I just received this great information, and thought it would be helpful for you freelancers out there, especially since it's World Entrepreneur Day:

The most recent annual report from Upwork and the Freelancers Union found that more people than ever are choosing to freelance, up to 55 million this year, or 35% of the total U.S. workforce.

Many factors are contributing to a surge in the gig economy like the growing costs of opening a business (office space, utilities, payroll, etc.) to employees seeking flexibility, but one thing remains the same: contract workers do not receive access to the same benefits that full-time employees working for companies do.

The following freelance-friendly services and tools give freelancers a leg up within the expensive major cities where they’re often based:

• SPENT Money: SPENT Money helps freelancers save time and money by organizing business and personal transactions, capturing and storing receipts, submitting expenses while earning cash back on daily purchases.

• Taxfyle: Taxfyle removes the hassle of finding the right tax professional for your specific needs. The app matches your tax profile to a network of tax professionals to ensure you receive expert service of a credentialed tax professional this season, at the lowest rates possible.

• Breather: Breather creates an environment for freelancers to meet outside that isn’t a home, office or coffee shop. A Breather space helps you punctuate your work life, allowing you to meet, work and focus without distraction.

• Shapr: Networking should be a joyful experience and Shapr helps freelancers connect with like minded individuals through tagged interested, locations and professional experience.