Do you find office supplies to be a costly necessity? Are you a small office owner or entrepreneur on a budget? Check out these six easy ways to save money on office supplies, and spend your office budget on more important things.
While office supplies seem to add up and make your office outgo budget go over each month, there are ways to save money on office supplies without compromising the operation in your office.
1. Buy Office Supplies in Bulk
If you buy office supplies frequently, or if you are a small office with multiple office employees, consider buying office supplies in bulk. You can save up to 50% by buying office supply items such as pens and paper in large quantities. Just remember that storage space is at a premium in offices. Unless you have a lot of room to spare, be sure to factor this into your calculations before deciding on what kind of office supplies would work best for your needs and budget.
2. Take Advantage of Office Supply Store Sales
If you have favorite office supply stores, then check out the sale and discount areas weekly for office supplies. You can save on office supplies this way, but remember that office supplies in this area are likely close to their expiration dates or may simply not be of top quality. If you're going to use them right away, they'll work fine, but if you wait too long before using them, then they could become useless due to expiry or poor quality—just something to keep in mind.
3. Use Multi-Purpose Supplies
If you have a slew of pens, then perhaps it's time to use multi-purpose office supplies. Instead of buying lots of colored and shaped pens, try using cheap markers or pencils to save money on office supplies that don't always get used up completely each month anyway. If you have these items and others like them already in your desk drawers, make sure that they're being used regularly before throwing out any money for more expensive options!
4. Buy and Use Quality Office Supplies
While this can go against planning and forecasting expenses as far ahead as possible, it's important to remember that the most expensive office supplies don't always mean they're of good quality. You may be tempted to cut back on some items, especially if you find yourself having a lot of left-over stationery at the end of each month. By purchasing and using better quality supplies from the outset can help you avoid wasting time and money in the long run by doubling up on these kinds of purchases.
5. Go for off-Brand Office Supplies
If you're looking for good quality office supplies on a budget, then consider going with an off-brand. While these may be slightly inferior in quality at first, the price difference can help you save money in the long run if these items are used regularly and last you a long time. These office supply items are also great to use when putting together presentation packages or sending out mailings to clients, but just remember that they won't look as professional as name-brand options.
6. Calculate the Cost per Use
If you find that your office spending budget is going over each month, then perhaps it's time to take stock of how and why you're using office supplies. Some items can be used only once before being thrown out, but others like toners and paper can sometimes be used for several months at a time before expiring or becoming unusable, at least in their current state.
Before making new purchases, make sure that you are taking the time to calculate the cost per stationery use. By figuring this out ahead of time will help you know which items are worth buying at full price and which ones might be better off with other lower-cost options for the best office supplies available in bulk.
Best Office Supply Stores
If you are looking for office supply stores, you will need to make sure that you do your homework. Find out which office supply stores offer the best overall value. With office supplies being so expensive these days, it is important to be able to calculate your time as well as the price in your evaluation. “Time wasters” include: Easy online ordering, free next day delivery with no/low minimum order, convenient retail location for quick/last minute purchases, easy and hassle free return policies, error-free invoicing and credits for returns.