Given the European debt crisis, hunger in very poor countries, rising unemployment rates even in developed nations, no doubt, the world is in economic turmoil. There’s no telling when this is going to bottom out, therefore, the constant need to save.
If you’re a penny-pincher just like the rest of us, here are 10 of the best niche websites that give you value for your money while not compromising quality of service: (this list is not in any particular order)
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1 – Bitrix24.com
If you’re a business owner, you know that CRM can do wonders. Couple that with an intranet system that keeps your employees engaged and constantly in the loop, and you’re poised for success. The bad news is that corporate intranets cost thousands of dollars, and most small businesses can’t afford them. Bitrix24 comes with a free package for startups with just about 12 people in its roster. It’s built with a fully functional CRM system, real-time streaming, photo sharing, e-mail, activity planning, sales funnel, etc. If your business has more than 12 people, subscription is at $99 per month.
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2 – JetRadar.com
If you want to save on air travel, low-cost carriers are the way to go. Websites like Expedia and CheapFlights are household names for online ticketing sites that offer cheap air fare. But the problem with these sites, they may not always have the cheapest possible air fare deals. Individual airline carriers still want to keep their best to themselves through their own corporate websites. Pitching their best deals to third-party comparison websites increases their risk of losing customers to peers. But startup JetRadar is out to put a stop to this practice. JetRadar is a meta search engine that searches through flight sites, ticketing sites and all 728 individual airline sites for the cheapest possible air fare and make them publicly available.
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3 – PickyDomains.com
In business, it all starts with a name. And the name you choose for your company has a lot of branding and advertising implications, hence, the need for cautious consideration. Giant corporations employ people to come up with the best name for a brand or service they wish to launch, without any consideration to the professional fee and length of time these creative people are to get the job done. But what if you’re not a giant? With PickyDomains, a team of over $55,000 contributors, for just a fee of $50 (slogans cost $75), you get thousands of suggestions for a name matching your specific considerations. And if you don’t like any of the suggestions, you can ask for a refund.
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4 – HootSuite.com
Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Foursquare, Pinterest – you name it, a business most probably got it. Well, who can blame them? Social media is the way to go nowadays. But sometimes, managing through each of these social platforms can be burdensome and time-consuming. HootSuite is a social media platform that allows businesses and organizations to manage their different social media campaigns in a single web-based dashboard. HootSuite subscription can either be free or paid. HootSuite’s Pro package starts at $9.99 per month.
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5 – eWorky.com
If you’re a freelancer needing temporary workspace, where will you go? If you’re an average-sized business needing high-tech infrastructure with an averaged-sized budget, what will you do? And if you’re a business owner with extra space, will you stuff your space with broken equipment and empty boxes? eWorky is a collaborative search platform for people in need of temporary workspaces. It has a broad pool of businesses providing all types of workspaces for different types of people and professions. Booking can be done daily, weekly, monthly, or longer, if necessary.
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6 – RetailMeNot.com
Coupons are a blessing, especially for bargain hunters. RetailMeNot is an online platform where users track, rate and share coupons. The site has the best and most recent collection of coupons, and with an active community of coupon hunters, you’ll know which coupons are still active and greatly recommended. So before you go ahead and do some online shopping, it won’t hurt to check out the site first.
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7 – iSpionage.com
If a business is to survive a cut-throat marketplace, business owners should at all times be aware of what the competition is up to. Unfortunately, marketing tools and services that do exactly this may cost a pile of money, which is unfortunate for small businesses. iSpionage is a web tool that “spies” on the competition. It monitors competitor ads and campaigns, affiliate movements and bridges search engine gaps. The moment competitor activity is detected, a message finds its way into your inbox immediately. Monthly subscription is at $59.
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8 – Logaster.com
A business without a logo is a business without a face. Professional logo designers, however, may come with a high price. And even crowdsourcing sites may charge way beyond what you are willing to shell out. Regardless of your designing aptitude, with Logaster, you can create your own logo for free. And with a monthly subscription fee of $5, you get other features like professional-looking letterheads, envelopes, business cards, etc.
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9 – HomeAway.com
If you’re out on vacation and looking for a place to stay, HomeAway.com can be an option. With over 300,000 vacation rentals to choose from, all you need to do is book a place, pay the down payment and you’re ready to take off. If you’re a property owner, with HomeAway, you can put up your unused property for lease.
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10 – Groupon.com
When people think of group-buying sites, Groupon is what instantly comes to mind. Coined from the phrase “group coupon,” Groupon features gift certificates on discounts. Groupon’s deal-the-day competitors include LivingSocial, Saveology and Gilt City. Counterparts in the Philippines include Deal Grocer, Metro Deal, BUYanihan and a whole lot more.
Contributor
Maricel is a blogger and freelance writer covering a broad array of topics. She regularly writes for Career Mom Online.
