Cut costs and save money

We’ve talked about how the recession is having an impact on small businesses and real estate businesses across the country.  Here are some great ways to cut costs without losing business during the harder times:

1. See if you can renegotiate current contracts.  And this doesn’t mean just with your employees if you have them.  Look at what you’re paying monthly for.  It could be telephone service, postal services, advertising, etc.  Talk to your vendors to see if they’d be willing to adjust your fees.  Maybe you’ve been a customer of an advertising company for 10+ years.  Let them know that and see if you can get a discount.  Try using an e-fax instead of paying out of pocket to send faxes nationwide.  Get an Internet-based phone system like Vonage. 

2. Get rid of travel expenses by not traveling!  With the technolgy that we have around us today, this is a lot easier than it used to be.  We now have access to Web conferencing, conference calls, etc.  If you do need to travel, look online for great deals.  If you have an Entertainment Book, you can often find cheaper hotels and travel packages through there.  Are you a member of AAA?  A lot of hotels offer discounts to members.  Be sure to ask.

3.  Save money on having an office by letting employees telecommute.  You won’t be paying rent or utility bills this way.  If you do have an office, try going green.  We talked during Earth Week on ways to save money.  Some great ideas include purchasing fluorescent bulbs.  They last longer and use a lot less electricity.  Bring reusable bottles to work with water instead of buying bottled water.  Use and rinse mugs instead of using Styrofoam cups.  Print on both sides of paper before you toss it (or recycle it!)  Turn off computers when you leave for the day.

4. Barter.  See if you could exchange your product for a service or product somebody else offers.  Own a beauty salon?  Give free haircuts in exchange for window cleaning.  Have a real estate business?  Advertise local businesses in your newsletter in exchange for gift certificates for client closing gifts.  Get creative!  You’ll see how quickly these changes add up, and you can get new customers and clients this way!

5. Repair instead of replacing.  Have your ink toner refilled instead of going out and buying a new one.  Did your Xerox machine break down?  Have it checked before you shell out cash for a brand new model.  It’s always worth a try.

6. Look for discounts where you shop.  Spend the money to become a member of Sam’s Club or Costco.  You can save a lot of money by purchasing office supplies in bulk.  They even sell ink cartridges for printers.  Look to buy postage stamps on Ebay.   We always Google where we’re shopping before hitting the stores.  Oftentimes you’ll find coupons you can print.  Just search for the store and “printable coupons” or “online promotional codes” if you’re shopping online. 

What other ways do you know to cut costs?  We’d love to hear them for a future blog.  Leave a comment or visit us online.

Go green in your business

With Earth Week this week, we thought it would help to give you some tips on how you can go “green” in your business.  Not only will this help save the environment, but in can help you save money in your choices.  Your utility bills can go down.  You probably don’t realize how much waste you produce every day.

1. Make the first step.  Purchase recycled paper and recycle when you’re done with your paper!  If you’re printing for yourself, print on both sides before you get rid of the paper.  If you can, go paperless.  Try to keep as much data on the computer as possible, thereby reducing your waste.  Recycle your ink cartridges by refilling them rather than buying a new one when it runs out.  Swap out your light bulbs for CFL bulbs and let your bulbs last 8 to 15x longer!  They’ll keep your electricity bills down, too.  Another simple tip to save energy is to make sure your computers, printers, coffee makers, etc are all unplugged when you’re not in the office.   Even just activating the “Sleep” setting when you’re not using the computer can save you $75 a year on your electric bill.

2. Try to automate as much as possible.  E-mail your invoices and bills.  You can save gas by not driving to the bank and paying bills and writing checks online. 

3. Let your employees telecommute.  Even if it’s not every day, they will help the environment by saving gas.  So much can be done via the Internet, e-mail, and fax machine that they might not to be present in the office on a regular basis.  If you provide a company car, consider one that’s a hybrid.  You could also be eligible for a tax break.

4. Even simple items like styrofoam coffee cups can be a problem.  Tell all your employees to bring in a travel mug or a regular mug to wash and reuse.  Pour soda and other drinks into regular glasses that can be washed in the sink instead of using paper. 

Do you have more suggestions to make your business greener?  We’d love to hear them.  Leave us a comment or visit us online.