Scaling Up: First Paid Software or Freelancer for Indie Budgets?

Hey everyone,

I'm deep into pre-production on a narrative short, roughly in the $80k range, and I'm trying to be strategic with our expenditures. On our micro-budget shorts, we've always leaned heavily on free tools like DaVinci Resolve for editing/coloring and even some Blender work for basic previz. We shot our last short on an ALEXA Mini with a couple of Forza 500 IIs, and while it looked great, the post-production workflow was held together with sheer determination and a lot of late nights.

Now, with a bit more budget, I'm wondering what the absolute first paid software license or dedicated freelance role would make the biggest impact. Is it worth shelling out for something like an Adobe CC subscription if we're doing complex graphics, or should we be looking at a dedicated colorist or sound designer first? I'm trying to avoid just buying tools we might not fully utilize right away.

What's the best bang-for-your-buck investment when transitioning from micro-budget to a small indie budget production?