Running your business from home is beneficial in many ways; not only can it save you a stack of money each year in reduced overheads and travel costs, it can also offer more flexible working hours that allow some much needed free time.
Cutting out the daily commute will not only save you money on travel costs, it also means that you can use the time that you would normally have spent travelling time to get a head start on your days work. And you may also start the day in a more relaxed frame of mind if you don’t have to face the rush hour traffic and commuters every morning.
If you own your own business, then working from home can also save you money on expensive rental fees and rates on commercial property as well as all of the associated utility bills and any money spent on expensive office equipment – a home office often doesn’t need to be kitted out as extensively as a normal office.
And there are other ways in which you can save…
Sort Out Your Storage
A straightforward way to cut costs is to use online file storage instead of printing everything off and filing it away in drawers and cabinets. Not only will this save you money on paper filing systems, but it will also save you a great deal of space – something which is usually at a premium when working from home.
However, hard drives often don’t come with a massive capacity and investing in your own server can bring its own set of problems, such as storage and maintenance – and this is where cloud based storage comes into its own.
Using a storage system such as that, not only offers a more cost effective way to store data but also enables you to access files remotely from another computer, laptop or even a smartphone.
Buy In Bulk
A simple but effective way to cut your company’s overheads is to buy essential items, such as paper, pens and printer in, in bulk. Not only will you be spending less per unit – most wholesalers will give discounts on bulk purchases – but it could also cut down on fuel costs as you’ll be making fewer trips to buy supplies.
Check Your Energy Usage
A more conventional way of saving money, but one that is often overlooked, is to change the way you use energy. Installing a smart meter in your home allows and Home business you to constantly monitor your usage and change the settings remotely, even when you’re away from the home/office.
You could install energy saving light bulbs to help reduce your electricity bill and you could save on heating costs by ensuring that your loft and walls are insulated, and any places where draughts can get in are blocked.
Other energy saving tips include turning off lights and appliances when not in use and turning down your thermostat by one degree – if it gets a little chilly, you could always put on an extra layer of clothing!