Whether for personal or professional projects, tools and machinery are often essential. Yet the right gear comes at a price, and sometimes the expense is too much to justify.
If you are feeling hamstrung by how costly certain kit can be, the following tips could save you quite a bit of cash without requiring significant compromises to be made in the process.
If you are only opting for brand-new equipment, then you can&#;t avoid paying a steep price for the privilege. This is entirely unnecessary since there is a buoyant market for used machines, the best examples of which will be every inch as appropriate for the job at hand as their new counterparts.
For example, a pipe bender is a used machine which is suited to large-scale commercial operations, and second hand models will cost thousands less without sacrificing any functionality.
Obviously, you need to order used equipment from reputable vendors, and also look into the history of the unit in question so that you know whether it has been well maintained. But even with these caveats, going for second-hand tools still makes sense.
Lots of markets are subject to seasonal peaks and troughs of demand, and this applies to tools and machinery in much the same way as it does to everything from cars to air travel.
This means that sometimes it is sensible to hold off making a purchase until you can do so at a lower-than-usual price point, such as during a sales period.
Black Friday has taken over the world of consumer goods, and yet sales events around this phenomenon are operated in many other markets as well.
Of course if delaying your purchase means hampering your plans and throwing a spanner in the works of your finances, then it might not be worthwhile. But if you aren&#;t in urgent need of a specific item, your patience might pay off.
Owning expensive tools outright is not always practical. This is about more than money; if you only need the machine infrequently, it could be far more frugal and strategically sensible to hire it on the fly instead.
This is not just appealing from a savings perspective, but also means that you aren&#;t stuck with an item that you have to find the space to store. Likewise, if you don&#;t own it, but merely hire it ad hoc, you are free from the need to worry about maintaining it.
The cost of equipment is tied not only to the hardware itself, but also the amount of power it requires to function as intended.
This could mean that running older, less efficient gear is more expensive in the long run than choosing a newer equivalent.
Obviously you need to calculate this carefully and come to your own conclusions based on your own needs and budget.
Should you be the owner of tools and machinery, maintenance of these assets has to be high on the agenda.
This will of course take time and money in its own right, but if you put in the effort to look after valuable equipment, then this will be repaid over time with improved reliability, as well as a higher resale value when the time comes.
Treating gear as disposable is the worst thing to do since this will invariably lead to bigger bills and less consistency of performance. It could even be a safety concern, so follow all these tips to save money and avoid common snafus.
Lots of companies can end up overspending on equipment. Whether you&#;re buying office furniture or industrial machinery, here are seven tips to keep the costs down.
Shop second hand
Used equipment is always cheaper than brand new equipment. You do however need to be wary of the condition. Older equipment that has been well used may be more likely to break. For this reason, you should always inspect such equipment in person before buying.
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If you&#;re buying used equipment online, make sure that a description of the condition and photos are provided. It could also be worth buying from a reputable seller &#; read reviews to see what other customers have to say.
When it comes to general equipment, it could be worth looking out for company closures in your area. Many companies will be selling equipment for cheap simply to get rid of it &#; some of it may be in very good condition.
Look out for sales and coupons
Dealers of both new and used commercial equipment may have sales throughout the year. A popular time to hold a sale is in January, whilst the Black Friday weekend is another popular sales period. Also look out for off season sales on seasonal equipment &#; commercial mowers may be cheaper to buy in winter when there&#;s less demand for gardening equipment. You can also check some great suggestions here for a professional mower.
You may also be able to grab discounts by using coupons. These can be found on coupon sites or by signing up to commercial equipment retailer mailing lists.
Avoid splurging on gimmicks
It&#;s important that any equipment you buy is appropriate for your needs. Try to avoid splashing out on equipment that&#;s more complex than necessary. If you&#;re only looking to do some basic printing, you don&#;t need a heavy-duty industrial printer capable of printing 60 sheets of paper per minute &#; a basic commercial printer will do the job and will save you money. Only high end niche businesses are likely to need the most complex equipment available &#; if you&#;re starting a printing company, a heavy duty printer might be more suitable.
Hire single use equipment
A popular mistake made by many companies is buying equipment that will only ever get used once or twice. By hiring this equipment, you could save a lot of money.
Hiring equipment can also be sensible if you don&#;t have the storage space for such as equipment. For instance, a construction company may hire a crane rather than buying one. This could save money having to create extra warehouse space.
By shopping around, you can find the best equipment hire prices. Make sure that the company has a good online reputation so that you know you&#;re hiring good quality equipment. A good company will keep all equipment well maintained &#; although you may still be liable for any damage you cause.
Consider energy efficiency
Energy-efficiency is an important factor to consider when it comes to buying machinery. A machine that consumes a lot of energy will cost you more in energy bills. Older equipment is likely to be less energy efficient than modern equipment, which is something to consider when buying used equipment. You may be able to find information on the energy efficiency online, as is the case with these energy efficient desktop computers.
Know when to repair, when to replace
You can also save costs by knowing when to repair and when to replace equipment.
Choosing to repair equipment could save you money in many instances. You can find all kinds of niche parts online from a wafer ring/frame to a new monitor screen &#; if you feel up to the challenge, you could do your own repairs. Alternatively, you could hire a repair technician to do repairs for you &#; this may still be cheaper than replacing with certain equipment.
You may want to consider replacing equipment if it is old or has broken numerous times in the past. It&#;s possible you may be able to sell old broken machinery for parts &#; this could help give you some money to put towards a replacement.
Warranties or contents insurance may be able to cover the cost of repairing or replacing machinery in some cases. This is worth looking into before you make any decisions.
Maintain your equipment
You may be able to stop equipment breaking in the first place by keeping it well maintained. Certain maintenance may be able to be carried out by your employees, whilst more complex equipment may need to regularly serviced by a professional technician (such as construction vehicles or medical machinery).
Cleaning is often one of the most important maintenance tasks &#; this is not just a matter of health and safety but also a way of keeping machinery working properly. Dust build-ups can affect many types of machinery and are a common cause of computers failing. If there&#;s a lot of dust in the air, you may be able to install an extractor fan or use an air purifier to keep it clean.
You should also be careful of environmental factors like cold and humidity. Certain machinery may break if it is stored somewhere that is too hot or too cold. Agricultural machinery for instance may need to be kept indoors when not in use and covered up to prevent damage from rust.
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