How to Save Money on Office Supplies and Equipment

Have you ever tried totaling the amount of money you spend on your morning coffee run? You may not think you are spending much, but the final figure may shock you. The truth is that regular little expenses eventually add up, and some people unknowingly end spending thousands of dollars just on their daily coffee fix.

The same principle applies to buying office supplies. It may seem like a minor expense, especially when compared to larger costs like employee salaries, but over time it can add up. Here are a few ways you can save money and manage how much you spend on office supplies and equipment.
 

Opt for Used and Refurbished Furniture and Equipment

You can save a ton of money just by opting for refurbished office equipment and pre-owned furniture instead of buying everything brand new. The most important thing is to purchase from a reputable and trustworthy source such as JJBender.com, who has been in the business for more than 38 years and puts their full guarantee behind every machine they provide.

JJ Bender offers used wide-format equipment, copiers, cutters, laminators and mailing equipment at a fraction of what it would cost you to buy brand new, and you can rest assured that every piece of equipment that you buy from them is fully functional. When furnishing and equipping areas in your office that won’t see many visitors or client traffic, it makes sense to manage your budget and go for pre-owned items.

Go Generic

When buying items such as sticky notes, folders, and staples, ditch the brand names and go for generic or store brand products instead. Any difference in quality in these kinds of products won’t make much—if any at all—of a difference, but you could save as much as $5 per piece simply by switching to unbranded items!

Buy in Bulk

Simply put, it costs less per unit to buy 10 boxes of something than it does to buy one piece at a time. Buying in bulk also saves you time and an extra trip to the office supply store, or shipping and delivery. Set aside one day every month where you take inventory of your office supplies, and replenish only on that day. Remember how daily cups of coffee eventually add up; it’s easier to manage a once-a-month expense than it is to stick to a budget on an irregular, unplanned one.

Manage Distribution

Let’s be honest: almost everyone has nicked a pen or pad of Post-Its from the office for personal use at one point or another in their career. An old survey actually shows that a whopping 67% of employees admit to stealing office supplies. Losing money due to office supply theft is a very real thing. Manage this by keeping most of your supplies locked up instead of in a free-for-all space where anyone can just help themselves. It might also help to have a staff member such as the office manager or receptionist act as a gatekeeper of supplies.

At the end of the day, taking some time to organize and plan out your purchases could result in big savings. Developing better managing and distribution habits could also be beneficial for you and your business.