Ways To Stretch The Printing Budget by:Florie Lyn Masarate
Make use of the internet
Make use of the internet. Call a few local printers for estimates and look over on the internet for the best deals available. Usually the best deals can be achieved from less developed states where industrial space and labor are less expensive.
Planning ahead. This is often difficult but putting a little time into it can save you big bucks. Rush printing can add 25% to 100% on the charges. Consider the shipment. There are cases where the shipping cost exceeds the printing costs. It is better to give printers that are from far away a chance to ship your order in the most economical way possible.
Talk to your printer. Some printers specialize in paper stocks, sizes and colors. Ask them questions that will save you money.
Ask about the equipment they are using. Do they bind or do they have to bind print jobs elsewhere? If they are still sending it out, chances are the turnaround may take longer. Printing in one or two color print job on large four color press will cost more. Your choice would be to find an older and smaller press.
Make use of industry standard software programs. Many printers are only accepting certain formats. If your materials are not the correct format, they have to be redone and probably cost you more. Try to find out in advance before you create your project.
Be sure about your specifications. One of the fastest and most effective ways to waste money is to change specifications after the designs are done. It may sound simple for you but telling the designer to change the number of colors or the size of the printing job will take some time and additional payment too.
Running all printing together. If you have similar multiple print jobs run them at the same time. Inform the printer to run them together to save cost.
Die cuts. Stay away from complicated die cuts. They can be very expensive and will add extra turnaround time to your project. Many printers have standard die cuts they can give you. Ask about it.
Varnishes. Varnishes can make your material stand out from others. Besides, printers charge very little for varnish. Use spot varnish.
Paper stock considerations. Paper can be very expensive if you are not aware of what you will be using. Determine your needs and ask your printer for samples. Ask to see a sample of the house sheet. They can be less expensive.
Florie Lyn Masarate got the flair for reading and writing when she got her first subscription of the school newsletter in kindergarten. She had her first article published on that same newsletter in the third grade.