time at all. And don't forget to keep a receipt of all your purchases as they are tax deductible.

Learn more about this author, Sharon Chapman.
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