5 Ways Microsoft Word Can Replace Specialist Tools for Your Side Hustle

Starting a side hustle can quickly become expensive. Indeed, there is a tool and a specialist platform for everything, from invoicing to graphic design. While these can be highly practical and may seem affordable, they are not necessarily suited to side hustlers. Indeed, once you start subscribing to enough of them, you may soon notice that your monthly business expenses exceed your profits. The median side hustle income is $200 per month, which isn’t a lot. 

When you are just starting, it makes more sense to use the tools you already have. 

Microsoft Word is already available on many laptops through a Microsoft 365 subscription or existing license. While it can’t replace every specialist business platform indefinitely, it can handle far more of your early administrative workload than you might expect.

#1 Create Contracts

Even a small side hustle can benefit from putting agreements in writing. A basic contract can establish the scope of a project, its deadlines, deliverables, payment terms, and other expectations before the work begins. 

Word gives you everything you need to prepare and format straightforward agreements. You can save a standard contract as a reusable template and customize it for individual clients. You can also create a signature in Word before exporting the finalized document as a PDF. 

Of course, Word does not replace professional legal advice when you need it. 

#2 Produce Professional Invoices

Dedicated accounting and invoicing platforms can be extremely useful, as they allow you to track payments, issue recurring invoices, and send reminders. But when you are starting your side hustle with a couple of clients, you don’t need any of these. 

Word includes invoice templates, but you can also choose to build your own. An invoice needs to include: 

• Your business and client details

• A unique invoice number

• The services provided

• The amount due

• Payment instructions and deadline

The finished invoices can be exported as a PDF before emailing them. 

#3 Make Simple Marketing Materials

You don’t always need professional graphic design software to tell people what your business offers. 

Word can create marketing materials such as flyers, price lists, service menus, and brochures. You can build these using text boxes, shapes, images, icons, and columns, which is plenty of options for a clean layout. 

It’s often enough for a small side hustle that is just getting started. 

#4 Build Client Questionnaires and Forms

New clients often need to provide information before you can start working with them. You can use Word to create an onboarding questionnaire or form that would include the same templates as those clients are used to filling out digitally: 

• Tables

• Checkboxes

• Content controls

Alternatively, these can also be printed out. 

#5 Create a Library of Reusable Business Templates

When you frequently create the same documents and provide the same information, such as project briefs, welcome packs, or proposals, it can be a good idea to create a reusable template instead of starting with a blank page every single time. 

This ensures your side hustle can have a cohesive look and feel as you establish your process. 

Naturally, this isn’t to say that specialist business tools should always be replaced by Microsoft Word functions. However, when you are just launching a small side hustle with a limited client base, there’s no need to opt for professional tools that come with business pricing.

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