The Budget Smart Girl’s
Guide to Business Supplies and Resources
 If you’re a Budget Smart Girl who also runs a business or freelances,
you probably know what I mean when I say the cost of doing business
seems to be going up every day. Just last week I went to the post office
to stock up on stamps ready for the postage hike that takes place May
14th. As Budget Smart Girls and business owners we all need to look for
ways to cut costs, so here are some on line stores and resources that
might help.
Office Supplies
No matter how hard I try, I seem to go through no end of paper and
envelopes. While I try and use every last scrap of paper, I always seem
to have a ream of paper on my ‘to buy’ list. I usually shop at my local
office supply stores and even places like Target and Walgreens. Here are
some on line stores I’ve found selling just about everything you need.
And when August rolls around, even if I’m not in great need of supplies
I’ll head out to the Back to School sales and stock up on. So mark you
calendar.
www.cheapofficesupplies.com
www.cleansweepsupply.com
www.discountofficesupplies.com
www.couponmountain.com/office_products.html This site tells you
where the deals are and what coupons are available so be sure to check
it out before you head to the stores or buy on line.
Business Cards/Postcards and Brochures
Sometimes having an eye-catching business card is all you need to gain a
customer. At one time I printed my own, but never liked the quality of
the paper. Then my husband was given a business card that was made by a
company called VistaPrint. Best of all you can get some of their cards
for free, you just pay postage. I’ve always been happy with them, people
love them when I hand them out, and the choice of designs is great, even
in the free category. They also sell postcards, brochures, etc. and they
often send you deals via your e-mail so you can even get these types of
products for free too.
www.vistaprint.com
Printer Cartridges
While I’m happy with the printer I use, the price of the replacement ink
cartridges always gives me a bad case of sticker shock. I did purchase
one of those refill kits and have to say they’re not for me. I’m not
sure if I was doing something wrong, but I either got more ink on my
hands than in the cartridge, or the cartridge would print for a couple
of pages and then decide it was ready for retirement. Then I heard about
a store in my local area that refilled them for you at almost half the
cost. Unfortunately that store no longer refills the particular brand I
use, but they do sell similar ones for $5 less than I’d pay if I bought
them from the printer company. If you don’t have a similar store in your
area here are two on line companies that offer just about the same
service.
www.asapinkjets.com
www.masterinkjets.com
Time Management
When you think about time management you might not consider it an
essential part of saving money, but it is. If you’re running a business
and wasting lots of time doing stuff that’s not directly related to
marketing or actually doing work that will bring in some money, you’re
not being very budget savvy. Here is a site I’ve found that has useful
tips about running an efficient business.
www.mindtools.com
Organizing
When family members ask me what I want for Christmas or my birthday, I
often say a consultation with a professional organizer. While I haven’t
found such a gift under the tree, here are some sites I’ve discovered
that offer tools to make you think an organizing professional did step
into your office and waved a magic wand.
www.organize.com
www.onlineorganizing.com Be sure to check out the links section,
it’s a full of goodies.
General Business Help
If you’re in business you’re always going to have questions about
something, whether it’s how to get more business, or a question about
your taxes. It’s nice to know there are some sites that have some of the
answers and at no cost to you.
www.allbusiness.com
www.score.org Check
to see if there’s a local Score office in your area. My local library
has a Score volunteer visit the first Thursday in the month to answer
any questions and help you run your business more efficiently.
www.morebusiness.com
The Budget Smart Girl’s Tip
Have you ever thought of shopping at garage sales for supplies for your
business? Lots of salesman who have overstocked items or items they no
longer sell hold garage sales to get rid of these unwanted items. I’ve
bought items like folders, file cases, and organizers at bargain prices.
The Blog is Back
After taking some time off from writing my blog, starting next week it’s
back, be sure to check it out at
www.budgetsmartgirlsguide.blogspot.com/
~Susan Palmquist
Susan Palmquist is a freelance writer who specializes in food,
health and money saving topics. She writes a monthly column called
Budget Smart and is a food editor for an online publication. She also
has another Web site with Garden and Hearth called Eating Well on a
Budget
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