Home
>
Top Quick Tips
>
10 Budgeting Tips for Business People and Small Companies

10 Budgeting Tips for Business People and Small Companies

It is possible for small companies and individual business people to cut costs without sacrificing quality. Keep these 10 budgeting tips in mind when purchasing goods and services.

1.) Buy in bulk, but compare prices.

Sam's Club and Costco cater to small businesses and have good deals on bulk-packaged items. Know the sale prices at discount retailers and grocers, though. Sometimes you can do better there.

2.) Travel Frugally.

With some flexibility you could save up to 75% or more when traveling. 50% is common. Search for air fair and hotels on discount sites such as Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Hotels.com, and Priceline.com. At Priceline you can submit your own price. Don't be intimidated if you get a message saying your bid is likely to be rejected because it is too low. Give it a shot anyway. Lowball bids are often accepted ($35 for a $139 room, for example).

3.) Look for closeouts / clearances.

Shop big retailer's regional warehouse or clearance store, where they ship rejected or overstocked merchandise. The items are primary large-ticket, such as furniture and appliances, that have been damaged in shipping. Keep your break room/kitchen configuration in mind when shopping. Look for items dinged and dented on sides that will be against the wall or hidden by cabinets.

4.) Buy used vehicles.

As soon as a new car leaves the lot, it drops in value. Look for dealers that need to move inventory, individuals with cars coming off lease, and other unusual situations. If there is high demand for the vehicle you are looking for, try shopping outside of your immediate area, where demand may be lower.

5.) Purchase business wear from consignment and non-profit stores.

Shop at the better consignment stores that carry only new looking, brand name items. Also, try non-profit stores, such as Goodwill, for business casual attire. You not only get a good deal, you support charity as well.

6.) Shop around for the best price.

Combine Internet and "real world" shopping to save money. Before purchasing an item, research current sales and rebates in three ways: 1) Research local sales at ShoppingList.com, 2) Compare online prices at MySimon.com, and 3) Search individual Web sites such as Sam's Club, Costco, and Wal-Mart. If you are purchasing items to resell, don't forget to use your tax ID.

7.) Recycle and refill.

Come up with creative ways to save on office supplies. Purchase ink refill kits. You can refill an ink cartridge for a fraction of the cost to buy new. Look for refill kits at your local office supply store or search for "Ink refill kits" in an online search engine. Use both sides of the paper. Instead of throwing away paper, print drafts on both sides. When printing out drafts to proofread, chose "draft quality" printing. It not only saves ink, but prints faster as well.

8.) Buy refurbished or previously used furniture and fixtures.

You can often get used and/or refurbished items at a price less than new. Search local online portals and business directories for companies that refurbish and sell business furniture. Also, if you know you are going to need replacements, keep an eye out for liquidations, auctions, and going out of business sales. Fixtures are often sold along with other inventory.

9.) Barter.

Look for bartering networks, where members help each other by trading goods or services. You can also approach businesses and freelancers on your own with a win-win proposition.

10.) Save on marketing costs.

Rather than outsource all your marketing to an agency, learn to complete some tasks in-house. Join marketing newsletters, purchase how-to guides, and read articles written especially for small businesses.

Bobette Kyle draws upon 12+ years of Marketing/Executive experience, Marketing MBA, and online marketing research in her writing. Bobette is proprietor of the Web Site Marketing Plan Network, http://www.websitemarketingplan.com, and author of the marketing plan and Web promotion book "How Much For Just the Spider? Strategic Website Marketing For Small Budget Business": http://www.websitemarketingplan.com

expert residential cleaners Highland Park ...

In The News:

Jevon Martinez livestreamed himself removing 10 Flock Safety cameras in Bernalillo County, but authorities say eight belonged to neighborhood associations.

A dark web service called Nexus claimed to hold over 153 million driver's license records, and the FBI confirms it is now looking into the incident.

Asking Siri to call American Express connected an 82-year-old woman to a bogus number that nearly drained $100,000 from her Bank of America account.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

iPhone Duo opens to a 7.6-inch foldable display starting at $1,999, but Siri Recap's ambient listening on Apple Watch may spark privacy concerns.

Homeowners association meeting minutes and membership lists can expose names, addresses and emails that scammers use to craft convincing phishing scams.

Lima, Ohio, has installed 3,120 floating solar panels on its Twin Lakes Reservoir, projecting nearly $10 million in electricity cost savings.

Amazon's Alexa for Shopping now lets customers verify suspicious emails, texts and phone calls against the company's own communication records.

Lindsey Brooke Isaacs spent 13 days in jail after a Flock camera flagged her Dodge Durango near a fatal Florida crash that killed three people.

AI-powered smart grocery carts are linked to 32% higher spending, according to new research, as Instacart Caper Carts expand across U.S. stores.

A VPN encrypts your connection on hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi abroad, but streaming catalogs and live sports access still depend on provider rules.

Gmail's Verified Sender Program launches September 8, 2026, giving U.S. political committees a more reliable path to your personal email inbox.

Elroy Air's Chaparral can carry over 500 pounds and fly 450 miles without a runway, and the FAA just tested it under a new federal program.

Bedrock Robotics says its autonomous excavators are doing paid earthwork on active job sites in Texas and Nevada with no operator in the cab.

A dedicated banking computer isolates your financial accounts from malware and phishing, but passwords, SIM swapping and outdated software remain risks.

The OlloNi SS1 AI robot pet uses a 4K camera and facial recognition to learn your family, but its removable Red Heart memory module raises questions.

Nine identity theft warning signs range from unfamiliar credit inquiries to SIM swap attacks that can quietly drain your bank account funds.

Robot.com's R-dog uses articulated legs and wheels to climb stairs and deliver packages, while its built-in screens display paid ads along the route.

MyChart phishing emails mimic real patient portal alerts with fake lab results and malware tricks that target Windows users across the country.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Google's Motion Assist places animated dots on Pixel screens to combat motion sickness in vehicles, but the Android 17 rollout remains limited.

Moving to a 55+ community can quickly expose your data to scammers and data brokers before you even unpack, putting your whole family at risk.

Amazon Prime Air drone delivery plans to reach nearly 500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026, but your yard and ZIP code may determine eligibility.

The FBI reports nearly $21 billion in cybercrime losses for 2025, up 26%, as AI scams make fake voices and identities more convincing than ever.

Uber teen accounts now feature live video streaming from the driver's camera, but encrypted recordings stay on Uber's servers for up to 14 days.

10 Budgeting Tips for Business People and Small Companies

Top Quick Tips