Like Business? Don't pay retail.

Don’t pay retail. Get discounts when you purchase orders at trade shows, buy wholesale and even check out daily deal sites like DealsForBiz.com to save 50-90% off daily on business essentials. Don’t waste time trying to find last minute discounts when you need something. Buy a voucher and keep it for something your business will need later, and since deals don’t expire for a year, this will save you time and money in the future.

Plan shipping or mailings. Schedule your shipping because the advantage of bulk transactions is you save more money. Cut down on costs by shipping just two days during the week, and let your clients know ahead of time.

Benefit from mobile apps. Mobile phone applications will allow you and your coworkers access to documents anytime on the go. Try Sharepoint and synch files so you can share tasks and calendars with colleagues. The data is stored on your phone for easy access anytime. A free and easy way to to manage and share important documents is with Box.net. This app is efficient to use during meetings with clients without having to store the data on your phone. Another great application is Tripit which offers access to flight information, hotel reservations, maps and directions making it easy for you to book your entire trip from your smart phone. This can save you a lot of time, for example, if your flight is delayed and you can even create a travel map for your company to keep track of where your colleagues are.

Ditch the wasters. Going green does help you reduce costs. In studies, there were a number of things that offered dramatic results in cost savings. Replace Office Lighting With Compact Fluorescent Bulbs because they use approximately 75% less energy than traditional bulbs, and last about 10 times longer. Use Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) Paper its 10-20% cheaper. Try Remanufactured Ink and Toner Cartridges they cost about 15% less than standard brands. Go with double-sided printing and even reusing paper. Hey, it’s the little things that save you lots of money in the long run!

Barter. Thought that the days of trading went extinct? Think again. There are many exchange sites out there that have goods and services online to trade on sites like Barter.net.

Use VOIP. VOIP is a telephone service that uses the Internet. Many small business owners are opting for this as it is cheaper and can save up to 60% over traditional telecom costs.

Hire interns. An internship program is a win-win you save money on labour, and the student gets credit. The student employees can often help you with data entry and other tasks for little or no pay.

Share. If you’re in a office space with others, work out a system in which you split the cost on printers, supplies, fax and other things.

Go Cyber. Save commuting costs. Instead of meeting in person, still meet face-to-face with internet based web conferencing technologies like Microsoft Office Live Meeting, and make your pitch to your clients with the added benefit of looking tech savvy.

Be a guest speaker. Speak at a community meeting or teach a seminar to reach new potential customers then communicate on online forums and message boards. This will help you get in touch with your target clients and potential customers — for free.