Productivity Software can be a big expense with programs like MS Office Small Business Edition priced in the  $600.00 neighborhood, Adobe Photoshop standalone at $350.00 or in the Adobe Suites in the $2000.00 neighborhood, yet for the most part we are using the basic functionality of these programs. 

Some clever users try to reduce these costs by purchasing academic licenses - however legally they might as well be using a pirated copy than using an academic license for commercial purposes and are effectively wasting their money on such tactics, the reality is that is you need software for commercial purposes buy a commercial license.