ToolSelf Blog
Guides on taxes, finance, business, and practical tools for freelancers and everyone.
10 Free Online Tools Every Small Business Owner Should Bookmark
A curated list of free calculators and converters that save real time when you run a business solo.
CSS Gradients: Linear vs Radial vs Conic Explained
Three gradient functions in CSS, three completely different effects. Plus the syntax tricks that actually look professional.
Base64 vs Hex vs URL Encoding: When to Use Which
Three encodings, three purposes. Picking the wrong one bloats payloads or breaks parsing.
Compound Interest: How Your Money Grows Over Time
Einstein called compound interest the eighth wonder of the world. Even small investments can become substantial given time.
How to Compress PDFs Without Losing Quality
Most PDF bloat comes from over-sampled embedded images. Smart compression resamples those without touching the text layer.
SaaS Pricing Models: How to Price Your Subscription
Flat-rate vs tiered vs usage-based pricing. Which model works best for your SaaS product? Here's how to decide.
PITI: The 4 Things Inside Your Mortgage Payment
Principal, Interest, Taxes, Insurance — and PMI and HOA if applicable. Most buyers underestimate the last three.
Handling Client Disputes: Payment Terms & Late Invoices
Not all clients pay on time. Here's how to set clear terms upfront, follow up professionally, and handle non-payment.
Customer Acquisition Cost: How Much Does a Customer Cost?
CAC tells you how much you're spending on marketing to gain each customer. If CAC is too high, your business model breaks.
Time Tracking: Billable Hours & Timesheet Best Practices
Accurate time tracking is essential for billing clients correctly. Here's how to track billable hours and avoid disputes.
Cash Flow Management: Don't Run Out of Money
Profit ≠ cash. You can be profitable but run out of money if you don't manage cash flow. Here's how to stay solvent.
Fibonacci Sequence: From Rabbits to the Golden Ratio
Each term is the sum of the previous two. The ratio of consecutive terms converges on phi — the golden ratio.