| SAVE
ON SHIPPING - USE THE USPS. Don't forget the United
States Postal Service when providing options for shipping.
They have some great new options for small business customers.
ClickNShip and PC Postage (are just two). With ClickNShip
customers can print a label with Priority or Express Mail
postage from their home or office computer - no special
equipment required and their carrier can pick it up. Delivery
confirmation is free when you print an electronic label
(savings of 45 cent). PC Postage options eliminate the need
for a meter. You can print postage labels for all classes
of mail - First Class, Standard, Priority, Express or media
mail (special low rate for shipping CDs, tapes, Videos).
Priority supplies are free. Check it out at www.usps.com.
Some new options also include a prepaid priority flat rate
envelope - Flat rate of $3.85 regardless of weight or zone.
In the near future, a Flat Rate Priority Mail Box, 2 shapes
will be available. We recently completed a cost analysis
for a customer, and they will be saving $64,000 a year just
by switching a portion of their shipping to Priority Mail
using the Flat Rate envelope. The Postal Service imposes
no extra charges such as Fuel Surcharges - Residential Surcharges
or Address change (just to mention a few). When we do the
analysis, these additional charges add up and customers
are sometimes paying much more than the published rate.
Also, it has a way of diminishing any volume discount they
negotiated.
Want additional information
or USPS product information or a free cost comparison
analysis? Contact Patricia Stewart USPS Small Business
Specialist (205) 510-0729.
|
| CHECK
YOUR PHONE RATES! Periodically check what you're paying
for long-distance telephone service. We recently switched
providers and our monthly bills dropped from $150-200 to
$15-25! Check today - it's likely you're paying too much. |
| TRAVELING?
Save the cost of the hotel's dialing charge by pressing
the #-key between credit-card telephone calls. Pressing
this key gets you a new dial tone for your next call. Neat. |
| FREE
SHIPPING SUPPLIES. If you run a small business or home
based business, the United States Postal Service gives you
a big advantage. They'll deliver your Priority and Express
Mail shipping supplies right to your door, for free. Supplies
you can get include several sizes of boxes (for shipping
via Priority or Express Mail only) and tape. Call 1(800)
222-1811 to establish a free account that makes ordering
very easy. |
| LONG
DISTANCE. Here are a couple of numbers to try for
long-distance service. Both claim to have very, very low
rates. 800-447-9476; 800-524-4685. And, remember, no matter
which carrier you use, check your rates with each billing
since rates can change without your knowledge. |
| TECHNOLOGY
LEASING. Office Depot has a new leasing program for
those of you considering technology equipment (computers,
etc) leasing. Basic requirements include being in business
and having a business checking account for at least a year.
Minimum lease amount is $2000. Contact them at 1 800 337
6873. |
| BUSINESS
FINANCING. Don't forget your credit union! Nearly
all credit unions allocate some percentage of their total
assets to commercial lending. |
| COMPARE
SHIPPING RATES on www.smartship.com. Very useful resource.
In addition you can also track packages that have been sent
via FedEx, UPS, Airbourne, or Express Mail. |
| FREE
e-MAIL. Try Yahoo for a free e-mail account. (http://www.yahoo.com).
Sign up is quick and easy and the e-mail interface is excellent.
|
| LONG
DISTANCE RATES. Don't forget to call your long distance
carrier and see if any improvement in your rate is possible.
Say you have been looking around and am thinking of switching!
I just did this (again!) with my service (NOS) and reduced
my rate by FOUR cents/minurte! Call your vendor NOW! |
| A GOOD REASON
TO INCORPORATE. We all know that incorporation can provide
some measure of personal liability but it can also save
you taxes. Self-Employment taxes are imposed at a rate of
15.3% on the first $68,400 of self-employment income, and
at a rate of 2.9% on all income above this. This tax apply
to ALL the income earned by a sole-proprietor, even if the
owner leaves some of the earnings in the business. However,
if you operate as a S-corporation only earnings actually
paid to an owner as compensation are subject to payroll
taxes. Any money left in the business for reinvestment or
distributed to a shareholder as a dividend is not subject
to payroll taxes. Thanks to the TaxTalk Newsletter for this
information. Learn more about this excellent newsletter
at http://www.isquare.com/fhome10.htm#3 |
| DON'T BUY
A FAX MACHINE! JFAX.COM is a better alternative. For
$12.50/montlh you get a telephone line (regular or toll-free)
to which all your fax'es will be sent. They will be intercepted
by jfax and sent to you via e-mail. You read the fax with
their free software. It's great. Check them out at http://www.jfax.com
They also have "jfaxsend" which allows you to send to a
fax machine via an e-mail message. Very handy. Very economical. |
| CHEAP (&
GOOD) HELP. If you are fortunate enough to be located
near a college or university, consider hiring a business
student on a part-time or contract basis. Most students
are hard-working and eager to learn - great qualities in
an employee! |
| BUSINESS
INSURANCE. Don't forget to periodically review your
insurance program. Many companies are over-insured, have
duplicate coverage, of have deductibles that are too high
or too low. Check your policies and if you have been with
the same insurer for a few years, get some new bids. |
| LOOKING
FOR THE LOWEST PRICES for computer hardware or software?
Check out PriceScan, the computer price search engine, at
http://www.pricescan.com. Select an item and you'll find
the vendor with the lowest price. |
| CREDIT CARD
TIP. Call your credit card company and request they
delete your yearly fee. 99% of the time they will do it
to keep you as a customer. Quick way to save $15-25! |
| OFFICE &
SHIPPING SUPPLIES. Purchasing by mail can save you money.
But, as always, price compare! Also various suppliers will
have periodic product specific sales. Request catalogs from
a few suppliers which will get you on their mailing lists
to receive their "sale" flyers. Here are a few to get you
started: Viking
Office Products 1 800 421 1222 Our favorite - free
shipping for orders over $25.
Consolidated
Plastics Company 1 800 362 1000
Penny-Wise
Office Products 1 800 942 3311
National Bag
Company 1 800 247 6000
BrownCor International
1 800 327 2278
Quill 1 800
789 0057 |
| FREE PACKING
MATERIAL The cost of shipping containers and "peanuts"
can add up quickly but many retail stores simply discard
these materials and are happy to give them away. Visit your
local merchants and ask! |
| SAVING MONEY
- A GOOD IDEA? Don't get me wrong - saving when it makes
sense is a great idea but take care. Sometimes the "lowest
bidder" is NOT the best choice. When assessing a vendor
or a purchase consider all the ramifications, not only the
cost. Recently we decided to "save a few dollars" by having
our book galleys printed by a less expensive printer. Now
we know why they were less expensive - the galleys were
so poorly made that they were unusable. |
| BUSINESS
CHECKS. The best price I have found for business laser
checks is from FormSystems (500 @ $41). 1 (800) 893-0177
or visit their site at http://www.checksforless.com . |
| BATTERIES.
We need 'em for everything - cellular phones, portable phones,
laptops, digital cameras, etc. A great source is 1-800-Batteries.
(1 800 228 8374). On the web at www.800Batteries.com |
| CREDIT CARD
ANNUAL FEE. For many of us our December credit card
statements will include the annual fee. Do what we have
suggested in the past and call to have this "fee" waived.
9 out of 10 times, it works. |
