Extreme Couponing has become a popular show that shows people how you can save big on things like groceries and household items with coupons. Did you know that deals exist far beyond the grocery store and your company may be able to take advantage?
Here are some creative solutions that can help you save on office supplies (and maybe even become a little more productive in the process).
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Search Online
Start you search for office supply savings online. The easiest thing to do is just head to Amazon or Google Shopping to search for the items you want. I recently bought a backup network hard drive for my business online because it was more than 10% cheaper than the local store.
You can almost certainly find lower prices for items online than in the local store, and your items will most likely not be subject to sales tax. Also, make sure you are getting free shipping on your purchases.
Find Coupons
Great sites like RetailMeNot allow you to find deals and coupons that are site specific. You can also visit one of the dozens of other reputable coupon sites or search online for coupons for your product.
Sites like Amazon will accept some coupons, so even if you are shopping online, don’t discount the idea of saving even more.
Printed Coupons
If you get the Sunday paper or have a printer, you can comb through the ads and the web to print-out coupons good for in-store use.
If you find an item, like printer paper, on sale in the store and find a manufacturer’s coupon to use together, you can sometimes get an item for free or close to it.
Mail-In Rebates
When you go to shopping for office supplies, you will likely find two types of rebates in addition to sales and coupons. Those are in-store instant rebates and mail-in rebates.
Instant rebates work just like the name implies. The rebate is applied to your order in the store at checkout. Mail-in rebates are a little more complicated but should not be disregarded.
In the past, I have saved hundreds of dollars on purchases using mail-in rebates. The secret to mail-in rebate success is to meticulously follow all directions.
The rebate issuer, usually the manufacturer, will provide instructions for the rebate on either a printed receipt or attached paper. Read the instructions carefully and follow them step-by-step. They look for any reason possible to avoid sending you money, and if you miss a step, make a mistake, or provide a response with bad handwriting, you may not get a rebate check at all.
Be Vigilant and Shop Smart
You can’t find coupons or discounts on every item you purchase for your business, but you can always shop smart. Make sure to shop around and get the best prices available. Anything you can do to save money is a good idea.
Save the Receipts
No matter what you spend, remember you can save on your taxes by deducting any expense your business incurs. Good record keeping is important!
About Carson Derrow
You know, I always want to believe the after mail-in rebate price but the amount of effort it takes to get the money (and the super long wait) makes it not worth it in my opinion. I think it’s an old school gimmick these companies use hoping that X% never submit the rebate and they can cash in on free low price marketing.
Coupons on the other hand, we’re crazed with them at my office. We got an Office Depot one for $60 off of $200 and we wound up getting a new printer with it!