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Technology is evolving by the minute, and companies are constantly upgrading their products, making it hard for small businesses with limited funds to navigate the tech scene. How can entrepreneurs know which products will make for smart investments, which gadgets and programs will be obsolete before they get their money’s worth?

Ross Rubin, executive director of Industry Analysis, Consumer Technology at The NPD Group in New York City, said the first thing business owners should consider is what type of business they are aiming to become. If the business will run primarily from home, instead of on the go, different types of technology will be necessary to get started on the right track.

No matter what a business’ location or focus, Rubin identifies three items that will undoubtedly be money well spent: a computer, a smartphone and an all-in-one printer. These three items will run a business owner around $1,000 to start, not including a monthly data plan fee for smartphones.

“What you purchase depends on so many factors,” he told FoxBusiness. “But regardless of a lot of those decisions, these are three things that every small business needs; even small proprietors.”

Printer technology rarely changes, he said, so the only added expense will be replacing ink and toner cartridges. Smartphones, although they are constantly upgrading, have interchangeable operating systems like Apple iOS or Android, which let users keep their app purchases when upgrading to a new phone. As for PCs, Rubin said purchasing a fast computer with a powerful processor and abundant RAM, will keep it working for several years -- until the next major operating system upgrade.

Read more at the Fox Small Business Center.