Every individual working from home has his or her own reasons for doing so. For example, a small business owner may be working from home because getting a leased office is not affordable at the moment. Or a single parent may be managing work from the comfort of home as it helps balance his or her job with parenting.
But one thing that?s common to every home office is the quest to cut costs wherever, whenever possible.
Just the way it?s important for a home business to appear professional, it?s equally important for it to be economical. When working from home, expenses may add up without much notice and can surface gradually. Now before you go ahead and re-think your home office or the feasibility of setting it up, here are some tips for creating a low-cost home office environment.
#1: Keep it Simple
The best advice that any home office owner can use when it comes to cost cutting is to keep it simple. Don?t spend a lot of moolah on furniture and other ?not so important? gadgetry in the quest to create a corporate environment in your home office. You will be able to save a considerable amount of money by choosing to go simple in your approach. Dedicate some time looking for simpler alternatives to your home office furniture.
#2: Avoid Going Crazy Over Brands
Don?t have any clients visiting your home office? Then opt for non-branded products for your office supplies and furniture. You will be able to find many low-cost gadgets and equipments in online stores that will not only fulfill the purpose, but will also be easy on your wallet. It?s also a good idea to search for secondhand appliances/equipment that could be available at a much lesser price than a new one.
#3: Work on Estimation and Budgeting
It?s a known fact that modular home office furniture can help in bringing down costs and as well as saving space. But before you go ahead and outfit your home office make sure you take the appropriate measurements, estimate prices and have a budget fixed. This helps in controlling your spending because overspending on your home office is the last thing you want. Remember, your cost cutting starts with effective estimation and budgeting.
#4: Choose to Go Green
Many home offices today are going green because it?s an effective way to not only contribute to the environment, but also to save costs. Go for energy efficient lighting options, recycle paper, reuse paper, etc. Whenever you purchase any energy efficient appliances see to it that they have the Energy Star label since they?re known to consume only half the power compared to standard equipment.
#5: Plan the Purchases
Having an inventory of all the needed office supplies in bulk will help in avoiding repeat trips to the market and repeat online purchases, which adds up to your expenses with additional shipping/handling costs. So plan your purchases in advance and order the needed inventory in bulk. This way you will save a lot in the long run.
Working from home is such a money saver! I love not having to buy a work wardrobe or spending on gas for a commute. Those are 2 big things that I keep thinking about when I consider getting another job out of the home.
Great article, thanks for promoting green living! Yes, Going Green is a great way to help the environment and at the same time help you to save money. I myself do save electricity because I believe that doing this thing could greatly help not just for myself but also to our planet.