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10 Tips for Saving Money on Common Business Items and Necessities

By: Cara Aley

 

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As a small business, you should be penny pinching at every possible angle. Here, we’ll provide ten sharp ways in which to do save money on your business operations.

 
Office supplies
 
Consider going to sites that provide small business with deals on everything from paper towels to chairs to staplers to printers. Sites like RapidBuyr provide up to 40% off on critical office supplies.
 
Office furniture
 
As a small business, you are unlikely to need brand-new furniture. Instead, opt for used cubicles, desks, and chairs. You’ll save big!
 
Job postings
 
If you’re hiring, you know there are the expensive job posting options (Monster.com for up to $400!) and the less expensive job posting options (craigslist.org for $75). Consider seeking out industry-specific job boards, as well, as those tend to be on the less pricey side.
 
Office software
 
Microsoft Office, which you only used to be able to buy for somewhere in the neighborhood of $200-$400 per license, is now able to be rented! Office 365 allows you to rent five licenses of Office for $100/year total. Those licenses can be used on PCs, Macs, or tablets—your choice.
 
Cheap team lunches
 
Building team morale with events like team meals is important.  If you are going to host such an event, consider ordering pizza or from Subway.  Free food is always appreciated by the team, and it doesn’t have to be pricey.
 
Discounted laptops
 
Sites like RetailMeNot always have great deals on things like laptops and printers.
 
Conference calling
 
Don’t pay for a dial-in number, as some services would have you do. Use a service like FreeConferenceCall.com and get a dial-in number you can use long-term.
 
Backup
 
It’s critical that every business has a good backup plan for its data and documents. Many services like Box and Dropbox charge in the arena of $9.99/month to hold your data. Opt for a service that is free and just as good—JustCloud.com. There is also a free mobile app, and the service is cloud-based
 
Note: Make sure your data is safe by going with a reliable service. The last thing you want is to have a client’s sensitive and confidential information compromised, causing you to have to pay big bucks on a prominent attorney to take your case.
 
Hotels
 
Instead of staying in an expensive hotel, consider using Airbnb the next time you travel. Another option for finding great hotel deals is Hotel Tonight, which has last-minute hotels deals from hotels that have excess inventory.
 
Transportation
 
Lyft is the ‘new’ cab, but is 20% cheaper than a cab! You’ve undoubtedly seen the cars with the moustaches driving around.  As long as you don’t mind riding in someone’s personal car, you can save some cash on your next airport run by using the Lyft service.
  
In short, every dollar saved is a dollar you can spend if times get tough for your business.  Use these helpful tips to rein in the spending a bit!
Published: August 30, 2013
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Cara Aley

Cara Aley is a freelance writer who covers a variety of topics ranging from digital marketing strategy to the life and times of various prominent businesspeople. She ran her own small business for almost three years and now runs operations for a startup with six employees.

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