Resources
Everything I actually pay for.
Not a list of everything that exists — a list of what's currently running my business, what it costs, and why it beat the alternative. Categories rather than brand names where the brand genuinely doesn't matter.
Disclosure
No affiliate links on this page. Where I've listed a category rather than a product, it's because I've used two or three interchangeably and the choice genuinely doesn't matter. If I ever add an affiliate link, it will be labelled inline, and it won't change what's on the list.
Work & admin
| What | Type | Cost | Why this one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | A plain invoicing tool with multi-currency | Paid, ~$12/mo | Six years on the same one. Boring is the feature. |
| Contracts | E-signature service | Paid, ~$15/mo | Four clauses prevent most disputes — the tool matters less than having one. |
| Banking | Multi-currency account + card | Free tier | The single biggest reduction in cross-border friction. |
| Password manager | Any reputable one | Paid, ~$4/mo | Non-negotiable. Recovery codes also printed on paper in the bag. |
Site & publishing
| What | Type | Cost | Why this one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Static CDN host with git deploys | ~$4/mo | Interchangeable by design — that's the point. |
| Site build | ~200 lines of Python | Free | Not a framework. I can read all of it in one sitting. |
| Forms | Hosted form endpoint | Free tier | Chosen because the data export is one click. |
| Analytics | Privacy-friendly, no cookies | ~$9/mo | Scroll-depth events only. No personal data collected. |
Travel
| What | Type | Cost | Why this one |
|---|---|---|---|
| eSIM | Travel eSIM provider | Pay per use | First 48 hours on landing, always. See the cost breakdown. |
| Travel router | Pocket-sized | One-off, ~$60 | The item people say is unnecessary and I'd replace first. |
| Power | 65W GaN charger, 3 ports | One-off, ~$45 | Removed about 400g and a drawer of adapters. |
| Storage | 1TB encrypted SSD + recovery key | One-off, ~$90 | Weekly backup, weekly restore test. |
AI & automation
| What | Type | Cost | Why this one |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant | General-purpose model | Paid, ~$20/mo | Four workflows survived out of seventeen. Verification is the whole game. |
| Automation | Scripts and a scheduler | Free | Fails loudly, cheap to verify, stable input — or I don't build it. |
| Backups | Scripted, nightly, encrypted | ~$5/mo storage | The most valuable automation I own, and the dullest. |
The Thursday Send
I update this page when something changes.
Usually because something broke. The newsletter is where I explain what and why, before the page gets edited.
Join 14,200+ readers · No spam, ever