When you’re first starting out in business we think that we need to sign up for a lot of services and shiny objects. When I first started out I did what everyone said should be done. Working on social media? Get a Hootsuite account! Need an autoresponder? Get aWeber (yes, I’m old). While those services are excellent and extremely helpful when I dove into the deep end of internet marketing and being a virtual assistant, the subscriptions fees add up over time. Who knew there was discounted software out there just waiting to be scooped up?
Now, I don’t know if you know it or not, but $5 is my favorite number. When the girls were younger I found $5/session dance classes, gym classes, etc. Of course, the days of $5 classes is gone, but the principle stays with me. I am always plotting how to get what I need without breaking the bank.
Ways to Save Money with Discounted Software
One of my favorite ways to save money nowadays is to look for lifetime discounted software deals. You’ll be surprised to see how many brand name companies are willing to sell lifetime licenses. The key is to find the deals when they appear. Timing is definitely a thing with these deals because they have a limited number of licenses and the sales are usually about 14 days in length. They are posted on many different types of sites, so you may see a website with an attractive website (like AppSumo) or one that is a little clunkier (like Discount SAAS).
Once I started looking around, I was surprised to discover how many companies sell lifetime and deeply discounted subscriptions. You’re probably wondering what kind of software I’m talking about, right? Well, so far to name just a few I have lifetime subscriptions to these brand names:
- InVideo
- Jumpstory
- Deposit Photos
- Viddyoze
I also have software from new kids on the software development block that works as well, if not better in some respects, than the more recognizable vendors. For example, I used to subscribe to Buffer for social media posting services. It’s a great service and the pricing is very fair. During my discount hunting expeditions I discovered two other programs (PostoPlan and SocialBee) that work just as well AND were a one-time payment of under $100. There was no contest. The ability to post with both programs is very similar to the subscription software like Buffer, Hootsuite and SproutSocial. I like PostoPlan because it gives you posting ideas for each day of the year. If you get stuck for content ideas you can use one of their trivia/historical reference points to fill in the gap. And best of all, I never have to pay for it again!
Where to Shop
To date, I’ve found the following places to have a nice selection of software types, good customer service and lifetime deals:
- StackSocial – This is one of the first places I shop when I’m looking for bargains. Not only do they have software deals, but you can find hardware (like computer monitors) as well as educational products (think Rosetta Stone). They even sell household/personal goods likes sheets, kitchen accessories and electric toothbrushes! One stop shopping for everyone. 🙂
- StackSkills – This is one of the educational lifetime product that you will find here. StackSkills offers training in most aspects of business skills. There are classes on how to build apps, how to code (and hack), photography and more.
- AppSumo – This is the first discounted software store that I discovered. They offer software from developers as well as established players such as DepositPhotos. Most of the software has tiers so you can get the software that fits you best at a really good price. They have products to help with legal issues (contracts, website compliance, etc.), WordPress Plugins, AIs and more. P.S. Appsumo also offers a thing called “stacking” which allows you to purchase more licenses of the same product. This is helpful when you have clients or others that you may want to resell services to somewhere down the line.
- Nobuna – Speaking of WordPress plugins, Nobuna is the place to go, especially if you’re just starting out building your website. They are able to offer these plug-ins at a discounted price because of the GPL licensing rules. You can read up on how they do what they do by clicking here.
Things to Know about Discounted Software Stores
If you purchase a product, but find that it doesn’t suit your needs, all of the listed companies have excellent refund policies. I have been using them for a number of years and haven’t had any problems with getting a refund or support for the products. While the actual developers troubleshoot the programs, these stores will help you if you have trouble with downloading or getting the links you need to get to work.
I will continue to add to this list as I discover them. In the meantime, there’s no better time to shop, so get to clicking!
P.S. This post contains affiliate links, but it’s not what you think. You see, AppSummo, StackSocial and other SaaS shops want people to spread the word, so they give their customers links. So, if you decide to buy something from them using my link you’ll get a $10 discount and so will I.
