My first business coach told me, “You have to spend money to make money.” But the biggest mistake I made when I was starting out was buying a bunch of expensive systems I never used.

Honestly, I should have started my virtual assistant business on a shoestring budget. I mean, all you really need to start working as a VA is a computer and internet connection. I needed experience, not another online course. I needed a mentor who knew about being a virtual assistant, not a mindset coach.

It wasn’t until I took it all back to basics and trusted myself that I was able to find success and actually turn a profit. This week, I was chatting with a new VA about how overwhelming it can be to figure out what to invest in when you’re just starting out. It started me thinking about where I would start if I could do it all again.

Here’s the three systems you can use to start your virtual assistant business on a shoestring:

1. Billing

This one’s a no-brainer, right? This is as much about your internal workflow as it is how you collect payment. You must have a time tracking program like Toggl so you can keep track of how much time you’re spending on tasks. Determine up front whether you’ll bill hourly or using retainers. And get clear about what will happen when someone doesn’t pay their invoice. (It WILL happen so you need to think about it now.)

Once those pieces are in place, I recommend setting up a business PayPal account for your payment system. It makes invoicing easy and accepting payment seamless. It doesn’t take forever for payments to clear and the fees are comparable to other platforms. (Don’t forget that transaction fees are deductible as a business expense on your taxes!)

While a CRM system that can handle contracts, billing, and time tracking is great, it’s not an investment you need to make right away. Save yourself the money and cobble together the system until your cash flow is more consistent.

3. Marketing

When you’re starting out, you have to nail your marketing to succeed. Unless you have graphic design experience, I recommend using a free program like Canva to create social media graphics, business cards, and your proposals. One of the first recurring expenses I had in my business was my Canva Pro subscription but it’s not necessary up front.

I also recommend using a scheduling tool to make social media marketing easier. Buffer has a great free plan that you can use to schedule posts on your Instagram account, LinkedIn profile, or Facebook page. Potential clients will check you out on social media so don’t make the mistake of putting this one off.

3. Project Management

As someone who struggles with brain fog, I have to have a spot to keep track of all the moving pieces for my client’s projects. I started out with Trello and still use it personally. It’s so easy to learn and set up to meet your needs. It’s also a space that you can share with clients to share documents and deadlines.

Personally, I moved to ClickUp when I started working with teams. (They have a great free option too when you’re just starting.) It’s easier to create templates for recurring tasks which is a real time saver. I also love that you can shift how you view your projects from a traditional list to Kanban boards that mirror what I love about Toggl.

Whatever system you choose, make sure that you’re using it consistently. I actually have ClickUp as my homepage when I open Chrome so it’s the first thing I see in the morning. Getting into this habit now will make it so much easier for you in the long run.