by Tony Balthazar

Created on: September 07, 2010

There is little doubt that some people are obsessed with office supplies. We spend hundreds of dollars a year on pens, pencils, ink and toner cartridges, paper and envelopes and countless other little items that can quickly add up to several dollars.  In reality, we probably spend two or three times more than we need to spend on these items, and chances are that we buy far too many of them as well.  Here are some tips for saving money on stationery items.

A)  Check larger quantity pricing - although you might only be in need of one good pen for writing, chances are that you can purchase a larger quantity of pens for a lower cost per item. This means that you won't have to run out the next time you need a pen either (saving time and fuel).  Paper can be purchased by half-case or case lots versus purchasing a single ream of paper which is often quite costly;

B) Check out discount stores - many communities have dollar stores of some type or general discount stores. These types of stores are usually perfect locations to find low cost pens, pencils and sometimes paper supplies as well. Before you get too excited and spend more than you intend to however, make sure that you know the prices at larger stationery stores so that you do not overpay.

C) Refill ink cartridges - ink and toner cartridges can often be more expensive than purchasing a brand new printer. Before you run out and purchase name brand cartridges, see if there are refill kits available. Some office supply stores provide discounts on ink cartridges if you return empty ones to the store.  There are also places where you can turn in empties (such as empties4cash.com) and receive monies back on them. Take advantage of these to save more money.

D) Avoid unneeded items - chances are pretty high that you are not going to need 1,000 paper clips in a single year. Staplers and staples are much less costly overall than paper clips and will likely last you far longer than a box of paper clips.  Other items that we tend to over-purchase include sticky-notes. Instead of purchasing these, create your own notes by using paper that you've printed on one side. If you must stick them on something, purchase a roll of sticky-tabs to use on them.

E) Greeting cards - we all over spend on greeting cards for birthdays, weddings, holidays and other special events.  Purchasing a good box of greeting card sized envelopes and a ream of off-white card stock will allow you to make your own greeting cards on your computer.  Over the course of the year, this could save you a great deal of money and you'll have unique cards that no one else has.

Summary

These are just a few tips for saving money on stationery items. If you are finding that you have spent more than you intended on these basic supplies, you should try to find out ways to cut down.  The money you save can be spent in far better ways, and there is no need to go without to accomplish this type of savings.

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