Saving Money When You Work From Home

Click here for tips on how to save money when you work from home.

by Anne Middleton, on April 28th, 2016

Whether you work for yourself or are allowed to telecommute for your job, saving money when you work from home is simple with just a little effort.  For example, in general, black ink cartridges cost less than color, so only use full color only if absolutely necessary when you print your documents. And where you choose to purchase your home office supplies and other items can determine your savings. For example, SuppliesOutlet.com offers super affordable printer cartridges and Vistaprint delivers superior savings for business cards and other support materials.

If you work from home, at least part of the time, you are not alone. The number of people who work from home on a regular basis (and are not self-employed) includes over 3.5 million employees.

Try these tips for saving money when you work from home:

Tax Write-Offs

Telecommuting comes with many benefits, both to your budget and your work life balance. Even if you’re a full-time employee (and not a freelancer or contractor), you can still claim several deductions and expenses as a telecommuter.

For example, if your dedicated home office meets certain standards, you can claim it as a tax deduction. Basic costs such as utility bills can often count as a tax deductible business expense.

There are similar deduction opportunities for other office necessities, such as computer equipment, printer and even your paper clips and printer cartridges.

SuppliesOutlet.com is a distinguished online seller of laser toner and inkjet printer cartridges. In fact, SuppliesOutlet has sold over 10 Million printer cartridges in the past 30 years. SuppliesOutlet.com sources products directly from some of the largest quality certified manufacturers located throughout the world so they can offer almost unbeatable prices.

Every piece of merchandise bought from SuppliesOutlet is 100% guaranteed, bolstered by a premium lifetime warranty. Maximize your savings with a SuppliesOutlet coupon code from PromoCodesForYou.com!

Remember this tip: Some inkjet printers are able to print black-only even if the color cartridge is out so you can save money by delaying the purchase a color cartridge. Also, some people believe grayscale saves money on ink cartridges, but the opposite is actually true. The grayscale setting uses the color cartridge to print grayscale because this provides better quality.  The quality is better with grayscale but it will use more ink than a black cartridge.

Commuting

An estimated 86% of all workers com¬muted to work by private vehicle, according to the US Census Bureau.   Workers spend 200 hours annually at a cost of nearly $2,600 on their daily commute, with people in Los Angeles face the highest daily roundtrip costs and New Yorkers having the longest trek to work with an average 73-minute commute.  Some would say this is the definition of insanity.

You can save loads of time not having to trek into an office every day, plus you’ll also save big bucks, too. When you work from home, you immediately eliminate any costs associated with your commute, whether they are from driving to work or taking public transportation.

Better Health

Though it is an intangible cost, lowering your overall daily stress level can really add up to big savings over time. Commuting to and from work stresses most people out, whether you’re dealing with heavy traffic, packed trains, or all sorts of weather conditions. This daily stress can really add up, leading to higher medical bills over your lifetime.

It’s not easy to calculate the average savings that someone might experience by ditching the stress of their daily commute, but it is clear it offers savings on your body and mental health.

Clothing

If you’re working from home, you don’t have to worry about maintaining a professional wardrobe which often has to be dry-cleaned.  The U.S. Department of Labor found that $1786 of a person’s paycheck goes toward clothing and apparel every year.

If you estimate that even half of that is spent on our professional that’s an instant savings of $900 when you work from home in casual attire.

This type of savings puts more money in your pocket which you can use to promote other interests and charitable causes, whether it is printing up flyers for a walk to fight cancer or a fundraiser for your child’s school. Vistaprint is an outstanding source for saving on your printed materials, and with Vistaprint coupons at PromoCodesForYou.com you can start saving today!

Since 1995 Vistaprint has offered individuals and business customized marketing materials and promotional items. Vistaprint uses a patented technology that delivers professional-quality printing in small quantities at affordable prices. You can even create and order custom materials online from the convenience of your computer.

While Vistaprint has always been known for business cards, that’s really only the beginning of what they can deliver. Whether you’re creating brochures, T-shirts or party invitations, Vistaprint offers a full array of exclusive designs and customizable templates to help you find exactly what you need.

Plus Vistaprint offers a 100% guarantee. If you’re not satisfied with your order for any reason, they’ll make it right.

Recycle Everything

Recycling is not a trend, it is a money-saving opportunity. For example, reuse paper whenever possible. Hold onto one-sided printouts and use them as notepaper. And if you are tossing your empty ink cartridges in the trash, you’re throwing away cold, hard cash. There are a number of retail stores, manufacturers and “green” business ready and willing to recycle your empty ink containers and even pay you for your good deed. Recycling is an uncomplicated option to save on ink.

A Final Thought

For many people, working from home is a dream come true.  Being a smart home-based employee is essential to avoid overspending without knowing where your money is going.

Savvy telecommuters turn to companies such as Vistaprint and SuppliesOutlet.com for simple and smart ways to save money when they work from home.

 

 

 

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1. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-room-is-the-new-must-have-home-feature-2014-12-29

2. https://www.census.gov/hhes/commuting/data

3. http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/17/pf/work-commute-time-and-money/