????本文為與《創業者》雜志的合作內容。原文最初發表于Entrepreneur.com。

????創業公司常常誤入歧途，把錢花在一些無關緊要的事情上，這早已不是什么秘密，只是創業者會犯的眾多錯誤之一。

????盡管有些花銷純屬多余，但這并不意味著你在每項潛在成本上都要當個小氣鬼。實際上，有些開銷是必不可少的，做一名創業者，你必須要學會辨識。

????以下就是10件你絕對該花錢的事，以及另外10件根本不該浪費錢的事：

????十大必不可少的開銷

????1、商業計劃。關于在商業計劃上該不該花錢坊間一直爭議頗多，但在我看來，明確企業的發展目標以及實現路徑，對做生意來說是不可或缺的。

????2、市場調研。在明確知道有客戶打算購買前，絕不要投資生產。知道你所處的市場有什么需求，以及如何滿足這種需求對成功至關重要。

????3、首席財務官或會計師。一個好的首席財務官或會計為你省的錢往往比你付給他們的薪水多得多。他們能讓你在花錢時考慮周全，幫你規劃投資并搞清投資回報率。

????4、請那些比你重要的人物吃午餐。這是來自李嘉誠的人生經驗，也是建立人脈的秘訣。它帶給你的收獲要遠遠高于一頓飯錢。

????5、法律咨詢。盡管有些服務既無必要又貴到你難以消受，但法律咨詢是個例外，幾乎所有創業者都需要不同程度的法律咨詢。不管是基本的公司文本，還是理解各種責任條款，一開始就付費購買好的法律咨詢服務，能讓你避免日后為天價訴訟案買單。

????6、稅務專才。自己做稅會讓你浪費無數本可以用來經營企業的寶貴時間。聘一位稅務專業人員來獲得這方面必要的建議，到報稅時你就能高枕無憂了。

????7、客戶服務。人們經常說，只賣東西，不提供服務，就像把錢放在一個會漏的口袋里。客戶服務是你公司非常有利可圖的一塊業務，投資自然有回報。

????8、營銷和品牌。這塊支出豐儉由人。別毫無必要地浪費錢，但花錢做一些目標明確，效果可以衡量的推廣活動，是非常明智的。

????9、公關外包。這類服務該不該花錢也備受爭議，但請記住，我認為創業者需要有針對性地購買一些效果可衡量的公關服務。作為創始人，你的時間很寶貴，沒必要浪擲在那些請別人代勞更劃算的事上。

????10、技術支持。一般來說，把花在建網站和維護服務器上的時間用來服務客戶，你會獲得更大的價值。外聘技術支持，把自己的時間更好地用在別處吧。

????十大能免則免的開銷

????1、昂貴的訂閱服務。很多時候，項目管理軟件和其他訂閱軟件服務都有更便宜或免費的替代品。平時用它們就行了，除非你確定自己需要那些只有付費軟件才能提供的功能。

????2、昂貴的服飾。別為了圖個面子，弄得自己破產。穿著打扮顯得職業化是很重要，但如果你足夠精明，穿一些不那么貴的服飾也能達到同樣的效果。

????3、高檔辦公室。人人都想擁有一間豪華的辦公室，但要想打造這樣一個華麗空間就得不停地砸錢。先把精力放到做成業務上——豪華辦公室這件事可以先緩緩。

????4、高檔裝備。和所有人一樣，你可能也想買最新最好的技術裝備，但這并不意味著它是有用的支出。你應該只買那些真正需要，而且價廉物美的東西。

????5、還沒準備好就急著招兵買馬。當個老板，看著員工團隊不斷壯大，是挺有意思的，但如果你的業務基礎還不牢固，這么做就是在白白扔錢。可以先外包一些工作，只有在招聘員工符合成本效益原則時，再招兵買馬也不遲。

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????This post is in partnership with Entrepreneur. The article below was originally published atEntrepreneur.com.

????It’s no secret that startups often fall into the trap of spending money on things that aren’t that important — it’s just one of the many mistakes that entrepreneurs can make.

????However, the fact that some expenses are unnecessary doesn’t mean that you need to be a cheapskate whenever you encounter a potential cost. In fact, some expenses are absolutely necessary, and as an entrepreneur, it’s essential that you know the difference.

????Here’s a list of 10 things that you absolutely must spend money on, followed by 10 things you definitely shouldn’t:

????10 essential expenses

????1. A business plan. There’s a lot of controversy regarding business plans, but in my opinion, knowing where you’re going and how you’re going to get there isn’t optional in business.

????2. Market research. Never spend money on production before you know that you have customers ready to buy. Knowing what your market needs and how you can meet that need is essential for success.

????3. A CFO or accountant. A good CFO or accountant can save you more money than you’ll spend on him or her by holding you accountable for spending and helping you plan your investments and understand your return on investment.

????4. Buying lunch for those more important than you. An awesome life lesson from the richest man in Asia, this tip is all about networking. The cost of a single lunch is worth far more.

????5. Legal advice. While unnecessary services cost you money you can’t afford, nearly all startup entrepreneurs require some level of legal advice. Whether it’s basic incorporation paperwork or understanding liability issues, pay for good advice from the start so that you aren’t stuck with the big bills of legal settlements later on.

????6. Tax professionals. Doing your own taxes wastes countless hours that could be better spent on your business. Hire a tax professional, get the advice you need, and rest easy in April.

????7. Customer service. It’s been said that sales without service is like putting money into a pocket with a hole in it. Customer service is an extremely profitable portion of your company, and it pays to invest in it.

????8. Marketing and branding. Again, this business need can be done well and it can be done poorly. Don’t aste money unnecessarily, but do spend wisely on targeted, measurable campaigns.

????9. Outsourced PR. This one is controversial as well, but keep in mind that I’m advocating tailored spending on measurable results. Your time as a founder is too valuable to spend on activities that others can handle for you in a profitable way.

????10. Technical support. As a rule, the hours you’d spend doing your own website and server maintenance would be far better spent serving your customers. Hire technical support and put your time to better use elsewhere.

????10 expenses to avoid

????1. Expensive subscription-based services. Many times, project management software and other subscriptions have cheaper or free alternatives. Use them until you’re sure you need the features only a paid solution can provide.

????2. Expensive clothes. Don’t let your ego put you out of business. It’s important to look professional, but you can do so fairly cheaply if you’re smart about how you shop.

????3. A fancy office. Everyone wants a plush office, but the expenses involved in creating this business oasis can add up quickly. Focus on your business’s success first — the office can wait.

????4. Expensive equipment. Like anybody, you may want to buy the latest and greatest technology, but that doesn’t mean it’s a useful business expense. Purchase only what you truly need, and do so as economically as possible.

????5. Staffing before you’re ready. It’s fun to be an employer and to watch your startup grow, but if your business isn’t ready, you’re just wasting money. Outsource first, and only bring on employees if it makes financial sense to do so.

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