subject: 5 Ways Small Business Owners Can Save Money [print this page] Theres no doubt that owning your own business is hard work. There are many facets that determine your business success or failure, and money is undoubtedly one of the biggest. The old saying coined by Ben Franklin, state a penny saved is a penny earned. The concept of savings is especially important in times where money earned in down and profits are scare. Here are a few tips to assist small business owners in their plight to save money.
1) Spend only when absolutely necessary. In times where profits are down and the business is hurting financially, it makes sense to have stringent regulations over how much is spent and what it is spent on. Obviously, cutting back on business office supplies and office janitorial supplies could cause a few problems as far as the offices functionality goes, but just keep a keen eye over how much is being spent and make sure that money is only being used on the essential business office supplies.
2) Buy used, discount, and refurbished whenever possible. There are tons of places that specialize in refurbished and used office furniture. So instead of shelling out thousands for new office furniture that you really need, why not just buy refurbished or used? In addition to saving money, youre saving the environment by reusing and repurposing goods that would otherwise be thrown away. As mentioned previously, business office supplies are essential to office productivity, so when budgets are being slashed, supplies are the first thing to take a hit. But instead of slashing the supplies budget, you can always buy discount office supplies. There are plenty of discount office supplies that are available through convenient online retailers.
3) Keep an eye on energy usage. Energy costs is one area of business ownership that can be easy to get under control if youre diligent. There are auto-set thermostats and automatic light switches that can be used to conserve energy, and in turn, save you money. Although it may be hard to tell, the little things do add up. Encourage your employees to turn off their computers when they go for the night and especially when theyre gone for the weekend. Switch to energy efficient light bulbs, recycle, etc.
4) Consider leasing. Office appliances like copiers and faxes can be extremely expensive and almost unrealistic for a small business to have. Copy machine leasing is a feasible option for many small business owners looking to save big. In addition, maintenance is often included in copy machine leases. With this option, its best to negotiate the lease carefully and determine the best price for you that is congruous to the product youre looking to lease.
5) Plan shippings and mailings. Take advantage of bulk transactions by scheduling your shipping, mailing or delivery. If you need to deliver products to customers, you can always arrange to deliver once or twice a week to save on shipping costs like truck rental, and other delivery expenses. The post office offers special rates for bulk mailings, so if your shipping items out, so scheduling could be imperative to saving a few bucks.
