When people think of “stocking up” during time of economic uncertainty, they often think in terms of food and basic household staples. If you are into preparing for the future or getting good prices by buying things in bulk, you might consider applying the same strategy to your home business.
Recently, I purchased several ink cartridges for my computer printer. I decided to stock up and purchase a few of each color so that I could get a discount and would have a goodly supply. I also discovered that the shipping is cheaper overall ordering things in bulk like that. I realize that not all of us are super penny-pinchers but when you look at all the potential for savings or expense, you may find that stocking up is actually cheaper.
In addition to the cost-effectiveness that can come with stocking up on office supplies, there is the convenience of it. It is definitely more convenient to know that I am not going to run out of printer ink in the middle of printing a big project or knowing that I have plenty of paper, stamps/postage or whatever it is. It always seems more stressful to have to run out and get something that you have run out of than to simply have a good supply on hand.
Of course, a person can overboard. Remember that office supplies can wear out or “go bad”—paper does not last forever, for example, and it will draw moisture or fade if it is in color. Proper storage is a must and when you consider stocking up on business supplies, you also need to consider what you adequately have storage for. It is possible to lose money because you have bought too much of something that either does not get used or “goes bad” before you can use it. It is important to balance what you need and what you have room for, with your budget.