Top Tools

Below you’ll find many of the top tools that I use and ABSOLUTELY love in order to manage and grow my blog, social media, and content creation. All of these resources are not only valuable, but they are also either FREE to use or budget-friendly. That’s how I roll! This way you can quickly and easily discover great tools all in one place that you can use for yourself – and potentially save lots of your hard-earned cash in the process. So, without a doubt I know that they will help you as much as they have and continue to help me.

Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that I may get a commission if you choose to use these resources. But you do not pay any more or less because of an affiliate link. A small percentage of the sale goes to the person who has generated the link. These are all products that I use myself and highly recommend. I don’t put anything on this page that I haven’t verified and/or personally used myself.

Blog Software

For anyone looking to start a blog or website in an affordable or budget-friendly way, I highly recommend using Bluehost for your hosting. To date, I have hosted 3 blogs and one website on Bluehost. It is the only hosting provider that I have ever used, and most likely will ever use, for very good reason – their customer service is top-notch, and the service itself has never let me down. Launching with their 1-click WordPress installation is very simple and straightforward as well. With Bluehost, you have a safe, effective and affordable way to make sure that your site is always up and running.

When I first began this blog, I knew that I didn’t have the money to invest in Convertkit; the email provider that most bloggers swear by. I had tried the free 14-day trial previously, but to fork up $25 each month to manage an email list of zero was just something I could not do. So, after lots of research, I discovered MailerLite – AND COULD NOT BE HAPPIER! I am so happy (and relieved) that I started this blog with MailerLite because it is free for up to 1000 subscribers, and you are allowed to send 12,000 emails each month as well. No worries. No hassle. No stress. Just simplicity. They also have great templates for your emails and landing pages that are extremely easy to create yourself. Once you’re ready to upgrade, or reach the 1000 subscriber threshold, it is still very budget-friendly compared to other email providers.

Content Creation Software

This is the bombdigity!! This graphic design software has been the perfect discovery for a design-challenged person like me. I use Canva to create all of my Pinterest pins, presentation slides, ebook covers, ebooks, thumbnails, Instagram stories, Instagram feed posts…and SO MUCH MORE! I use it for literally any and everything to do with graphics and creativity for my blog and content creation. It’s powerful, easy, and free to use, but if you wish to access all of its goodies, it’s only $9.95 per month. To me, that’s still a great bargain for how much Canva can do for you and how many times you will be using this software. With Canva by your side, you will build a beautiful personal brand.

This is where I go to explore and purchase my WordPress themes and other digital products. I love exploring this site because all of their assets are of high quality, made by professional designers, and can meet every need you may have. Bring your digital ideas to life with video footage, WordPress  themes, eCommerce templates, landing page templates, email templates, and lots more! With Envato, you save time with these customizable templates, thereby creating niche, unique projects that scream YOU! So many of these themes and templates are extremely affordable as well. So whether you have a big budget, or small, you can find what you need for your project. I have loved every WordPress theme I’ve purchased here, including the one I’m using right now.

Creative Market is another big one! I come here for all of my unique fonts, feminine stock pictures, more social media graphics, and graphic bundles. But you can find so much more there for your needs. It’s so easy to get stuck on Creative Market, scrolling for hours, because there are so many beautiful designs on this site, created by talented designers. And what’s more, they also send FREE goodies to your email as well once you sign up. Woo!

Helium 10 is a powerful software that I swear by for selling on Amazon (and everywhere else). With Helium 10 you can easily manage and grow an ecommerce business without going anywhere else. I use this for developing ideas for my ebooks, journals and other digital products. I even use it to find keywords for my blog posts. And that’s what I love most about this software – you can literally bulk-search different keywords, and find thousands in seconds! But if you’re interested in eCommerce, and selling on Amazon, The Helium 10 Suite of products is a must for your product research, keyword research, product listing strategy and the overall management of your ecommerce biz. Use the coupon code “INHERWORLDS50” for 50% off your first month of Helium 10

Social Media Software

I swear by Planoly for my Instagram Scheduling. Not only is it very simple and easy to use, it is FREE (with the option for you to upgrade). You can use Planoly for scheduling other social media sites such as Pinterest, Facebook, and Twitter, which is awesome, but I mainly use it to draft, plan, schedule and automate most of my Instagram posts with ease. With Planoly I can just set it and forget it – which I love! I save time, I save energy, and I still build my personal brand and my bond with my audience, even if I’m not physically on Instagram.

If you’re impatient like me and wish to blow up your blog or website presence online as fast as possible, then you need to add Tailwind to your toolbox. This is another software program that I just love! It allows you to schedule and automate the marketing of your Pinterest pins. Plus, once you join Tailwind Tribes, you can directly share your pins, and the pins of other bloggers to your Tribe group members. This means more eyes directly on your content. Looking at your analytics also allows you to see which pins are working, and which aren’t. So say goodbye to manual pinning forever. Tailwind can help you save a lot of time, and grow exponentially all at the same time.

Productivity & Protection

This app is a must for distraction-free productivity when I’m focused on writing. This app and website blocker helps me put my head down and GET TO WORK! So if you get distracted easily or lose momentum on your projects, Freedom can help you reclaim your focus and productivity fast by removing your favourite social media, shopping and gaming websites (to name a few) for as long as you want. If you want to gain back control over your work and work ethic, then Freedom is for you. Now, stop playing around with your goals!

Surfshark VPN is the VPN service that I use to protect myself online. I LOVE this software! Not only is it affordable, but it is easy to set up, very attractive and easy to use. I use it on my laptop, iPhone, and tablet in order to secure the work and research that I do. This way, I can stay private and protected online every day as I use the internet to gather resources from around the world for my blog, social media and general content creation. Again, no hassle and no stress. Instead, you’re kept safe from data thieves, malware and phishing, and identity theft whenever you switch it on via the app or Google extension. If you don’t like it, the great thing is that you have a 30-day free trial in which to try it out and make up your mind.

Inspiration & Motivation

Best Self is one of the top tools for personal development. This is an absolutely amazing website that I encourage you to explore. This is where you can find self-help journals, self-help planners, discovery decks for topics such as intimacy, courage and decision-making, action-taking roadmaps, courses, challenges and lots more – all in an effort to help you become your best self. As a staunch advocate of personal development, self-growth and self-care, I trust this site to help me become the highest version of myself, and I know that it can help you too. You won’t regret diving into their resources.

I Need Motivation is a top-notch site for finding soothing hypnosis and subliminal CDs, DVDs and Downloads tailored to enriching every area of your life. With over 500 resources, you can find therapy for stress relief, controlling a smoking habit, wealth, success, memory enhancement, weight los, self-confidence, and so much more. If you’re dealing with a situation right now that you want to overcome, these resources can help you find a solution to your problems.

With a mission statement like “Small Books. Big Impact”, you get the jist of what Simple Truths is all about. It provides you with high-quality, inspirational and motivational quick reads that you can get done within 30-45 minutes. Simple Truths knows that we are busy people who don’t have the time to sit and read hundreds of pages just to learn one thing. So they condense topics, making it easy for you to digest what you need. Whether you are looking for advice on teamwork, leadership, productivity, inspiration, motivation, or anything else, you will find a book that can positively impact your life and make a difference in the way you live in less than one hour.