How to save on office and shop expenses

HOW TO SAVE MONEY ON OFFICE AND STORE EXPENSES

We spend so much of our time in the office, and often perform tasks automatically, incorrectly, and wastefully. From the computer to the light, from paper to desk arrangements, from notepads to plants: the office can be a haven of waste.

How many times, for example, do we leave our PCs on standby instead of turning them off? How many times a day do we print dozens of emails that could be read on screen? Certainly a lot. If only we paid more attention, waste and uneconomical behavior would be reduced, allowing running costs to drop and avoiding electromagnetic and light pollution, and excessive CO2 emissions into the environment.

It's entirely up to us, and a few small measures that require no effort but can be very beneficial for our wallets and the environment. Starting with how we get to work: it's best to avoid private cars if possible and instead use public transportation (when available), a bike , or a healthy walk. Or consider the new car-sharing scheme in cities, which also helps streamline traffic. We've compiled a guide to combating waste in the office.

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ENERGY AND LIGHTING

Computers and printers are known to consume significant amounts of energy, so much so that a specific nomenclature has been developed to help us choose the least energy-intensive office technology.

In addition to the evergreen advice of trying to avoid standby, try to choose latest-generation models, with an energy class that allows for significant savings on your bill.

Setting your PC to energy-saving mode is another useful tip. The way to do this varies from brand to brand, but it's easy to find with a quick internet search or even in the instruction manual. Another energy-saving feature is disabling the screensaver, or simply disconnecting the internet when not in use.

When choosing a PC, it's always better to opt for a laptop rather than a desktop computer, as they consume up to 50% less energy. However, if you must opt ​​for a desktop computer, it's better to choose a flat-screen LCD. If you decide to buy a laptop, it's best to keep it a centimeter away from the work surface, for example with a special laptop stand, to prevent it from overheating and wasting energy trying to bring it back to its optimal operating temperature.

When browsing, don't forget to set your browser to night mode. Pages with a white screen consume much more energy than those with a black background. All major search engines offer this option, which is recommended for saving energy.

To reduce eye strain, it's best to lower your screen brightness. If all these tips aren't enough, remember that to better calibrate your PC's energy consumption, there are specific software programs available for free, which can balance computer usage without impacting performance.

But it's not just energy: by purchasing office equipment wisely, you can also save money. How? By choosing refurbished models that are like new, models that have been overhauled and still have a valid warranty, as is the case with display PCs in department stores.

PRINTERS

One of the main sources of waste in the office comes from printers, both in terms of energy and ink and paper. It's always advisable to minimize downtime and choose models with high energy ratings. Changing your printer frequently is a great way to ensure your equipment is always energy-efficient. Also, don't forget that printers emit volatile organic compounds and ozone, which can cause headaches and eye irritation. If possible, avoid keeping them in the room where you work and place them in a dedicated room with good ventilation.

NATURAL LIGHT

Arrange your desks to maximize natural light . During the winter, leave radiators uncovered to allow heat to circulate and spread throughout the room, and leave windows open to take advantage of sunlight and create a beneficial greenhouse effect. Finally, don't forget to decorate your office with some plants: this will improve air quality; ficus trees, ferns, and cacti absorb pollutants and capture electromagnetic radiation from computers.

LEARN MORE: How to save energy in the office and reduce waste: useful tips, from presence sensors to LED lamps

PAPER AND INK 

The first thing to understand is how to rationalize the printing we do daily. That is, rationalize our toner or cartridge consumption and paper consumption. How? By gradually choosing what we actually print and what we can read on screen: we avoid unnecessary printing.

We use only recycled paper whenever possible, and to avoid wasting paper, adapt the document you're printing with small adjustments: for example, widen the margins, reduce the text size, and reduce or eliminate images.

Fonts can be valuable allies in our fight against waste: changing the default font can save more than 25% of ink when printing 100 sheets of paper. Try to minimize bold text and use smaller fonts.

Setting the default print mode to draft is a useful and waste-saving way to print documents that can be used internally in the office. This saves ink with color images and full text, and you can then switch to a higher print quality when you need to send paper documents such as letters, estimates, invoices, or other documents.

Finally, there are reams of recycled paper that allow you to reduce the environmental impact of producing white and coated paper; it is important to choose them to reduce the consumption of bleached paper.

Finally, it's very helpful to reuse sheets of paper printed on one side and reuse them for notes. And when you can't even reuse them as notepads, throw them in the recycling bin.

PURCHASE OF STATIONERY

Another expense item you can save on is stationery. The advice is to carefully plan your purchases, thanks to a rigorous and periodic inventory. A good thing, however, is buy onlineThanks to the Internet, it takes just a few seconds to find the best and least expensive products, whether they are stationery or furnishing accessories (chairs, desks, and so on).
You can also contact wholesalers in the city or local area, who often offer promotions for purchases of a certain quantity of stationery.

HOW TO SAVE ON YOUR TELEPHONE BILLS 

Telephone and internet connections are notoriously the bête noire of bills for both domestic and business users, and it's not always easy to navigate the jungle of providers' many offers.

A first tip is to carefully consider your office's actual needs to find the most suitable and competitive offer: do you use more phone calls than internet? Opt for offers with higher voice traffic, or vice versa, with higher or better internet speeds in flat rates if you need to be constantly connected.

There are a myriad of sites that compare the best phone and ADSL deals for us, so using them allows us to get a first idea of ​​how much we'll save by choosing the right plan for our office or workplace.

Additionally, you can take advantage of tools like Skype and WhatsApp, or other VoIP services, which allow you to make free video calls or phone calls, simply by having an internet connection.

HOW TO SAVE ON GAS AND ELECTRICITY COSTS:

• Electricity and gas bills: learn how to read them to save money. There are four types of expenses, and only one concerns consumption.
• Beeta, the app that teaches consumers how to save on electricity and gas bills (photo)
• Energy bills: always compare offers. Pay with direct debit. And periodically check your meter readings: you'll end up paying less.
• Gas bills: tips for saving on hot water and cooking.
• Electricity and gas bills: the new tax hike also includes a public portal for comparing rates.