10 money saving tips for your office
POSTED 30 Jan 2012

We talk lots about saving time to generate revenue for your business, which of course is one of the first things you need to do in these economic times but on the flip side, there are also things that you could do in your office to save money straight away.  Take a look at these:

1. 1. Buy compatible printer cartridges. Printer inks, especially brand inks are very expensive.  Try good quality compatibles which will give you quality print at a fraction of the cost.
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3. 2. Check out VoIP. VOIP is basically a phone service that uses the Internet. Many small businesses are opting for this cheaper alternative which could save you heaps on your normal telephone costs.
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5. 3. Lighten up. If possible, repaint your dark walls or lighten up your office space with pictures to reduce the amount of lighting energy you use.
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7. 4. Look for cheap or free web hosting. Many online providers can give cheap or free web hosting without compromising on quality or customer service.
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9. 5. Lower energy costs. Turning off electrical equipment when it is not being used can reduce energy consumption by 25 percent.  Turning off the computers at the end of the day and not leaving them on standby can save an additional 50 percent.
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11. 6. Save on marketing. Creating an e-newsletter is a much cheaper way of staying in touch with your acquired customers than creating new direct-marketing material.
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13. 7. Stop paying for software. There are some great online software packages for uses such as CRM, accounting, invoicing, time management, to name but a few that are free.  Source these out, download them and take some spare time to familiarize yourself with them.
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15. 8. Switch from a merchant account to an online payment service. Unlike merchant accounts, Paypal has no statement or monthly fees.  However, there is sometimes a higher ‘per transaction’ fee so you may need to do a review to find out if the cost saving is worth it. 
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17. 9. Use your laptop. Using your laptop instead of your desktop PC will shave £s from your energy bill.  A laptop consumes 90 percent less energy than a standard desktop computer.
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19. 10. Watch your staffing levels. Rather than paying for employees who sit idle when business is slow, consider outsourcing work during surges in activity.