Morning {{first_name}},
These are the exact tools I use to run my business day to day design, websites, admin, money… everything.
Figma (Free)
Figma is probably the tool I’m in the most.
I use it for proposals, presentations, brand guidelines, Instagram posts basically anything visual. It’s quick, clean, and doesn’t slow me down. Compared to Adobe, it just feels lighter and faster, which matters when you’re moving a lot.
Adobe Creative Suite (£22/month)
I still have Adobe, but honestly, I barely touch it now.
I mainly use it for logo mockups and the odd Illustrator tool. Over time, I’ve shifted more and more of my work into Figma, and I’m seriously considering cancelling Adobe altogether.
It’s useful just not essential for how I work right now.
Notion (Free)
Notion is where everything lives.
Client portals, project tracking, planning my days, tracking habits, book notes, newsletter drafts if I need to think clearly, it’s probably in Notion.
Framer (£10/month)
This is where my website is hosted.
I love Framer because I can jump in and make changes whenever I want. Add new work, tweak layouts, update copy all without fritction
For web design, it’s one of the best tools out there right now.
Google Workspace (£7/month)
This is for my business email and file storage.
Having a proper @mysdesigns.co.uk email instantly makes everything feel more legit, and the cloud storage makes it easy to share files with clients without things getting messy.
Sage Accounting (Free)
I use Sage to track my finances.
Payments in, expenses out everything gets logged properly. It makes tax time way less stressful and keeps me organised throughout the year.
Monzo Business (Free)
Monzo is my business bank.
I can categorise transactions, upload receipts, and create payment links for invoices, which makes it really easy for clients to pay.
One feature I really like is Pots. I treat them like labelled boxes for my money.
For example, I have one called Expenses. Every time I get paid, I move money into it so software and business costs are always covered.
Monthly costs
When I strip things back to what’s actually essential, my monthly business expenses come to:
£17 per month
This doesn’t include Adobe, as it’s not something I rely on daily.
Useful Links
Monzo Business Account
You may be eligible for a £50 referral bonus after making your first card payment (limited companies only).
Figma (Free Plan)
Notion (Free Plan)
Framer
Google Workspace
Sage Accounting (Free Plan)
Talk soon,
Yousaf