3 Ways to Cut Costs and Save Money
Many parts of the world have declared that they are officially in recession, and whatever the situation in your local area, it’s a sensible time to look at the costs in your business and see if there are areas where you can save money.
Even if you’re not struggling for cash right now, it’s prudent to do some pruning every now and then, and I have some practical suggestions for you…
IDEA #1
Conduct meetings online.
I’ve been using ‘GoTo Meeting’ from Citrix (www.TryGoTo.com) for awhile now, and not only has it saved a lot on travel costs, but clients seem to enjoy using it, too. The interactivity features are wonderful, it’s very easy to use (you don’t need to be technical) and it’s very reliable.
So before you rush for the car, or to book a flight, next time consider GoTo Meeting, which also doubles as GoTo Webinar. You can get a free 30 day trial at www.TryGoTo.com.
Another option is Skype, which is completely free if the other person also uses Skype. While not as versatile as Goto Meeting (and not as reliable either), it covers the basics fairly well, and if you use a Logitech 9000 webcam, you can see each other full screen on your computer, which is pretty cool. Watching that kind of thing on StarTrek 15 years ago, it all seemed very futuristic and impossible, and here we are doing exactly that, it’s become a reality!
IDEA #2
Use open-source software.
There was a time when open source software sounded like something only the geekiest of geeks would be involved with, but that’s all changed now.
Although Microsoft Office continues to be the top selling software in that space, you really don’t need to shell out hundreds of dollars for that. There are plenty of full featured alternatives now. For example, Google Docs from who else but Google is completely free. It’s web based, which means you can access your files from anywhere that has an Internet connection, and they’ll even open Microsoft Office documents that other people send to you.
If you prefer to store documents on your own PC, try Open Office (www.OpenOffice.org). It’s completely free, and includes software including a word processor, spreadsheet creator, presentation software, and graphics application, so pretty much everything you need for the basics. It can also read Microsoft Office files for you, which is handy.
For audio editing, try the excellent Audacity, another open source software gem from http://audacity.sourceforge.net.
IDEA #3
Buy a refurbished P.C.
PC’s are not as expensive as they once were, but they still represent a significant outlay, and they do need to be updated from time to time as hardware becomes slow or obsolete.
Dell has an excellent outlet store where you can find hundreds of PC’s that carry the same warranty as new PC’s, so you’re covered if anything does go wrong. You can save around 35%, which is a chunk of change on any computer purchase. Sometimes these refurbished PC’s are not refurbished at all – they were built for someone else who didn’t pay, or who decided to return it without even opening the box, so don’t assume you’ll be getting damaged goods, often it will be new!
eBay also has a wide selection of PC’s on offer at greatly reduced prices. Make sure you buy from a seller with excellent feedback over a long period of time, and pay via PayPal or credit card so that you’re protected in case there’s a problem.
