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Discount codes, promotional coupons, DIY, and smart
shopping make home offices affordable
The freelance lifestyle is envied
by many, but understood by few. Common misconceptions about freelancing
include “it's an easy way to make money,” and “it's
almost like a vacation because you don't have to go into the office.”
However, there are other hidden costs of freelancing that are
foreign to most standard office workers, including self-paid healthcare,
quarterly taxes and the costs of setting up a home office.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution
for healthcare or taxes. Every freelancer can cut office startup
costs by employing a few simple tricks for discounts.
Why not put together a new place
of business on the cheap, using discount codes and promotional
coupons?
Some companies offer business discount
memberships. The sole proprietor or business owner joins this
company, and is eligible for discount coupons and promotional
codes -- redeemable for office supplies; computers and other technology;
furniture, and more. Applying coupons and promotional codes in
tandem with other discounts like mail-in rebates and store discount
specials can really help freelancers to cut costs when setting
up a home office.
I've got coupons, discounts, promo
codes – who could ask for anything more? If you truly want
to cut costs, it's not enough to use discount coupons and promotional
codes. You should also buy your equipment and supplies from the
retailers with the lowest overall prices, and consider incorporating
some do-it-yourself (DIY) elements into your office setup.
The following list of ideas –
combined with discount coupons and promotional codes, of course
– should enable you to set up your home office at a deep
discount.
-Some furniture can be built
using common materials found around the house. Bookcases are
a great example of a DIY furniture possibility. Brick-and-board
bookcases cost next to nothing to assemble, and look great,
especially in modern-style offices. Accent shelves are also
simple and cheap to build – you need only purchase lumber
and some hanging materials. You can even build your own desk
– simply place a large, sturdy board across the top of
two filing cabinets, and stain the board as you like. Try OfficeFurniture.com
or Office Depot's
selection of office furniture.
-You can also save money on furniture
if you purchase it unassembled and put it together yourself.
Most people think of Ikea when the topic of discussion turns
to put-it-together-yourself furniture. However, there are other
outlets – often cheaper, too – that sell this sort
of furniture at deep discounts. Wal-Mart and Target are two
great places to try. Dollar General and other larger dollar
store chains often also sell assemble-it-yourself furniture.
Some of the furniture is quite attractive, too.
-You needn't spend top dollar
on brand-new technology. Purchasing a central processing unit
(CPU), RAM, a motherboard, and casing separately often costs
much less than purchasing a ready-made machine. If you want
to save even more money, eschew the Windows Vista operating
system in favor of an open-source Linux interface. You can download
and install open-source operating systems like Ubuntu and Fedora
Core for free. Bonus: For many applications, Linux is more secure
and more reliable than Windows Vista, and is less of a memory
hog.
-Save on software – go
open source. Why shell out hundreds of dollars on the Microsoft
Office suite when you can download and install the OpenOffice
suite for free? Modeled after office suites like Corel, Microsoft,
and Word Perfect, this suite includes a database program, a
spreadsheet program, a slideshow program, a vector graphics
editor, and more. Similarly, if you can't afford Adobe Photoshop,
consider installing The GIMP, which combines the best features
of Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator to enable you to create and
edit graphics. If you want a free, no-frills word processor,
download and install AbiWord. It is a very light, easy-to-use,
cross-platform-compatible writing tool.
-Buy in bulk. The more of any
item you buy, the more money you will often save. For example,
if you're a work-at-home journalist who's constantly interviewing
people, you will go through pens and notebooks rather quickly.
Buy large packs of pens and notebooks, and you'll be buying
each item at a discount. The same rule applies to adhesive,
stationery, or any other office item you'll use frequently.
-Buy used. Scour CraigsList,
Ebay, and thrift stores for
items that you shouldn't skimp on, like ergonomically correct
office chairs and durable filing systems. You might pay half
of the item's original value – or even less – if
you purchase it gently used.
When setting up your home office,
combine promotional coupons and discount codes with smart shopping
and savvy do-it-yourself techniques. It is possible to set up
your freelance business without going over your budget!
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