Does everyone pay £90 a year for this?

[FrannyScraps]

For Microsoft office package?

I've just got a new laptop for work things, I'm self employed. I can't remember what I did for my desktop.

I can't really do anything on it unless I pay but it's not really a bill I ever see people talk about, along with McAfee for viruses, it's getting to be really expensive.

Like PP's @Kilroywashere @minnienono @LauraNorda @SoundedCat
I use
https://www.libreoffice.org/download/download-libreoffice/

I've used it for years. You can save in Microsoft formats and open Microsoft Word documents. I mainly use the LibreOffice spreadsheet which is the equivalent to Excel. It's completely free, download it, try it - I don't think you'll have any problems - it's been around for 14 years(!) and is regularly updated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LibreOffice

Yes, I’ve done this before, just download as a pdf

You know that you're not actually claiming back the cost when you add it as an expense to your tax return, yes? You get to not pay income tax (20%, 40% or whatever) on that amount of your profit.

How do you prove that you only use the software for work?

i just use google docs/excel etc. basically the same for my purposes

Download Libre Office it’s a free open source program. I has most of the same functionality as office and you can set the default save option to MS Word.

There are lots of things like that when you're self employed. For a start you will only ever be asked to justify anything if the tax man decides to audit you. Make your expenses look reasonable and proportionate (I claim 50% of my microsoft office subscription because I use it for both) and they're really not going to worry about it either way.

For home, I don't pay for it. I have a Microsoft 365 developer Subscription, which is free and as long as you have done some development activities, it rolls over every 3 months.

I get office and a host of other MS developer tools included.

Yup, I've been using the free Apache OpenOffice suite for a few years (has components just like MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc and is fully compatible with MS-created documents too) - I don't know why anyone would pay for MS.

How do you prove that you only use the software for work?

You don't need to prove it unless you're audited @B1indEye - and if you are, they're not going to quibble about you using a spreadsheet occasionally for your holiday budget. As long as your expenses are reasonable and justified, you're good.

You can claim it as a percentage if you use it for other things.

Eg I claim Adobe suite 100% because I wouldn't have it but for my job, but I claim my phone contract at 50% because I also use it on a day to day basis, but it is my work phone anc i wouldn't have the mord expensive contract i have were it not.

You don't need to provide proof, you're expected to be honest on your tax return because the alternative is prosecution.

Yes, I understand. The amount you claim is deducted from your gross earnings.

Are you always so patronising? People know how to do their tax returns.

My accountant said I am fine to use all of my phone bill for tax returns. I wouldn’t have such an expensive deal incl worldwide roaming if it was not for my work.

We don't, DHs work laptop has it included, and I use whatever free version my phone has for editing forms to print for the DC etc.

Actually I think lots of people think they're claiming back the entire cost

My accountant said I am fine to use all of my phone bill for tax returns. I wouldn’t have such an expensive deal incl worldwide roaming if it was not for my work.

You could be pulled up on this if you're ever audited.

You would be amazed at the number of people who are self-employed and don't understand the basics of allowable expenses. They have an accountant or a family member who does their book keeping and tax returns, and they talk shit about claiming pints in the pub as customer entertainment and they honestly believe they don't end up paying anything for it. Such fun. I have no idea what their accountants end up doing with half of the receipts they submit.

No, my work had packages you can't download to your wfh computer (my only computer) for free.

My business does everything off G Drive for free.

If your company uses it you maybe able to get a discount - I registered online and then got a certain amount off.

Not sure if this has been mentioned but look up Gamers Outlet. You can buy keys and download the software from Microsoft and then type in the passkey bought.

i have done this a few times with different software.

Double check that, mines just gone up to nearly double that.

I pay for Microsoft Office. It means that I've always got the most up to date version, and my publishers want all manuscripts submitted in Word, so it means I've always got a compatible version. Although on one of my laptops, Office won't install, so I can only use it on the other laptop. Many computer experts have tried to work out why and failed.

My package went up to over 100 this year so I downgraded and it was 74. I use it for personal stuff, not work but feel I need it so have to pay.