How to Save Money on Office Supplies for your Business
By Andrew Yeung
As a small business owner, it is important to save money on the essentials your company needs to function. Of course, it’s a lot easier said than done. Working day-to-day, it’s very easy to overlook or underestimate the supply needs of your business over time. Here are our tips on running a small business while staying aware of this small but important aspect of the business.
Save money by buying online
As simple as it is, buying office supplies online can have a significant impact on your business. Certified online supply stores offer the most competitive prices, ship quickly and make time-consuming visits to over-priced mega-stores unnecessary. Once you know your company’s consumption habits, you can arrange for supplies to automatically ship to your company on a given service. As market conditions change, you can quickly (and easily) change supply orders. You also have the flexibility of being able to order new supplies at any time of day — even if you’re working on a project at 2 a.m.
Save money by eliminating waste and theft
Taking home a pen or two from the office seems harmless enough, but the waste adds up if every employee does this over a period of time. Even if done innocently, this is theft. Managing employees’ access to supplies (such as requiring all requests for supplies to go through managers) will lead to less theft, and less wasteful spending as a result.
Knowing Where Money Goes Saves Money!
Keeping a log of monthly supply expenses is a great way to get a clear idea of your business’ consumption patterns. Some of your company’s habits may surprise you, and may even cause you to re-evaluate your purchasing practices. For example, if you are spending quite a bit on printing cartridges every month, consider purchasing discount cartridges in bulk. Not having to go to the store every week will save you both time and money.
Buying supplies is definitely one of the more ordinary, day-to-day aspects of running a small business. At times it can seem like a hassle or overly time-consuming. But taking care of small aspects of a small business can lead to greater overall success. Just like with anything else, in business it’s the little things that count!
Do you have any tricks or tips for saving money on office supplies? What other small details of running a small business do you think influence overall success? Tell us about it in the comments!
About the Author: Andrew Yeung is president of CompAndSave, a leading online provider of premium printer ink cartridges, including remanufactured and compatible printer ink cartridges. With deals every month and a 1-year guarantee of quality, CompandSave provides an easy way for people and businesses to purchase printer ink and accessories.
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