office supplies

8 Ways Everybody Saves During Back-to-School

Mikey Rox — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 09:30:37 +0000

One day after Independence Day, retailers made way for back-to-school items in their aisles. It's kind of annoying, in my opinion, because many kids just got out for the summer a week or two beforehand. I mean, let the dust settle first, right? But I digress. These early installments of supplies can also mean big savings for you, even if you're not a student or don't have children of your own. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Back to School Shopping)

1. Treat School Supplies Like Office Supplies

Need pens, pencils, and paper? Hit your local big-box retailer — like Wal-Mart, Target, and Staples — to take advantage of their discounted "school" supplies that coincidentally are the same things you use in your own office. At Target, look for additional savings on its Cartwheel app before checking out; check the clearance section at Wal-Mart and take try to score Bluebird savings on the back end; and checkout with your loyalty card at Staples to get a small kickback in the form of future monetary rewards for everything you buy there.

2. Raid Your Kids' Stash From Last Year

Your kids probably didn't use everything you bought them when they went back to school 12 months earlier. Chances are they still have at least a few leftovers, like binders, folders, dividers and more, that you can claim as your own and put to use. Lord knows they're not going to use something from last year — what will people say!? So whatever remains might as well go the extra mile for you.

3. Browse Local School's Social Media for Deals

Both big-box and local businesses are attracted to schools this time of year, so adding your local schools on Facebook and other social media may score you insider deals that won't be posted elsewhere.

"Similarly, if you live in or near a college town, check Yelp with the keyword 'school' and 'coupon' (or deal/offer) to find a slew of coupons that are intended to attract college students but can be used by anyone," suggests money-saving expert Mike Catania, whose own site PromotionCode.org also is a good resource.

4. Take Advantage of Price Matching

Spotted a better deal at a retailer at which you don't normally shop? You don't have to go out of your way to get it.

"Many back-to-school retailers like Target, Wal-Mart, and Office Depot will price match competitor's offers, so it pays to compare prices and circulars so you don't have to run around town to hunt down the best bargains," says money-saving expert Andrea Woroch.

In fact, Staples is going a step further and offering a price-match guarantee of 110% with an extra 10% off identical products. Use tools like the ShopSavvy app or the Invisible Hand browser add-on to simplify this task while shopping in store and online.

"Circulars are your best tool in comparing offers for back-to-school," Woroch adds. "In addition to browsing weekly ads found in Sunday newspapers, apps like Retale and Flipp offer a digital means of finding top discounts while you're out and about shopping."

5. Visit Trade-In Sites for Savings Upon Savings

Trade-in sites — those online outlets that offer refurbished electronics at discounted prices — are often overlooked when people are shopping for the latest and greatest gadgets. But checking in may yield big savings on just what you're looking for. For instance, Gazelle.com is offering up to 30% off on back-to-school gadgets for everyone, with new items added daily. Gazelle sells certified, pre-owned devices that must pass a 30-point quality inspection and everything comes with a 30-day risk-free return policy; payment plans also are available. Don't overlook the brick-and-mortars though: Apple, Newegg, Best Buy, and even warehouse clubs like Costco and Sam's Club offer refurbished or open-box laptops, tablets, computers, smartphones, and the like for up to 75% off.

This strategy applies to clothing, too.

"Thrift store, consignment shops, and online resellers, including Poshmark and ThredUp, are top resources for gently used clothing," explains Woroch.

6. Clip, Print, Tap, or Paste Coupons

The best way to quickly access store coupons is through a coupon app like Coupon Sherpa, which features savings at national chain stores like Staples as well as local shops. When shopping online, it's important to search for coupon codes to save money, like a Target promo code for $5 off $50 orders, or 25% off a Disney Store purchase. Otherwise, register for a retailer's online newsletter to receive a new subscriber coupon for savings from 10% to 20% off your first purchase.

7. Opt for Generic Over Name-Brand Supplies

Can you really tell the difference between a national brand-name notebook and the off-name or store brand? Probably not enough to pay more.

"You're better off sticking with the generic or store brand options to save money, especially since there is little difference between brand names and generic versions," Woroch says. "On the flip side, however, backpacks, electronics, art supplies, and even sneakers are better brand-name buys because they're often higher quality and last longer, reducing the need to replace them."

8. Show Those Summer Clearance Racks Who's Boss

While parents are shopping for fall clothing for kids, you can cop the remnants of the summer clothing in the clearance section for yourself. Sure, the summer is winding down, but all is not for naught: You can use the lighter pieces for layering during the colder months, and there will likely be fall-perfect clothing among the summer clothes as well. I recently visited J. Crew Factory's clearance section, which had racks of button-downs, long-sleeve polos, and pants for 50% off already very reduced prices. These kind of deals exist elsewhere — and they're all in one place at outlet malls — which makes a visit worth it if you're in need of a wardrobe refresh.

Do you have more back-to-school shopping tips? I'd love to hear them in the comments below.

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 5 Best Office Highlighters

Andrea Cannon — Fri, 29 Jul 2016 09:30:37 +0000

Highlighters are an essential item in any book bag or desk drawer. Highlighting important passages in notes, documents, and books will draw attention to these sections, making them easier to find later. This will help save you time and effort in your studies or workday.

What Is an Office Highlighter?

An office highlighter is a colored pen or marker that can overlay transparent color over important text to bring emphasis to these passages. It’s always a good idea to let the ink dry before highlighting to prevent any smearing or smudging.

There is a wide range of highlighters available for you to choose from, including chisel-tip, blade-style tip, and liquid pen-style highlighters. Highlighters come in a variety of tip sizes and shapes. They are also available in nearly every color of the rainbow, which will allow you to color code important passages.

Top 5 Office Highlighters

Sharpie Accent Retractable Highlighters

As Amazon’s #1 best seller in liquid highlighters, you can count on the Sharpie Accent Retractable Highlighters to meet all of your highlighting needs. With the retractable highlighter design, you can just click it on to highlight. The easy push button also allows for one-handed highlighting. The capless design means that there is no cap for you to worry about keeping track of. It also has a pocket clip on the side to make it even more convenient to use and carry around.

The narrow easy-glide chisel tip allows you to highlight, underline, or write notes easily. It features quick-drying Smearguard ink, so you won’t have to worry about smearing or smudging. It also won’t bleed through most paper and won’t fade or dry out anytime soon, thanks to the Safety Seal Valve.

This eight-pack of highlighters has more than 700 five-star reviews on Amazon and offers a great value at an affordable price. The set offers eight bright fluorescent assorted colors to meet all of your needs. Sharpie offers a huge selection of highlighters, so you are sure to find the right one for your personal preferences. If you prefer gel highlighters, try the Sharpie Accent Gel Highlighters. If you prefer a liquid pen-style highlighter, try the Sanford Sharpie Accent Liquid Pen Style Highlighter. If you prefer the clear see-through tip, try the Sanford Sharpie Clear View Highlighter, Chisel Tip or Sharpie Clear View Highlighter Stick.

Currently $7.36 on Amazon

Uni Highlighter Propus Window

The Uni Highlighter Propus Window Set is truly unique because it features a transparent window on its tip that allows you to clearly see what you're highlighting. It has a medium tip for highlighting and a fine tip for underlining. The highlighter tends to hold its shape well and won’t dry out anytime soon. It features a five-second dry time and doesn’t tend to smear or bleed through.

The affordable set features five soft colors: aqua blue, cherry blossom pink, golden yellow, lavender purple, and lime green. The set is recommended by JetPens.com and reviewers love it most for highlighting textbooks. If these don’t work for you, try the Uni Highlighter Erasable Five-Color Set, which can be erased once dry.

Currently $5.88 on Amazon

Zebra Eco Zebrite Double-Ended Highlighters

The Zebra Eco Zebrite Double-Ended Highlighter features both chisel and fine point ends so you can highlight everything with ease. It is also ideal for highlighting a Bible, or similarly thin pages, because the fluorescent ink won’t bleed through or dry out at all. In fact, it is one of the most commonly recommended highlighters for Bible study. Best of all, it is eco-friendly and made from 74% post-consumer waste materials.

This five-pack of dual-ended highlighters in assorted vibrant colors offers a great deal.

Currently $4.99 on Amazon

Post-it Flag+ Ballpoint Pen and Highlighter

The Post-it Flag+ Ballpoint Pen and Highlighter Combo is the ultimate study companion. It features black ink with 50 flags and a chisel tip highlighter on one end, with a medium ballpoint pen on the other. This handy tool allows you to write, highlight, and mark passages with a flag, all at once. This means that you can highlight important items and temporarily flag upcoming events in your calendar.

Each pen is color coordinated so that the highlighter matches the flags. This three-pack features blue, pink, and yellow flags and highlighting functionality. The flags are refillable, so you can keep using this all year round. Reviewers love it for their students and find that it can actually make studying fun.

Currently $7.96 on Amazon

Kuretake Zig Brush Hilite

The Kuretake Zig Brush Hilite has a flexible brush tip, so you can easily create very thin or thick lines with precision. The Japanese highlighters are popular in a number of different countries and reviewers tend to agree that once you’ve tried these, you can’t go back to conventional highlighters. It has a three-second dry time, so it sets in no time.

The set of five highlighters is recommended by JetPens.com and has a strong, loyal following. Reviewers tend to love that it doesn’t bleed through and that it works best for paperback.

Currently $6.16 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best office highlighters. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 8 Best Ways to Save on Back-to-School Supplies Right NOW

Kyle James — Tue, 12 Jul 2016 09:30:40 +0000

I realize summer vacation is still in full swing in many parts of the country and most parents have yet to think for a single second about back-to-school supplies. But if you can start your planning now, you can save a lot of money on your purchases. Using time to your advantage gives you the ability to buy when the price is right, and you won't be tempted to buy things at full price simply to cross them off your list. Here are eight ways to save on everything from pencils to a new laptop. (See also: The 6 Shopping Mistakes Keeping You From a Great Deal)

1. Always Shop Your Child's Backpack First

Before you stock-up on any school supplies for the upcoming school year, always pull out your child's backpack and empty it out. You'll be happily surprised how many items you'll discover that still have plenty of life left. By doing so, you'll avoid the sickening feeling of buying things like erasers, staplers, glue sticks, and notebooks only to discover perfectly acceptable versions in their backpack.

2. Set Price Alerts on Expensive Items

If you have a new laptop, scientific calculator, or other expensive tech item on your wish list, use time to your advantage and set up price alerts now so you buy only when the price is at its lowest point. If you're an Amazon loyalist, I recommend CamelCamelCamel.com as an easy way to track price fluctuations. You simply sign-up for free, create price alerts for any product, and receive an email when the price is right. They also have a free browser extension available which gives you instant access to the price history of items sold by Amazon. This is worth examining before you set up your price alerts so you know what price point to aim for.

3. Don't Buy All Supplies From One Store

The best way to guarantee you'll pay more than you should on back-to-school supplies is to walk into a single store and buy every item on your shopping list. Even if you shop at Wal-Mart, you'll still end up buying many items at full price. Instead, check out the sales fliers from all stores and plan your shopping accordingly. By having ample time on your hands to find the best deals, you'll be able to pick up items as you find them on sale. For example, you can pick up paper and pencils from Wal-Mart, but then stock up on the binders and backpacks on sale from Target.

4. Don't Neglect Office Supply Stores

Last year, some of the absolute best deals on back-to-school items were not found at the usual suspects like Wal-Mart, Target, and Kmart. Instead they were found at office supply stores like Staples, OfficeMax, and Office Depot. There were some amazing deals, like one-cent pencils, five-cent glue sticks, 10-cent folders, and five-cent erasers. The caveat is that many office supply stores carry a very limited supply, so keep a keen eye on sales fliers and pounce when the deals become available.

5. Always Price-Match Sold Out Items

When you visit a store like Staples and they've sold all of their one-cent pencils or 10-cent folders, don't despair. Instead, take their sales flyer into your lock Wal-Mart or Target and they'll match the price as long as they carry the same brand. Or better yet, simply start your shopping at Wal-Mart or Target and bring along the office supply store ads with you and just match their prices. Keep in mind that when getting your price match, it doesn't matter if the office supply store has actually sold out of the item. This is a terrific way to be able to shop at a single store and get the best price in town on school supplies.

6. Avoid Cartoon Characters

A great way to overpay during back-to-school shopping is to fall for the cute cartoon characters that adorn items like pencils, backpacks, lunch bags, binders, and notepads. They're typically 20%-30% more expensive than items with no characters on them. If your child absolutely has to have Dory on her new lunch bag or backpack, buy some stickers and let them decorate it themselves.

7. Consider Shopping Solo

An easy way to avoid the temptation of buying pricey Disney items is to leave the kids at home altogether. Not only will it allow you to easily stick to your shopping list, but by shopping alone, the kids won't be able to throw you off your mission of finding and buying the best values. I love the idea of getting kids involved in back-to-school shopping, as it often increases their excitement about the upcoming year. I have found that a great way to do this is when you get home from your shopping trip, not during. Once you return, get them involved in the sorting and organizing of all the stuff you bought, and they will typically get all fired up about school.

8. Find Great Tech Deals Online

When it comes to finding online tech deals for items like laptops, desktops, and tablets, there are three sources you should definitely have bookmarked.

Dell University: When shopping online for a PC, Dell University has some excellent discounts exclusively for students. To take advantage, all you need to do is register for the free Dell Advantage program and provide the name of your school.

Apple Education Pricing: If an Apple computer is in your future, you'd be wise to check out their Educational Pricing page and save up to 25% off a new MacBook or iMac.

Best Buy College Student Deals: Once you've created a Best Buy account, you can sign-up for exclusive college student deals for computers, small appliances, and accessories like external hard drives and software. Current examples include $100 off a MacBook or iMac, $30 off a Keurig Brewer, and 20% off Samsung and LG microwave ovens.

By using these three little-known programs, you'll be able to get all of your tech needs at prices far below retail in many cases.

How do you save money when buying back-to-school supplies for yourself or your kids? Share with us!

This article is from Kyle James of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 5 Best Pens

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 07 Apr 2016 09:00:08 +0000

They say that the only thing mightier than the sword is the pen. If that’s the case, then you better be wielding a pretty powerful pen.

What Is a Pen?

A pen is an office supply that can be used to write or draw with ink. The ball or nylon tip is fitted into a metal or plastic holder, which makes up the pen. The most common types of pens include ballpoint, rollerball, fountain, and felt or ceramic tip pens.

The use of pens dates back to 3,000 BC, when the Ancient Egyptians created the reed pen. While the pen has improved greatly over the years, there are still some options that stand out above all the rest.

Top 5 Pens

Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens

The Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pen is one of the most popular pens available and the #1 selling gel pen in America. It features a translucent barrel and contoured rubber grip. The thick ergonomic wide comfort grip and well-balanced design will allow you to write comfortably all day with less cramping. The Dynamic Gel Ink formula won’t bleed through and is smear-proof, which makes it great for left-handers. It is very precise and offers a smooth writing experience. Reviewers tend to agree that the ink lasts for a very long time, so you won’t need to purchase refills anytime soon. In fact, Pilot claims that these pens will write longer than the average gel ink pens.

Pilot pens are a favorite with writers everywhere. They have stellar reviews online, including more than 3,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Good Housekeeping selected these as some of the best pens available and Lifehacker selected them as the best budget pens available. The pens are available in 15 vibrant colors, in multiple barrel style options, and with either bold point, fine point, extra fine point, and ultra fine point tips. There are also a number of Pilot collections available, such as the Professional Collection and Fashion Collection, so you can choose the perfect pen for your personal style. This box of 12 pens is a great deal and because each pen lasts about twice as long as the average gel ink pen, this box should last you for years.

Currently $11.89 on Amazon

uni-ball Jetstream RT Fine Point Retractable Roller Ball Pens

The uni-ball Jetstream RT Fine Point Retractable Roller Ball Pens feature uni Super Ink, which is specially formulated to resist water and fading, helping to secure your documents and prevent check and document fraud. The unique hybrid ink has the smoothness of a gel, but the quick-drying properties of a ballpoint pen. It glides effortlessly across the page and won’t bleed through, so you can easily create vivid, precise lines. The quick-dry ink minimizes smudges, making it ideal for left-handers. The pen features a beautiful design, high quality materials, and bright, vibrant ink. The sleek design features a retractable tip, embossed grip, stainless steel accents, and a cushioned grip for increased writing control and comfort.

The roller ball pen is available in black, blue, and red ink. After a thorough comparison, The Wirecutter selected it as the best pen on the market, Pen Addict selected it as one of the top ballpoint pens, Lifehacker selected it as one of the best budget pens, and Real Simple selected it as the best gel pen. This pack of three pens is backed by a satisfaction guarantee and stellar online reviews.

Currently $8.99 on Amazon

Cross Classic Century Ballpoint Pen

The Cross Classic Century Ballpoint Pen is just about the most affordable Cross option you are going to find. It features an iconic mid-century modernist design and a classic chrome finish that will feel smooth in the hands. The sleek pen has a patented propel-repel ball pen mechanism and trademark conical tip. The slim, well-balanced pen can be used for hours with minimal hand cramping. It offers consistent ink flow and precise writing. It comes with a black medium ballpoint refill.

If you are going to get a nice pen, it should be one that can realistically last you a lifetime and is backed by a manufacturer's lifetime mechanical warranty. While this Cross pen is more expensive than the other options on our list, the ink lasts for a very long time, so you won’t need to worry about buying an ink refill anytime soon. Cross has been creating award-winning pens since 1846, Good Housekeeping recommends this pen, and it is backed by stellar online reviews. Cross has a number of beautiful options, like Star Wars inspired pens, so if you don't like this classic design, you are sure to find the right one for your office.

Currently $19.39 on Amazon

Pilot Dr. Grip Limited Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pen

The Pilot Dr. Grip Limited Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pen is in a league of its own. If you need to use a pen all day, this is the one to reach for. The wide ergonomic comfort gel grip and well-balanced design will allow you to comfortably hold and use the pen for hours, without fatigue or cramping. It is commended for ease of use by the Arthritis Foundation, so it is ideal for people who suffer from arthritis or carpal tunnel. There is no smearing, so it’s also perfect for left-handers. It writes smoothly and is very precise with no visible ink bleeding. It has a medium tip and is available with black and blue ink refills.

Studies conducted by the Georgia Tech Research Institute found that Dr. Grip pens are almost twice as comfortable as competitor brands. The attractive pens are available in a range of barrel colors and styles. If you aren’t a fan of gel pens, then Good Housekeeping recommends the Pilot Dr. Grip Retractable Ballpoint Pen because the ink lasts for a long time, so you won’t need to buy refills anytime soon.

Currently $8.49 on Amazon

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

The Lamy Safari Fountain Pen has such a following that it’s almost hit cult classic status. The modern, upscale pen features a minimal, solid-color-and-clip design. Made of sturdy ABS plastic, it is built to last. The charcoal black matte fountain pen has a black steel fine nib and a flexible shiny chrome clip. The fine tip writes very smoothly and precisely, so you can master it in no time. It comes with a Lamy ink cartridge, so you can start using it right away.

Coming from the world-famous Lamy brand, you can count on this pen to last reliably for years. Pen Addict named this one of the top fountain pens and reviewers and publications like The Newsprint tend to agree that Lamy creates some of the highest-quality pens on the market. It is Amazon’s #1 best seller in fountain pens and has stellar reviews online, including more than 700 five-star reviews on Amazon. This pen is so impressive that it also makes the perfect gift for any man or woman in your life.

Currently $25.99 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best pens. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

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This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The 5 Best Mechanical Pencils

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 24 Mar 2016 09:00:04 +0000

We all need pencils from time to time. Whether it is for work, school, or home, you need a dependable mechanical pencil that won’t break. We’ve found some of the very best mechanical pencils out there, so you can get the best value for your money.

What Is a Mechanical Pencil?

A mechanical pencil has a plastic or metal case and a thin, replaceable core. This allows you to affordably refill the pencil with lead refills. Once the lead has worn away or become dull, you can simply extend the lead point to expose a sharp, precise point. They never need sharpening and won’t change shape or balance as they are used (unlike wooden pencils).

Mechanical pencils can provide a great investment because the lead and eraser can be refilled with affordable refills. They are available in all different sizes and designs, so you can choose the best one for your writing comfort.

Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil

You likely won’t find a better mechanical pencil than the Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil. This commonly recommended mechanical pencil is well balanced and has a textured metal barrel above the grip that resembles a surgeon’s tool and is easy to hold, so you have more control over the pencil. The chiseled metallic grip has soft latex-free pads inlaid throughout so it feels more comfortable and can reduce writing fatigue. The break-resistant, super hi-polymer 0.5mm lead is the bestselling lead in the world because it doesn’t need sharpening, remains strong, and produces a precise, dark line. The dual-action retractor advances and retracts the tip to protect the lead. It also has a built-in lead hardness indicator and dual-function pocket clip that releases a heavy spring mechanism to retract the tip.

This pencil is tough and reliable, so it should last you a long time. It was compared to nearly every other mechanical pencil on the market and came out on top. It is one of Amazon’s bestsellers and one of the “most wished for” items on Amazon. It is also backed by more than 1,100 five-star reviews on Amazon and recommended by Dave’s Mechanical Pencils, The Wirecutter, OfficeSupplyGeek, and CultPens. It is also commonly compared to the wildly popular rOtring 600 Mechanical Pencil, 0.5 mm.

Currently $11.99 on Amazon

BIC Pencil Xtra Strong

If you’re looking for dependable thick lead pencils, then the BIC Pencils Xtra Strong are right for you. The thick, strong 0.9 mm lead reduces breakage and delivers a smooth writing experience. The shatter and splinter resistant, unbreakable lead also makes them ideal for writers who tend to hold the pencil tightly or press down hard on the page. This large pack of 24 #2 mechanical pencils have assorted colorful barrels, so you can find the right one for your personal preferences. Each pencil includes three full length leads per pencil, which provides a write-out equivalent to 2.5 wooden pencils, providing a great value.

BIC makes the #1 best selling mechanical pencils. These are also Amazon’s #1 best seller in mechanical pencils and one of the “most wished for” items on Amazon. They also have more than 700 five-star reviews on Amazon and are commonly recommended for students. For some extra pizazz, consider the BIC Pencil Xtra Sparkle, which is an Amazon bestseller and on Amazon’s college checklist.

Currently $5.99 on Amazon

uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil

If you want a pencil that always has a perfectly sharp point, consider the uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil. The attractive black and blue pencil has an exclusive, carefully engineered design. It features a twist and turn mechanism that can rotate the lead automatically when you lift the pencil, so you always have a sharp point. The diamond infused lead is stronger, so it can easily reduce lead breakage, maintain the perfect cone shape, and create precise, vivid lines with reduced lead dull spots.

This starter set comes with two eraser refills and extra lead, making it a great value. It is one of Amazon’s bestsellers and one of the “most wished for” items on Amazon. It also has more than 500 five-star reviews on Amazon and is recommended by Dave’s Mechanical Pencil, Lifehacker, Gizmodo, The Wirecutter, OfficeSupplyGeek, the Pen Addict, CoolTools, Wired, and JetPens.

Currently $4.17 on Amazon

Paper Mate Clear Tip 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil

The Paper Mate Clear Tip Mechanical Pencil will allow you to create precise lines. It has the feel and distinctive design of a pen, but the performance of a pencil. The retractable pencil has a comfortable, over-molded, non-slip grip for added control. It also has a translucent barrel and visible lead supply, so you’ll know before it runs out of lead. It also has a pocket clip, so you can easily carry it around with you. The side click advance button will help you advance the lead while you are writing, without letting go of the pencil. The jumbo twist-up eraser easily advances and retracts, so you can make mistakes with no messy residue. The colors will vary, so you won’t be able to pick which two colored barrels you’ll receive.

The starter set includes two #2 pencils, two eraser refills, and 12 0.7mm leads. It is one of Amazon’s bestsellers and has exceptional online reviews. In fact, most reviewers agree that it is love at first use.

Currently $4.97 on Amazon

Pentel Twist-Erase III Automatic Pencil

The Pentel Twist-Erase III Automatic Pencil has a large barrel and soft, smooth, latex-free, ergonomic grip, so you can write comfortably with less writing fatigue. It features a long, twist-up latex-free eraser that is larger than most other pencil erasers, so you can feel free to make errors. You can also erase without fear of smudges, paper tears, or ghost streaks. The break resistant, super hi-polymer HB 0.7mm lead is the bestselling lead in the world because it doesn’t need sharpening, remains strong, and produces a precise, dark line. The protective tip design stabilizes the lead to reduce breakage. The colors will vary, so you won’t be able to pick whether you receive the black/black or black/red color barrel combinations.

The set includes two #2 pencils and two eraser refills. These dependable pencils are one of Amazon’s bestsellers and the lead refills are Amazon’s #1 bestselling refills. They are also recommended by The Wirecutter and JetPens. Many reviewers also found that they can keep the same pencil for years by just replacing the lead and eraser with refills, so you can count on these lasting a very long time. If you’re looking for something fancier, try the Pentel Sharp Kerry Mechanical Pencil, 0.50 mm, Metallic Black Barrel.

Currently $5.99 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best mechanical pencils. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Credit Cards for Office Supply Purchases

Kris Majaski — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 20:03:30 +0000

You don’t need to be a small business owner to make runs to the office supply store. Households and small businesses alike have needs for basic supplies, not to mention students doing their yearly back to school shopping. (See also: Best Credit Cards for Back to School Shopping)

Although most credit cards that offer rewards on office supply purchases are business credit cards, there are opportunities for regular consumers to earn rewards on office supplies as well. Here is a brief roundup of the best credit cards which offer big rewards for office supply purchases.

Target REDcard™

Target may not be the obvious choice when you need office supplies, but the 5% discount that you get when you shop at Target with the Target REDcard means the giant retailer would be a great choice if you want to see immediate savings at checkout. The card also provides free shipping on Target.com orders and a longer period for returns.

Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card

Amazon often has great deals on office supplies, and with the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card, you get 3% back on Amazon.com purchases, 2% on gas stations, restaurants, and drug stores, and 1% cash back on other purchases. Amazon Prime members can qualify for 5% back for Amazon.com purchases as well as free two-day shipping on eligible items.

Ink Business Cash^SM Credit Card

The Ink Business Cash^SM Credit Card from Chase provides great benefits for the small business owner. New cardholders can earn $500 bonus cash back after spending $3,000 in the first three months. Cardholders also receive 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. You also receive 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent per year in combined gas station and restaurant purchases, and 1% on all other purchases. Best of all, this card has no annual fee.

The information related to the Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card and the Ink Business Cash^SM Credit Card from Chase has been collected by Wise Bread and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer or provider of this product or service.

This article is from Kris Majaski of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

5 Ways Etsy Can Help Start Your Small Business

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 13:24:14 +0000

I love Etsy. I first began shopping there just a few weeks ago, although I had followed its popularity for the past few years and have marveled at the showcase of talent featured across many genres of online shops featured there. Surprisingly, my interest in Etsy has had nothing to do with hand-stitched crafts, luxury bath items, or the random brick-a-brac that many people associate with the site. I go to Etsy to get staples for my small business. (See also: Buying (and Trading) on Etsy)

Because Etsy is a growing market, adding new stores every day, it has the potential to be a huge marketplace for some lesser-known startup necessities. In the meantime, you can find a limited, yet high-quality offering in the following areas.

Company Logos

While the prices run the gamut, I was able to buy a OOAK (one of a kind) business logo for my website, business cards, blog, and social media avatars. The talent displayed on Etsy was amazing, and my finished product was delivered within 24 hours. You can find several options to have a logo completely customized to your specifications, or you might find that a premade design fits better into your budget.

Web Design

In addition to getting a savvy-looking logo for your business, you might as well invest in a professional website to help sell your wares or services. Many of the same people who sell logos on Etsy are also well-versed in getting a site set up. If you are looking for something highly-customized, you’ll pay more. Buy a pre-made site with only slight modifications (color and logo, for example), and you could see a big discount over hiring someone from an agency. (Hint: If you have an Etsy shop yourself, hiring a fellow crafter to do your shop design is a worthwhile investment.)

Office Decor

While not essential to having a well-run small business, putting a little personality into your office space can be useful in getting productivity at its peak. Some of the nice items I’ve found on Etsy include framed photo artwork, up-cycled vintage end tables, custom drawer pulls, and chalkboard wall decals. If you need something whimsical, yet practical, you’ll likely find it here.

Paper Supplies

Stationary, business cards, and envelopes can be ordered from a cheap site like VistaPrint, or you could give your business a classy, original look with the offerings found on Etsy. Whether you’re needing something completely handmade (like these collage notecards) or are looking for a more balanced look, you will likely find paper goods that communicate the feel of your company on Etsy.

Client Gifts

If you’ve used up all the free client gifts I’ve recommended in past articles, consider something beautiful and classy that your customers can hold in their hands. Contrary to common opinion, Etsy is not just for girls. You can find some really nice masculine designs, including this rustic organizer and organic shave kit made from beer. Regardless of the gender of your client (or the size of the organization), I’ve found handmade sweets to be a hit among all of the companies I work with. This tasty nougat speaks for itself!

Note: I linked to several Etsy shops in this article that I found to be interesting. Product offerings change often, so to keep the article relevant, I’ve linked to each shop homepage rather than individual items. I have not purchased from or have a personal interest in any of them, with the exception of Erin (who did my logo), and I cannot speak to the quality of each shop’s finished product.

How has Etsy helped your small business or blog?

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

28 Innovative Uses for Binder Clips

Paul Michael — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 14:00:09 +0000

I like finding different uses for everyday household items and office supplies. Not only does it save me money, it also keeps my mind working overtime. “What can I do with these?” runs around my head way too often, sometimes to the point where I’m sketching out ideas for used pens or old boxes.

A recent trip to Office Depot had me picking up a box of binder clips that were on special. I went with the intention of getting these clips for a specific purpose (the mundane use of holding documents together) but what else could I do with them? Here’s what I discovered after some brainwaves and a little Internet searching:

1. A Money Clip or Wallet

Hey, it’s not something a respectable Mafia boss would carry, but if you’re just looking for a cheap and efficient way to keep your bills in one place, this isn’t too shabby.

2. A Desk Cable Tidier

If you’re like me, you have cables galore around your desk. Sort them out with a few binder clips. Mix up the colors or even paint the boring black ones to match your décor.

3. Keep Pacifiers Off the Floor

When my kids were using pacifiers, we would see them get spit out and hit the floor more often than we could count. So we bought some special pacifier holders that clipped to the clothing of our little ones. But there’s a cheaper solution: Tie a piece of string around the pacifier, tie the other end to the small binder clip, and then attach somewhere out of reach. No more soiled pacifiers covered in dirt and fluff.

4. Clothespins

They’re not as cheap as clothespins, but if you’re in a pinch and have none left, substituting with binder clips will easily do the job.

5. Clothing Alterations

We use binder clips in the advertising business to make clothes appear more tailored in photoshoots. If you’ve seen Lost in Translation, you’ll know the scene where Bill Murray goes out and about after a shoot and has binder clips all over the back of his suit. You can use them to hold up cuffs on jeans or shirt sleeves, or even use smaller ones as temporary fixes on ripped seams. I also use binder clips to hold the end of a flapping belt to the side of my jeans.

6. Cuff Links

The hipster in you will love this one. Grab yourself some all-steel or gold-colored binder clips and make a cool fashion statement that costs just pennies.

7. Toothpaste Squeezer

Keep a binder clip at the bottom of the new toothpaste tube and use it to keep the rolled up tube in place. You’ll make the toothpaste last longer.

8. A Quick-and-Easy Kid's Doodle Pad

Grab a handful of blank pages (I use construction paper), and hold them together with a binder clip and a sheet of thick cardstock for sturdiness. Now tie a pen or pencil to a piece of string and tie that to the binder clip: a simple doodle pad that always has a pen attached.

9. Boot and Shoe Hangers

Running out of space? Use binder clips to keep shoes together, and hang them out of the way using the binder clips.

10. Cell Phone Stand/iPod Holder

A little ingenuity and some trial-and-error will give you a cell phone or iPod stand that works just as well as those costing $10 or more.

11. Bookmark

Better to use a small binder clip than to dog-ear your precious pages.

12. Finger Workout

Start small and work up to bigger and bigger binder clips. This is particularly good for guitar players who need to strengthen their smaller fingers.

13. Tablecloth Holder

When we have parties for our kids, the first thing we buy is a plastic table cloth. But being plastic, it wants to slip straight off the table. Keep it in place (and your table protected) by using a binder clip or two on each side of the table.

14. Desk Sculptures

People spend small fortunes on fancy desk toys. Why not use your imagination and save money? Create small sculptures out of the stack of binder clips you have on the desk. Challenge other people in the office to make something fun.

15. Beer Stacker

If you have one of those fridges with wire shelves, this one’s for you. By placing a binder clip in the appropriate place on the shelf, you can butt beers up against it and create a pyramid of beers that saves space (or allows room for more beers).

16. Barbie Purse

It looks like a purse already. Why not decorate it and go all the way?

17. Photo Holders

A couple of pieces of glass or clear plastic and three or four binder clips makes an inexpensive and minimal photo frame. It’s easy to change out the photos or artwork, too.

18. Artwork Hangers

Create a simple art display for your kids (or your own work) by running a length of string or cord along the wall. Now attach binder clips to the string and place the art in the binders. It's easy to swap out work and a great way to show off the fruits of your labor.

19. Extension Cord Organizers

If you’ve got stacks of extension cords, wires, and cables in your garage, they can often get tangled and knotted together. Keep them in their own spools by using a couple of large binder clips. They’re easy to remove and replace and will stop the untidy mess of wires on your garage floor.

20. Replacement Feet for Keyboards

Here’s some information I got from Lifehacker on how to make new feet for your keyboard. It’s also handy for adjusting the height and angle of the keyboard. Or, just prop it up with the binder clips for a more speedy solution:

Push the rods in the binder clip inwards to release it from the clip. Take the pliers and bend the tip of the rod to straighten it. Repeat with the other side so you have two. For added friction on the table to prevent sliding, tightly wrap a rubber band at the base of each rod or whatever rubbery material you can find. The last step is to simply insert the ends of the rods into two available screw holes at the back of your keyboard if available, and there you go! Use different size binder clips for desired angle/height.

21. Body Art

Binder clips can be used as earrings, jewelry, or even body modification.

22. Key Ring

Always have a binder clip handy by attaching your keys to it. It also makes it easy to hang your keys.

23. Photographer’s Friend

Every professional or semi-professional photographer I know has a stack of binder clips handy. They’re great for keeping backgrounds in place, keeping cords out of the way, and can be used to assemble temporary light boxes.

24. Putting on a Duvet Cover

Another tip gleaned from Lifehacker:

Put the duvet in the cover one corner at a time, securing each corner with a large binder clip. Spread the combined cover and duvet on the bed. Reach the center underneath and lift; hold it over your head with your hands and let the sides fall around you. Shake the duvet so that the sides fall to the sides of the cover. Spread the duvet on the bed and give the final touches. Remove the binder clips.

25. Pen Caddy

Create an interlocking circle of binder clips. The holes within each binder clip, plus the larger hole in the center, make ideal storage for pens, pencils and other office supplies. And when you’re done with it, it breaks down easily.

26. Tea Bag Holder

As a tea drinker, I often come across tea bags that have no string. It’s not a big deal; I fish it out with a spoon. But now there’s an alternative: Hold the bag in place on the side of the cup using a binder clip. When your tea is steeped to your satisfaction, remove the clip and dump the bag.

27. ID Badge Holder

Many of you will already carry an ID badge to the office. They usually come with a small crocodile clip, but that can soon break. If it does, attach the badge to a binder clip and you’ve got an instant replacement that’s every bit as strong.

28. A Dress

I can't vouch for the comfort of this one, but it's certainly original.

For more binder clip ideas, check out Myscha's article "Cool Ideas for Clothespins and Binder Clips."

Any more binder clip ideas? Let us know.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

52 Uses for Rubber Bands

Paul Michael — Wed, 12 May 2010 13:00:05 +0000

The simple rubber (or elastic) band is one of those nifty little items that costs next to nothing and yet has so many uses. There's always a bag of them in our junk drawer, and I also make sure my office drawer has a plentiful supply, too. But just how versatile is that modest rubber band?

Well, I thought I'd do a little digging. Myscha listed 8 great ones already. I have my own uses of course, and they represent a good chunk of the following list. But I wanted to know how other people use them. I was genuinely surprised at some of the responses I got.

So here then are 52 uses for rubber bands, ranging from the tiny one that hardly fits over a marker pen, to the giant one that you swear could double as a timing belt.

1. A hair tie. Something I still remember from my days in the mosh pits. In college, when money was tight, I didn't want to blow money on hair ties. A simple rubber band does the trick, but it can take a few hairs with it as you pull it out.

2. A diversion. So, you want someone to look the other way, maybe so you can sneak out, hide a present or just pull a prank. Fire a rubber band across the room and aim for something that will amplify the sound as it hits. As your victim turns to look, move and strike.

3. An eraser. Hey, it's made of rubber after all. Grab a few rubber bands and create a small rubber band ball. With enough rubber bands, you'll have something sturdy that can erase pencil just as well as your standard eraser.

4. A sports-glasses holder. If any of you have to wear eyeglasses but play sports, you'll know how annoying it is to have your glasses fall off, especially as the action heats up. Simply cut a rubber band in half and attach each end to each arm. If you have made it tight enough, the glasses will cling nicely to your head without pinching. When the game is over, just cut it off and throw away.

5. An eyeglasses safety strap. Same as above, only make it much longer. Now, if you have to remove your reading glasses, your new safety strap will let them hang neatly on your chest until you need them again.

6. A poster scroll. Perhaps the most obvious use, but still worth mentioning. Simple slip a rubber band over a rolled up poster to keep it rolled up. BUT, not too tight. It will leave indentations that will run the full length of the poster if the rubber band is too small.

7. A handle grip. Easy enough. Just wrap several wide rubber bands around the end of a pole to create a comfortable grip. I used this method to make a hiking stick more comfortable.

8. A mafia wallet. Well, not just the mafia, but a lot of wiseguys don't like to carry wallets. Instead, they use a money clip or in some cases a rubber band. Wrap it around your stash of Benjamin Franklins. Or, if you want to contain your ID as well, put the cash between your driver's license and credit cards, and then wrap the bands around that.

9. A humble reminder. Just put a small rubber band over your little finger (not too tight mind you) to act as a reminder for something important. That’s if your smart phone is a piece of junk that has no calendar.

10. A candle dewobbler. Is your lovely candle wobbling in the candle holder? Just put a rubber band around the base and it will fit nice and snug.

11. A glove softener. We’ve all done it, or at least, most young baseball players have done it. A brand new glove is stiff, so after beating it with a mallet and rubbing in shaving cream, wrap a big rubber band around it. Then let it sit.

12. A mail storage system. Hammer two parallel rows of nails in the side of a cabinet or the back of a door, and stretch rubber bands between them to hold mail. You can also stretch bands over a piece of plywood for a cheaper version of the French ribbon board.

13. An overbite cure. I’m skeptical on this one. But apparently, when stretched between opposite ends of the upper and lower jaw, over a period of time, the force of a rubber band can correct a minor overbite.

14. A remote control saver. Wrap a big rubber band around the top and bottom of a remote. It will protect it from a fall, and it will stop it scratching up the coffee table.

15. An Easter-egg decorator. Just wrap rubber bands in different directions around the eggs before dunking them in egg dye. Cool patterns will appear.

16. A cheap ruler. For this one, use a bigger rubber band, stretch it out and run your pencil along it. Simple, but certainly not perfect.

17. A liquid economizer. Wasting precious soap, detergent or lotion? Wrap a rubber band tightly around the neck of the dispensing pump to limit how each “squirt.”

18. An electrical insulator. Make wires safer in an instant. First, turn of the power, then wrap a rubber band or two around any exposed wire to protect yourself. This is a temporary measure obviously.

19. A finger exerciser. If your fingers are in need of some stretching or rehab, this is a cheap way to work them out. First, bunch all of your fingers together and place them through the center of a rubber band, one with a lot of tension. Next, spread your fingers and let them contract.Now, repeat.

20. A flower arranger. For simple organization of your blooms, use a rubber band to keep flower heads together. Cut the stems to just above the height of the vase for best effect.

21. A lid gripper. Don’t pay one cent for those expensive lid grips you see advertised on late night TV. Instead, wrap a thick rubber band around the rim of a jar lid and then twist.

22. A shirt loosener. Is your top button a bit tight? Don’t pay for expensive adjustments. Put a small rubber band through the buttonhole, then loop the ends over the button.

23. A bed slat securer. Got a few loose slats under the mattress? Just wrap a few rubber bands around the ends to make them more secure.

24. A caster tightener. We all know that furniture leg casters can take some punishment and become loose over time. To tighten them up, wrap rubber bands around the stem and reinsert.

25. A wine marker. Wrap a different colored rubber band around the stem of each glass the next time you have a dinner party or gathering. No more mixed-up drinks.

26. A Koosh ball. Take a whole bunch of rubber bands, and them hold them together with one very strong rubber band. Now cut through the ends of the rubber bands and you have a homemade Koosh Ball. Really cheap and fun.

27. A liquid marker. If your garage is anything like mine, it’s filled with all kinds of containers, most of them holding something like paint, turpentine, cleaning fluids and more. But which ones are full, and which ones are ready to replaced? You can use rubber bands around the outside of the cans as guides, and move them down the can as you use more.

28. A paintbrush scraper. Speaking of paint, I usually wipe the excess from my brush on the inside rim of the can. But this leads to paint leaking into the rim, splattering you with paint when you hammer the lid back on. To avoid this, wrap a rubber band around the can from top to bottom, going across the middle of the can opening. Now you can just tap the brush against the rubber band and the excess paint will fall back into the can. Nice and neat.

29. A universal object gatherer. So, so obvious but how can I not mention it. From pencils and pens to index cards and office supplies, a rubber band is invaluable in keeping objects tied together.

30. A sliced apple keeper. Odd but true, if you slice an apple into wedges and then put them all back together, a rubber band wrapped around the apple will hold it all together and stop the wedges from yellowing or drying out. Much better for the environment than using sandwich bags.

31. A bag sealer. Keep chips, cereal and other bagged produce fresh by folding the top of the bag over and then wrapping a rubber band around the whole thing.

32. A folder sealer. Manila folders with loose folders inside could use something to keep all those papers from getting out. No problem. Wrap a rubber band around the length and width and they'll go nowhere.

33. A wire sorter. Especially useful if you have a large collection of wires under your computer, keep them organized by wrapping the excess with rubber bands. Color codes rubber bands can also help identify the different wires.

34. A toddler lock. Young kids love to explore in those cabinets under the sink, and everywhere else. Stretch strong rubber bands tightly between cabinet knobs to lock them in place.

35. A broom reviver. If the broom's bristles are looking worn, tighten them up by wrapping thick rubber bands halfway up the bristles.

36. A toilet paper saver. My cat just loves unraveling the toilet paper. And then shredding it. To avoid this, wrap a rubber band around the end of roll of toilet paper. Can be annoying to remove each time, but if you find wasted paper more annoying, try this.

37. A last resort glue. Seriously, this is last resort. But if you need an adhesive in a hurry and can't get to a store, melt a rubber band onto the object you want to stick. It works! It's not super glue, but it's a good temporary fix.

38. A bottle holder. Shampoos and lotions can be slippery in the bathroom. Wrap a large rubber band around each bottle and you'll never have a problem keeping your grip. This also works on any other bottle in any room of the house, and is very useful for people who have trouble gripping, especially those with arthritis.

39. A spoon saver. How often have you seen the spoon fall into the soup or mixing bowl? Just wrap a rubber band around the upper part of the spoon’s handle, right above the point where the spoon touches the rim of the bowl. No more slipping and sliding.

40. A quick tagging system. Are some batteries older than others? Are some pens more reliable, or do they belong to different members of the family. Color-coded rubber bands can help you sort them all out quickly and easily.

41. A pencil grip. Wrap many rubber bands around the base of the pencil, or pen, where you like to hold it. Now it's much more comfortable, and less slippy.

42. A slingshot. You know how to make it work, I won't spell it out. But for catapulting a small object from one side of the room to the other, a rubber band is ideal.

43. A quick splint. If you need to strap in injured finger, use a rubber band, or bands, to firmly attach a stick or strong piece of card to the injury.

44. A lid securer. Again, another obvious but great use. If the lid is loose and past its prime, keep it in place with a strong rubber band.

45. A cord shortener. Don't trip over long electrical cords. Simply wrap a rubber band around the excess to shorten them.

46. A work of art. Anyone remember string pictures? This is the rubber band "ghetto" version, but it's quick and easy. Just by using a pegboard and rubber bands you can create cool shapes and patterns, and it's cheap, too.

47. A wax catcher. Wrap a large rubber band around a candle and it will stop the wax from dripping onto the table.

48. A cutting board anchor. If the board is sliding on the counter surface, wrap a rubber band around each end. Now, it will hold steady as you cut.

49. A rubber thimble. If you have to count or shuffle a lot of papers, a few rubber bands wrapped around the tips of your fingers will make the job a lot easier. Again, not too tight.

50. A stress reliever. Make a ball from lots of rubber bands. You can squeeze them when you're feeling stressed, and it's cheaper than an off-the-shelf ball.

51. A leak fixer. A very temporary measure, but a strong, fat rubber band can be wrapped around a pipe or hose to slow the leak.

52. A tie dye tool. How many hippies out there remember this? Tightly wrap rubber bands around your clothing item, in several places, and then place into the dyes. Nice.

Well, that's all I could either think of or find. It should be more than enough to keep you going for now though. And if you have any other uses not listed here, please list them in the comments.

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

30 Easy Ways to Go Green in the Office

Nora Dunn — Thu, 06 May 2010 14:00:03 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/lifestyle/article/30-easy-ways-to-go-gr...

The "Three Rs" of being environmentally friendly that we grew up with has evolved into "Five Rs": Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and now Repair, and Rethink. Taking all five Rs into consideration — especially the rethinking part — here are 30 easy ways to go green in the office, and often save money in the process.

Office Supplies

1. Stock Reusable Pens
U.S. citizens alone throw out over four million disposable pens — daily. Consider stocking the office with reusable pens instead. Stock the supplies cupboard only with refills for these pens. This creates incentives to keep track of and use their pens, and besides which — they're actually cheaper in the long run and usually much nicer to use overall. (You can even make the pen game fun by putting each employee's name on their pen. If they leave it lying around where it shouldn't be, another employee can snag points for "stealing" their pen!)

2. Keep Tabs on the Supply Cabinet
In a recent article 9 Things Your Office Forgot to Recyle, we discussed the value of keeping the office supply cabinet under the direct supervision of one or two people, such as the office manager. In doing this, employees won't be as wasteful of supplies as they may otherwise be.

You can take this one step further by explaining to employees how it's not only a way to go green in the office, but there's also cost savings in so doing. And to sweeten the pot, you could set up a program that uses the money saved in conserving office supplies to throw office parties or lunches for everybody. Make the process transparent, and people will take ownership of their own contributions to going green in the office.

Stationery

3. Eliminate Waste in Printing
All too often we print a document to discover that the last page only has a web address at the bottom, or other printable space is wasted. GreenPrint and EcoPrint2 are software programs that identify these areas of waste in printing, alert the user of possible wasted space, and recommend how to eliminate it. The user can then decide whether or not to accept the program recommendations before printing. GreenPrint claims to save businesses 17% on printing materials and $100 — per user — annually.

4. Go Digital
Is it necessary to print out a meeting agenda for every member? Or can you incorporate it into a slide show, or simply send it via email? How about posting employee manuals and other materials online rather than distributing — and onerously updating — print copies? Increasing numbers of digital storage devices and systems for businesses make going digital very easy to do.

5. Buy Environmentally Friendly Paper
Try as we may to go digital, we still need paper, so try to go with the least of the evils. Insist on chlorine-free paper, and look for high amounts of post-consumer recycled content. You can also look for paper that has been made with more sustainable substances like bamboo, hemp, or organic cotton.

6. Update Mailing Lists
This is a small but effective tip; by ensuring your mailing lists are up to date, you avoid sending out unnecessary letters, thus saving the paper, printing, and postage.

7. Photocopier and Printer Settings
Ensure the photocopier and printer defaults back to single copies after somebody has used it. You may also want to set them to print double-sided by default. Use the draft printing mode whenever possible (which is more than you think), and avoid color printing.

8. Use Smaller Font
Although you don't want to make your employees blind, reducing the font size in documents can save reams of paper each week.

Office Policies

9. Go Casual
Not every industry permits this, but if you can, set a business casual policy for the office. Not wearing suits means much less dry cleaning, which is not only better for the environment, but also your health and everybody's finances.

10. Telecommute
Employees can be just as — if not more — productive when working from home. Most also consider it a perk to telecommute, even if only for a few days per month. The environmental effects of commuting are reduced, employees save the expense (and time), and even air quality and road maintenance takes less of a hit.

Power Savings

11. Power Down
Would you believe that the majority of office power is consumed by machines that are off, but still plugged into a live outlet? Standby power (or phantom power) is a huge — and hugely unnecessary — environmental culprit and expense. You can improve this process and automate it with programs like Surveyor, which automatically powers down company computers at night.

12. Eliminate Screen Savers
Set a company policy that disallows the use of screen savers. Instead, set monitors to power off after the same amount of time; it's just as easy.

13. Consider Solar Power
Yes, solar energy systems can be expensive, and aren't always practical depending on your office location and setup. But you can reap some long-term savings from your initial investment, and many states now offer incentives (like rebates and the ability to sell excess energy to the power company) for solar energy users.

Lighting

14. Use Natural Light
Artificial lighting represents 40% of electricity consumption in a typical office building, and almost a quarter of all electricity in the States. And so often this is unnecessary. Open the blinds and let daylight in wherever possible. And of course, don't leave the lights on at night when everybody is gone.

15. Install Motion Sensors
Take a walk around your office and notice how many offices and conference rooms have lights on despite nobody using the space. Instead of leaving it to employees to turn off lights as they leave rooms, install motion-activated light switches. They'll turn the lights on for a designated period of time (eg: 15 minutes) whenever somebody passes in front of the switch or moves about the room.

16. Decorate with Light Colors
By using light wall colors and high-gloss sheens, daylight is more easily reflected off the walls, and less artificial light is necessary.

17. Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Compact fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs, and they last about 10 times longer. So you'll save on energy costs, replacement bulb costs, and reduce waste by using them. They come in all sizes and wattages, and offer soft sheens that aren't as garishly fluorescent as their previous counterparts. No conversion of equipment is necessary; any light that uses an incandescent bulb can immediately take a compact fluorescent bulb.

Office Equipment

18. Buy Remanufactured Ink and Toner Cartridges
Not only do remanufactured cartridges cost about 15% less than brand new ones, but each reused cartridge saves about 2.5 pounds of metal and plastic and about half a gallon of oil, all of which is wasted in the manufacturing process.

19. Buy Energy-Friendly Items

20. Buy LED Lamps
Once you've replaced your incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, and maximized the daylight in your office, you may actually be able to reduce the number of desk lamps you have in the office. If you must buy new lighting though, consider LED lamps, which use even less power than compact fluorescent bulbs do.

21. Use Multi-Purpose Machines
Each piece of office equipment you buy produces heaps of toxic substances in both the manufacturing and disposal stages. So the fewer office machines you buy, the smaller your footprint will be. Consider using multi-purpose machines that handle copying, scanning, faxing, and printing, as well as other multi-tasking machines.

22. Buy Second-Hand
It's not always possible, especially if you have appearances to keep up, but every time you buy something for the office that's second-hand, you'll save by-product wastage in the production of a new appliance (and you'll save money too). Don't use the lazy excuse that the new item was already produced so you may as well buy it; if you don't buy it, then they won't make as many in the next production round.

23. Watch the Temperature in Summer
Most offices could stand to raise the temperature a few degrees. In fact, look at how many people in the office (usually women) keep sweaters and extra clothing at their desks at the height of summer because the office is so much colder than the outside temperature. Instead of setting the thermostat so only those in full suits are comfortable, find a happy medium. (This is another great reason to set a business casual office policy).

24. Use Portable Air Conditioners
Pursuant to the point above, instead of using central air conditioning, you can save lots of power and money by using portable air conditioners. Traditional cooling costs up to $3,000/month for a measly 1,200 square foot office, and a lot of that is spent cooling empty boardrooms or otherwise unoccupied spaces. Cooling only the areas that need it with portable air conditioners allows employees to set comfortable temperatures for each area.

Bathroom & Kitchen

25. Eliminate Paper Towels
We discussed the benefits of going to cloth napkins and towels in the kitchen, but even in the bathroom you can use cloth towels or hand dryers.

26. Reduce Toilet Water Consumption
No, you don't have to ask employees to "hold it." Reduce the amount of water used per flush by putting a brick in the tank. If you are replacing toilets, look for low-flush models, or ones with a half-flush option. Toilet flushing is the largest water consumer in office buildings.

27. Install Aerators
Make sure all taps have low-flow aerators installed to reduce water wastage.

28. Buy in Bulk
Instead of buying individual packets of coffee, creamer, sugar, pepper, salt, jam, and other consumables, buy these items in bulk instead. Think creatively about using jars or dispensers for these items that make it easy — and sanitary — for all to use.

Miscellaneous

29. Use Green Cleaning Products
Environmentally friendly cleaning products protect the health of not only your cleaning staff but also your employees, by eliminating harmful substances and odors from the office.

30. Go Green — Literally
Make your office literally green with plants! They absorb airborne pollutants (which are rampant with off-gassing office furniture), and emit healthy negative ions and oxygen into the air. Having some green plants in the office also reduces that "sterile" look, making it more comfortable for everybody.

This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

11 Small Ways to Save Big on Ink

Julie Rains — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:00:02 +0000

Printers are cheap but printer ink is pricey. One-time and day-to-day adjustments can help prevent waste and save money. Try these techniques to lower your office and home cost of ink.

1. Change the font type

Change the default font (often Times New Roman or Arial) to a lighter font, such as Century Gothic that uses less ink. According to an Associated Press article on Yahoo.com, the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay is adopting Century Gothic as the font of choice as a major money-saving move. To change your default font on MS Word, go to Format >> Font, select your font, and save as “Default.”

2. Reduce the font size

Reduce the font size to 10 or less — as long as you and your audience can read text comfortably.

3. Use draft setting

Choose the "draft" or "econo" print setting that uses less ink (making the overall print lighter.

4. Use copy services

Take major print jobs to the copy center at your office or nearby office supply store, where you can get cheap prints for significantly less per page than standard inkjet printing.

5. Get refills instead of buying new

Getting refills cost less than buying new. Be on alert for ink refill days at Walgreens. This year, on Earth Day, April 22, 2010, Walgreens will refill cartridges for $1 with a coupon — check your weekly ad circular for the coupon.

6. DIY refills

DIY refills are available from your favorite warehouse club or eBay. According to my dad, a DIYer, this approach can be messy but cost saving.

7. Recycle cartridges

Recycle cartridges by selling them to companies that buy used cartridges, selling them on eBay, or getting credit at Staples, putting money in your pocket or saving on future purchases. (Staples no longer gives immediate credit but rather gives credit through its rewards program.)

8. Buy remanufactured

Years ago, I tried and then stopped using this approach because my prints were essential components of a finished product and needed to be perfect; remanufactured cartridges dispensed uneven prints, hardly detectable to many but not acceptable quality-wise for me. So test this idea for quality, and make sure you are getting as many prints per cartridge as other options.

9. Use it up

Keep printing on nearly-empty cartridges until there is absolutely no ink left. And, instead of replacing cartridges or refilling ink immediately, change the font color to a color for which the cartridge still has ink (you won’t technically save on ink but you’ll delay spending).

10. Don't print

Use the Document Image Writer or a similar device to create electronic files of receipts rather than printing hard copies. Scan, rather than copy documents. Use a program like CutePDF to create PDF files instead of printing for your records.

11. Print selectively

Print only the information you need by using PrintWhatYouLike or software programs such as GreenPrint or EcoPrint2 as recommended by Nora as an eco-friendly way to save money at the office. Or, you can adjust print settings yourself or copy only the information that you need to a blank document, make adjustments (remove photos and extra lines), and specify print ranges to make sure that you print just what you need and no more.

Another idea: spend more on your printer, less on ink. Some printers may have more economical print settings, wasting less ink than cheaper models. Check prices of printers and ink refills before you buy.

This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Things Your Office Forgot to Recycle

Nora Dunn — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 19:56:16 +0000

Link:

http://www.openforum.com/idea-hub/topics/money/article/9-things-your-office-forg...

Recycling is about more than separating your waste into a few different bins and waiting for somebody to take it away. Although this is helpful to be sure, it is not where recycling begins and ends. Businesses are renowned for being among the biggest culprits in producing unnecessary waste, commonly disposing of items that are not only recyclable in the conventional sense, but also easily reusable.

By finding creative ways to recycle and reuse in the office, you can save waste, and in most cases save money while you're at it. Here are nine things your office may have forgotten to recycle, along with some guidelines for how to make these recycling programs easy to implement and follow.

1. Office Supplies

Office supplies can be reused over and over again. Create a stationery cabinet that allows employees to "drop and shop" used office supplies like binders, file folders, hanging folders, paper clips, rubber bands, interoffice mail folders, and even pens and pencils. Better yet, don't give employees access to new office supplies at all (keep them under lock and key, or under the supervision of one person such as the office manager); see how resourceful people can be in reusing what they have on hand.

2. Paper

Although it may seem primitive to suggest recycling paper in your office, it is still highly overlooked; only about 50% of all the paper in North America gets recycled, and businesses are among the biggest culprits for paper wastage. Make it easy for employees to recycle paper by providing lots of recycling bins in convenient areas throughout the workplace. Don't forget non-office spaces like the kitchen or warehouse; people often have paper (and paper products) in these areas, and the easier it is for them to chuck it in a recycle bin, the better the chance it will be recycled.

But before putting that piece of paper in the recycle bin, make sure it has been used to its full capacity by reusing it. Set up trays or bins for documents that have printing on one side and aren't needed any longer. The blank side can be used to print internal documents or drafts.

3. File Folders

Despite some slightly worn edges, many file folders that are discarded still have some life in them yet. Give them a new purpose by placing adhesive labels over old file names and labels.

4. Shipping Supplies

In addition to reusing boxes from incoming packages, reuse the Styrofoam pellets and packing paper. If you don't have any of that left over, shred old paper (printed on both sides, of course!) and use it as packing material. In order to make this easy for employees, create a central shipping and receiving area that houses these reclaimed items. The more accessible they are, the more likely they are to be reused by everybody.

5. Cardboard

Cardboard (for example from the back of notepads) can be used to stiffen envelopes with sensitive or delicate documents.

6. Cell Phones

There are increasing numbers of cell phone recycling programs available, some of which will actually pay you for your old phones. Most involve shipping the phone to their recycling center, and in many cases the cost of shipping is also covered by providing online shipping labels. Other cell phone recycling programs have central drop-off points, often in stores.

7. Ink and Toner Cartridges

Approximately half of ink and toner cartridges don't get recycled, and for no good reason. Recycled cartridges are refurbished and manufactured for resale, each one saving over two pounds of metal and plastic from landfills, in addition to saving about half a gallon of oil (which is consumed in the original manufacturing process). Check with your local office supplies store; they probably have an ink and toner cartridge recycling program, and they may even provide free recycling boxes for your office to make it easier for your employees to recycle them.

8. Computers and Computer Accessories

There are a few ways you can recycle your businesses' old computers and computer accessories. First of all, when you buy a new replacement computer (or peripheral), ask your vendor if they will take back (or even buy back) your old one. Companies like Dell and HP have asset recycling programs that do just this.

It also pays to check with your local office supplies store to see what they offer in terms of e-waste recycling programs. Find more information on Computer Recycling in the U.S.

You might even be able to snag a tax deduction by donating computers that are less than five years old and still in decent working condition to organizations that will refurbish them. TechSoup and recycles.org have more information on these services, and ComputerTakeBack will also show you where you can go.

9. Televisions and Appliances

Computers and associated electronics aren't the only things that can be recycled; many stores will take back your old television or other appliances. Although some may charge a small recycling or "disposal" fee, others yet may compensate you in the form of a coupon against your next purchase.

Guidelines for Recycling Electronics

When it comes to recycling computers and other electronics, it is important to find a recycler that does not export e-waste to developing countries. Find out more about e-stewards, and why it is important to recycle carefully.

Lastly, one man's trash is another man's treasure. Although your business may need to stay on top of the technology curve with regular upgrading of your equipment, it doesn't mean that your old items aren't useful to others. Wherever possible, recycle your used equipment (as long as it is still in decent working condition) by informally donating it to charities or local non-profits who will appreciate your generosity, or even a friend or neighbor who needs a helping hand.

This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

6 Tips for Saving Big Money on Office Supplies

Linsey Knerl — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:00:11 +0000

Dealista MP3:

Dealista #24: How to Save Money on Office Supplies

This article shares tips from the newest episode of Dealista, our podcast that'll help you get more for less.

Whether you’re a small biz owner or just a super-equipped bill payer, chances are good that you’ll spend at least $50 in office supplies in a typical year. For every dollar above that amount, there is an even better opportunity to save — big — by following a few simple tips.

1. Get Loyal

Repeat business at your favorite office supply chain isn’t just good for their bottom line, it’s great for yours, too! Most major national retailers offer a discount by signing up for their rewards programs, and there is no cost to join. Here are the details on the big three.

Office Max has two separate programs: one for small businesses (which anyone can sign up for) and one for teachers. Their program (called the Max Perks program) will give you a $25 gift card for every $500 in purchases made during a calendar year in the business program, and a $10 reward for every $75 earned annually in the teacher program. This is in addition to some of their more rewarding promotions that they offer throughout the year through their bonus Max Perks — which give you something similar to a rebate on popular ad items. Rewards are paid out quarterly, and come in the form of a gift card.

Office Depot offers 10% back on ink, toner, paper, and Copy & Print Depot purchases, plus 1% back on almost everything else. (This is in addition to the $3 you can get back for every ink or toner cartridge you recycle at a limit of 5 per day.) Get your rewards in the form of an Office Depot gift card, after you reach $10 in rewards each quarter.

Staples has its own loyalty program, called Staples Rewards. They will give the exact rewards as Office Depot on the same services. (Their limit for recycled ink cartridges is 10 per month, however.) Rewards are paid quarterly in the form of a gift card.

2. Score Free Software

Forget the pricey $30+ price tag that comes with typical software applications. With all the freeware, shareware, and open source options available, it’s possible to bet by with no-cost solutions for most of your software needs. Two stops on my quest for freebies include CNET’s download site (which regularly gives you virus and spyware protection alternatives, as well as thorough peer reviews of every download) and Giveaway of the day (which features just one free download of utilities for screen savers, media editing solutions, and fire sharing helpers). If you're like me, you can skip most of the big name (Microsoft) offerings in word processing, spreadsheet, and database programs and just go with free open source options, like OpenOffice.

3. Learn to use Freebates

Checking the weekly flyer from the big three office supply stores mentioned above, you’ll see right away that they offer many common items for free — after rebate. While you will have to wait awhile to see your money returned (and if it’s part of the loyalty program, you will only see a gift card, not a check), it’s a great way to pay nothing more than tax and shipping on staples like printer paper, envelopes, and Sharpies! Most companies don’t require you to do anything extra when you purchase (unlike typical rebates which require filling out forms and sending in receipts). Just make sure you use your loyalty card and keep those receipts!

4. Set Your Printer Settings to “Savings”

If you’re printing out emails, notes, or other items that only you’ll see, there’s no need to use color ink or high-picture quality to do so. Set your printer to fast-draft or black ink only, and save big on the cost of your ink supplies. Better yet, look at installing an Ecofont into your word processing program. This customized font has tiny holes in each letter, letting you get by with even less ink than before!

5. Buy Ink Off-brand

Perhaps one of the most common ways people try to save money in the office, buying remanufactured or refilled ink cartridges offer savings of up to 50% over the “brand name” buy. Some even buy the ink to refill their own cartridges.

We applaud your penny-pinching ways but do want to make a few suggestions for getting the biggest bang for your buck:

Know your printer’s warranty. If you have a new printer, you may want to consider letting it expire before you switch over to ink alternatives. Using anything but the manufacturer’s authentic ink cartridges can void your remaining warranty, making repair or replacement your problem to deal with.
Know your cartridge. Get a good look at your “official” printer cartridge, snap a photo with your digital camera, and become familiar with the numbers printed on it. Often times, customers of “off brand” ink providers have reported getting an ink cartridge that didn’t quite fit. Being aware of what a good fit looks like will help you in getting issues resolved.
Know your price. Depending on your printer’s make and model the off-brand ink may be just as expensive as the brand name (or only a few pennies cheaper.) Factor in shipping, taxes, or voiding your warranty, and you may be wise to stick to your HP, Canon, or Lexmark offerings.

6. Repurpose

Ever notice how expensive those little bubble mailers have become? What’s stopping you from reusing the ones you get in the mail for items you ship out? Not only is reusing materials an affordable way to get through the month, but it’s very eco-friendly. (Afraid of looking second rate by using anything less than a crisp, new envelope? Most office supply stores offer “We proudly use recycled materials” stickers that can be placed on your outgoing packages.) Brainstorm ways you can reuse packing materials, shredded non-sensitive documents, and those Amazon boxes. There’s money in those materials!!

Dealista is a collaboration between Wise Bread and Quick and Dirty Tips, the producer of popular podcasts such as Grammar Girl, Money Girl, Winning Investor, and Mighty Mommy.

If you enjoyed these tips you can find more in our show's archive.

This article is from Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Stock up on school (and office) supplies with back-to-school sales

Julie Rains — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 00:15:32 +0000

You can start stocking up on school (and office) supplies now if you haven't already but be careful out there. Great deals are everywhere (including Target, Kmart, Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax, Walgreens, and Toys R Us) but just buy the items you usually need and make sure you are getting a bargain as some items in the back-to-school aisles can be pricey.

What do you use a lot of during the year and what would you like to always have on hand, avoiding a time-wasting trip to the office-supply or discount store? And if you've got kids in school, what do they usually need? Best bargains for me and my family are spiral notebooks, filler paper, marble composition books, pencils, glue, portfolio folders, crayons, colored markers, and colored pencils.

Here are a few things I've learned in snapping up these bargains:

Crayola rules! I've bought other brands either during sales or at the dollar store but off-brand crayons tend to break easily. For school purposes, small packs (8-24 crayons) are best because too many choices can slow down a project and too many crayons can weigh down a book bag.

Most Staples' brands are fine but the ink pens, I avoid;

Portfolio folder prices and quality vary widely from under 10 cents to close to a dollar; check out the quality (thickness of the paper) before you buy and stock up if you can pay less than 20 cents or preferably 10 cents per folder;

Certain items are harder to find except during the back-to-school sales, such as English/Spanish dictionaries and book covers;

Usually you can get marble composition books (in 2-packs) at the dollar store all year long.

After you bring it all home, keep supplies organized and accessible so you can skip at least a few supply runs until next year.

This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

office supplies

8 Ways Everybody Saves During Back-to-School

1. Treat School Supplies Like Office Supplies

2. Raid Your Kids' Stash From Last Year

3. Browse Local School's Social Media for Deals

4. Take Advantage of Price Matching

5. Visit Trade-In Sites for Savings Upon Savings

6. Clip, Print, Tap, or Paste Coupons

7. Opt for Generic Over Name-Brand Supplies

8. Show Those Summer Clearance Racks Who's Boss

The 5 Best Office Highlighters

What Is an Office Highlighter?

Top 5 Office Highlighters

Sharpie Accent Retractable Highlighters

Uni Highlighter Propus Window

Zebra Eco Zebrite Double-Ended Highlighters

Post-it Flag+ Ballpoint Pen and Highlighter

Kuretake Zig Brush Hilite

The 8 Best Ways to Save on Back-to-School Supplies Right NOW

1. Always Shop Your Child's Backpack First

2. Set Price Alerts on Expensive Items

3. Don't Buy All Supplies From One Store

4. Don't Neglect Office Supply Stores

5. Always Price-Match Sold Out Items

6. Avoid Cartoon Characters

7. Consider Shopping Solo

8. Find Great Tech Deals Online

The 5 Best Pens

What Is a Pen?

Top 5 Pens

Pilot G2 Retractable Premium Gel Ink Roller Ball Pens

uni-ball Jetstream RT Fine Point Retractable Roller Ball Pens

Cross Classic Century Ballpoint Pen

Pilot Dr. Grip Limited Retractable Rolling Ball Gel Pen

Lamy Safari Fountain Pen

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The 5 Best Mechanical Pencils

What Is a Mechanical Pencil?

Top 5 Mechanical Pencils

Pentel Graph Gear 1000 Automatic Drafting Pencil

BIC Pencil Xtra Strong

uni-ball KuruToga Mechanical Pencil

Paper Mate Clear Tip 0.7mm Mechanical Pencil

Pentel Twist-Erase III Automatic Pencil

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Best Credit Cards for Office Supply Purchases

Target REDcard™

Amazon Rewards Visa Signature Card

Ink Business CashSM Credit Card

5 Ways Etsy Can Help Start Your Small Business

Company Logos

Web Design

Office Decor

Paper Supplies

Client Gifts

28 Innovative Uses for Binder Clips

1. A Money Clip or Wallet

2. A Desk Cable Tidier

3. Keep Pacifiers Off the Floor

4. Clothespins

5. Clothing Alterations

6. Cuff Links

7. Toothpaste Squeezer

8. A Quick-and-Easy Kid's Doodle Pad

9. Boot and Shoe Hangers

10. Cell Phone Stand/iPod Holder

11. Bookmark

12. Finger Workout

13. Tablecloth Holder

14. Desk Sculptures

15. Beer Stacker

16. Barbie Purse

17. Photo Holders

18. Artwork Hangers

19. Extension Cord Organizers

20. Replacement Feet for Keyboards

21. Body Art

22. Key Ring

23. Photographer’s Friend

24. Putting on a Duvet Cover

Ink Business Cash^SM Credit Card