Hi everyone,
I am just setting up to start my journey as a VA (whilst working part time as an EA).
I am slowly geting there with my website and logo. Have read lots and am now at the point I need to start looking for a laptop (with Microsoft office packages) so I can really forge ahead with planning and budgeting.
Any recommendations for me would be really appreciated.
Thanks in advance, Jen
Have you got a budget in mind and are you needing it for anything else other than office work?
Hi Jen - congratulations on starting your journey!
I use an MS Surface laptop which suits me perfectly as it performs really well but is very lightweight at the same time. I have the full MS365 suite installed on it and it has never let me down yet!
I would really recommend using Computer Exchange as they will offer refurbed laptops which are just as good as new but for half the price. I’ve been using my current one for 4 years now and it’s still just as good as the day I bought it from them.
They rate their products from A to C - the A rating being as good as new and still in original packaging, B rating is as good as new but maybe some almost unnoticeable cosmetic blemishes and no original packaging and C being slightly more wear and tear but still in perfect working order. I always go for the B rating products as they are the best value and work just like a new product.
Good luck with everything! I started my VA about a year ago now and I finally launched in December and I’ve signed my first two clients already - it’s such an exciting journey 
Hi Jen - good luck with getting started!
I use an HP Envy - not cheap but I really rate it and I think it’s worth it. Mine had a burnt-out speaker at the start but I think that was just a very unlucky one-off and was easily fixed!!
I plug mine into a desktop screen and use a proper keyboard and mouse to save my back, neck etc- but great to have the option to take the laptop out the house as well
Hi Jen,
Not so much laptop advice, this relates to your comment about Microsoft Office. I use an alternative free program called WPS Office. It looks and feels almost exactly like Office, with versions of Word, Excel & Powerpoint and a PDF reader. I’ve been using it probably for 2-3 years now and don’t notice the difference when switching to Office programs when working at a client’s. I made the switch after Excel, once-too-often lost about 2 hours of my work when it crashed! With WPS Office it syncs to the cloud and on the very rare occasion it has crashed (or more often, Windows 10 has decided to do an update whilst my computer was asleep, and closed all my programs!), when I re-open WPS Office, it picks up where I left off.
I would recommend giving it a try.
I am not affiliated with WPS Office in any way, I stumbled across it when looking for a suitable alternative on line and since then I’ve been very happy with it.
So don’t worry about a laptop with Office installed as you can install WPS Office yourself, for free.
I hope this is of use.
Helen.
Helens Desk Bookkeeping & Admin Services
Helen, thank you so much for your recommendation - this is super helpful.
I really do appreciate you taking the time and trouble to respond to me.
Jen
Hi Tiffany,
I went for a HP Envy in the end so than you.
As you said they are not cheap but I am hoping it will last me for a while now.
I really appreciate you taking time out to message me - thank you so much, Jen
Thank you so much for your message - really appreciate. This forum is great for sharing and asking questions.
Ahhh, you’re so welcome! I remember choosing mine and it was so overwhelming - so much choice!! - so really glad to have helped out. Hope you like yours as much as I do mine!