Freelancing has become a common way of working in the last decade, and is likely to achieve even greater prominence as companies seek ways to cut staff costs during economic turmoil. One of the basic decisions a freelancer has to make is whether to work as a sole trader, or incorporate themselves as a company. The latter offers some tax advantages, and can help secure your assets if the business gets into difficulties, but involves a lot more paperwork and can seem like overkill. While you should always get individual advice from an accountant, we’d like to know which route Lifehacker readers have taken when they’ve gone the freelance route. Share your experiences in the comments.
Video tutorial web site Tinkernut offers a quick introductory video to navigating by the stars. The video actually re-examines a step-by-step from previously mentioned QuietBay, but the video format packages the ideas nicely. The guide only covers the basics—like finding the North Star—but if you’re a novice to the stars, it’s a nice introduction. On the other hand, if you’re an old hand at navigating the night sky, let’s hear your more advanced tips in the comments. How To Navigate By the Stars [Tinkernut]
Windows only: Free application Desktop Renamer renames default Windows icons on your desktop. If you’ve ever tried renaming shortcuts to destinations like your Recycle Bin, My Computer, My Documents, or My Network Places, you know that Windows isn’t always keen on the adjustment. But if you’re not happy with that restriction, Desktop Renamer allows you to easily rename any of those shortcuts. On the other hand, if you feel like using an application to do something as simple as renaming Windows shortcuts seems like overkill, the gHacks weblog also details how to tweak your Windows registry to accomplish the same thing. Desktop Renamer [via gHacks]
Windows only: Freeware application DeskTask embeds your Microsoft Outlook calendars and tasks directly on your desktop—whether Outlook is running or not. We actually covered DeskTask a couple of years back, but in light of the recent popularity of embedded calendar and to-do applications like previously mentioned Rainlendar and Samurize, DeskTask seems like a perfect alternative for Outlook die-hards. Granted, you can accomplish more with something like Samurize, but if all you want is your Outlook info at a glance, the lightweight DeskTask is just the ticket. DeskTask [via FreewareGenius]
Windows/Mac/Linux (all platforms): GIMP, the free, open-source graphics editor, has come out with a 2.6 version, and it’s put some significant changes into the editor’s interface and back-end operations. New to this version are support for 32 bits per colour channel and a new GEGL-based backend (turned on and off in the preferences), polygonal and sectional selection with the Free Select Tool, better handling of windows, toolbars, docked tools, and menus, and a “brush dynamics” sub-menu that gives creators serious control over their pixel-pushing tools. Those are just a few of the many changes in this release. GIMP 2.6 is a free download for Windows, Mac, or Linux platforms, though it’s only (officially) available as source code at the moment. Read on for help installing GIMP 2.6 on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.
Personal finance blogger Trent Hamm used to have one of those jobs that paid every two weeks, and he found himself treating the occasional “third check of the month” as a bonus. Looking back, he recommends anyone with similarly non-rigorous discipline to treat those paydays like a trigger: I adopted a routine of paying the bills every other Monday like clockwork. I’d collect all the bills in a consistent spot as they came in, then I’d sit down on bill paying day and go through them, knocking all of them out. If I had more bills than cash, then I tapped my emergency fund a bit, but with the further tactics below, it wasn’t long before that wasn’t a problem.
To our paid-every-other readers: What tactics or routines did you adopt to avoid having your paychecks be spent upon arrival? Photo by RichieC. Personal Finance Management on a Biweekly Pay Schedule [The Simple Dollar]
Earlier this week, Jason de-mystified the process of styling your Windows system with custom themes, along with the tweaks needed to pull it off. Those Windows Vista users who just can’t commit to patching, finding and copying themes, however, might find comfort in Vista Visual Master, a free, all-in-one tool for opening up your Vista system to themes, downloading and installing them, and tweaking tons of other graphical elements, including icons, your log-on picture, boot screen, and more. Read on for a peek at how Vista Visual Master can mold your system to your liking and make theming easy.
