Every business has to face challenges initially during the Startup stages. There are lot of factors to be concentrated on while investing money during these stages. It becomes inevitable to invest on certain office supplies that become a basic requirement of every office.
Here are a few tips to cut the cost of these office supplies and save money for other major expenses involved in business.
1. Research
Do some research online or enquire with the other companies dealing with similar businesses regarding the requirements, cost involved and how to save on the supplies. Also, try asking successful businessmen if they would share their experiences, as long as they don’t feel competed.
2. Try generic products
Branded supplies might cost you higher due to their prestigious names. Rather, there are various generic products which are even better than branded supplies in quality, yet cost-effective. Purchase these for considerably lesser price and save money!!
3. Buy in Bulk
Every office needs certain stationery items, especially paper, in bulk. It is a benefit to purchase it in bulk and cut down on the overall rates. Find a store or supplier, where you can get discount coupons on office supplies & stationery
if purchased in bulk. Make sure you don’t overspend or waste the supplies.
4. Utilise Reward cards
Some office supply chains like Office Max, Staples, Best Buy, etc. offer reward cards, discounts and coupons on every purchase. You can sign up for their free reward saving cards on which the points earned could be redeemed for discounts.
5. Reuse and recycle
You can always reuse and recycle the ink cartridges used in the printers. It is an economical and an environment-friendly initiative, without any compromise in quality. Smarter way is to opt for a small printer which has additional features like scanning, email etc.
6. Furniture for office
Purchase good quality furniture so that they need not be replaced time and again. Moreover, it is better to have some extra chairs and desks as backup. Look for them on sites like Craigslist or Freecycle to avail discounts or purchase furniture even for free. You can also look for used furniture which are in good condition in order to reduce cost.
7. Stationery
Stationery like pens, pencils, staplers and others need to be easily available to every employee at office. It may be ordered in bulk and distributed to the employees. At the same time, keep an account of how much is used and how much is actually needed. This prevents unnecessary overspending on these items. That said, you should buy using discount coupon sites like Couponobox, a one stop solution for all your office supplies.
8. Shop online
Usually a lot of online stores offer stationery at a lower cost. Try shopping at Staples or Office Max. They ship from local stores for free and deliver the office supplies within a day or two. They also offer seasonal discounts when the stationery is purchased in bulk.
9. Reducing taxes
Self-employed businessmen get deductions from their taxable income if they show expenses on certain office supplies like stationery, printer cartridges etc. for their businesses. These count as allowable expenses thus reducing taxes.
10. Reward your employees
Announce a reward or incentivise your employees for using the office supplies efficiently. This will not only encourage them to avoid wastage, but will also save your investment.
Use the above tips to smartly save your expenses on office supplies. Save money and utilize it efficiently for various other important requirements for your business.