Five Tools Every Freelancer Should Have

Maintaining a professional operation without breaking the bank is crucial to freelancing.   I have found these tools to be invaluable to my business and hope that you try them for yourself.  Note that some of the links below have affiliate codes in them, but I am not otherwise being asked or compensated to write reviews for these services.
 
#1 Freshbooks - No need for an accountant (at least till tax time) with Freshbooks.  Freshbooks manages your estimates, invoices, time tracking, client contact information, and expenses with an easy to understand web interface.  You can send invoices by email or standard (snail) mail.  Clients can also pay you by mail or online.  I really love the desktop based timer too.  Their prices have gone up since I singed up, but at only $19 a month this service is definitely worth it.
 
UPDATE! - I recently had to call freshbooks for some help sending an invoice by snail mail.  Upon calling their 800 number a real person immediately answered and was able to help me fix my problem in just a few seconds.  That was seriously the best customer service experience I've ever had.
 
#2 Yugma - Yugma is web conferencing software similar to GoToMeeting and WebEx.  What makes Yugma stand out to me is that it works on my Ubuntu Linux box as well as Macs.  I also find it amazing that the free version includes great tools like free teleconferencing and hosts up to 20 people.  If you do find that you need to share desktop control among users in your meetings you can sign up for under $15 a month.  Compare that to $59 for WebEx and $39 for GoToMeeting.  Only issue I have with Yugma so far is that it can be a little slow to startup, but otherwise works great.
 
#3 Drupal - No one will ever find out about you if you don't have a website.  Drupal provides a content management system with tons of great out-of-the-box features like a blog, theme system, contact forms, etc...  Drupal runs on most web hosting packages, and makes it easy for you to put together a great looking site using one of the hundreds of free themes available.  It is free too!
 
#4 DropBox - Need to share files with a client?  With dropbox you don't have to worry about passing documents back and forth via email, or someone's virus filter or storage limits blocking your attachments.  With dropbox you can share a folder on your computer with anyone you invite.  Put a file in that folder and within a few moments everyone else sharing that folder has it too.  DropBox works on Windows, Macs, and Linux.  The free version gives you up to 2GB of storage, and for only 9.99 you can get 50GB of storage.
 
#5 Linkedin - Networking and keeping in touch with past business contacts is crucial for generating ongoing business.  Linkedin is like a professional's version of facebook.  If you need references or referrals, having a strong profile on Linkedin will be invaluable.