Use your time wisely
As they say, time is money, so stop procrastinating and be more productive. Simple things like using a diary, using a pay stub generator, delegating responsibility to the staff so you are free to do more important things, planning your time effectively and setting goals to establish what you want out of your business can all help you use your time wisely.
Use your space effectively
If you work from home or work in an office environment it is important that your workspace is organised and clutter-free. There are different companies that provide effective storage solutions such as warehouse storage solutions in Harrogate offers this service to its clients all over the UK. Being efficient with storage space means you can fit more supplies in the same cubic footage, allowing you to bulk order thus saving money.
For small businesses, this may mean a trip to Ikea, whilst medium and large businesses may mean utilising shelving and racking solutions for your office and warehouse. Buy a wall planner and put it in a prominent place so you can see your diary at a glance enabling you to plan better.
Shop around for the best deals on utilities
You probably compare the cost of your home utilities like electricity and water but why not shop around for the best deals with your business utilities? Also online sites such as Go Compare allow you to compare your business and electricity costs at a click of a button thus finding you the best company for your needs and saving you money.
Consider taking on an apprentice
Apprenticeships allow staff to take on-the-job training whilst gaining a qualification. You get staff trained to your specifications, and the cost to the employer is less than a regular member of staff as they are on an apprenticeship wage. Taking on an apprentice is a big time commitment, however, so you have to factor that into the equation when deciding to take one on.
You can also apply for funding to cover the costs of the apprentice’s qualification if you’re providing their formal study as well as being their employer.
Outsource workers
Whether you are looking for payroll services or an admin assistant, it could be worth outsourcing these responsibilities. You could even outsource the running of your IT systems by hiring one of these managed IT services providers. Sites such as People Per Hour or Elance are excellent for sourcing these skilled people. As you are not taking on a permanent member of staff you will only need to pay the rate agreed for the task, thus cutting out holiday and sickness costs.
Even technical experts can be outsourced to work on an hourly basis as opposed to a monthly wage.
Ask for discounts from your suppliers
After all, if you don't ask you don't get, so it's worth asking for discounts with your regular suppliers. You could always shop around for better deals and ask your current supplier to match them. They will appreciate your loyalty if you stay with them.
Use free conferencing and phone calls
Skype will allow you to speak to people all over the world, cutting down the need for national and international travel. Their business service starts at only £1.30 a month.
Also, sites such as Free Conference allow you to make conference calls with no fees, limitations or downloads.
So these are 7 tips for cutting business costs. Can you think of any more?
* In collaboration with Warehouse Storage Solutions
Some great tips here, it's always good to save money x
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed Hannah!
DeleteThese are great tips for anyone running their own business! I'd love to do it myself one day, so they may come in handy!
ReplyDeleteWhat business do you want to start Milly?
DeleteGreat tips Mel. My husband works for himself and utilises a lot of these tips x
ReplyDeleteThanks Emily. Any saving is useful.
DeleteGreat tips! Using your time wisely is a good one. I sometimes find myself faff in or on social media too much.
ReplyDeleteThat's easy to do Jemma!
DeleteAll great tips! Especially using your time wisely - I'm awful for spending half of it messing about, and I never thought about using skype! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteA Girl Called Glasgow
Skype is so straight forward to use too.
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