How Do You Try To Save Money For Your Business?

[Lee]

What i mean is, do you try to get things done as cost-effectively as possible all the time or do you pay what you are first told you have to pay?

For example, if a host tells you that a dedicated plan with X amount of bandwidth costs you $400 a month, do you try to get it for $300 or just pay the full price?

How often do you try to be charged less for something?

Regards,

Lee

[gaybucks_chip]

For us it depends on what it is... advertising, we hardly ever pay the price on the rate card.

If it's consulting or something like that, I look at the value more than the cost... I'll happily pay top dollar for services if we're getting good value.

And if it's something else where, for example, we're making a long term commitment or it's something where the provider we know is making a lot of $ or the product is a commodity (like bandwidth), AJ is an excellent negotiator and cuts deals that are really good for us.

I think that most good businesspeople take a good look at their bottom line for places to save... while it may be easy in a business where there's a large cashflow to say "Oh, it's only $100 a month" or whatever... pretty soon those $100 (or, for that matter, $25) add up at the end of the year.

[ReverendSassy]

I think it's important to be cost effective but I also think you have to be quality cautious as well In my opinion, there are just some things you canNOT compromise on

[CashAddict]

I wish I had been more careful when I started out. I was splashing out all over the place. It makes me cringe when I think how much I wasted!

Nowadays I tend to agree with what Boyfunk says. Value is more important than price. I negotiate much more than I used to, and I'm constantly surprised that I get a much better deals than I thought possible - better quality services and better commitment, as well as better prices.

[JustMe]

Greetings:

I've been in many different business sectors, and surprisingly enough, this is the one I've negotiated the LEAST in.

When all is said and done, there are a relatively small number of people in the gay adult marketplace of any business significance. Paying top dollar in order to make and/or foster business relationships is worth far more to us than whatever savings we may be able to get by negotiating a lower price.

That being said, although I negotiate the least in this business, I've found that when I do decide to negotiate, people in this industry will take just about anything you offer to them.....

[CBLCasey]

I am always looking for a better deal. What I will often say to any webhost if they come back with a certin price is, ok, I'll pay that price if you give me ______. I usually always increase the services they provide me for the same price. Best thing to do is search the net for the best price ( usually from a no name provider). Then go to a trusted company and try to get the same deal, usually works.

But at CollegeBoysLive.com we are always trying to save on the recurring fixed costs, and focus on spending the money on new equipment, and stuff that makes the websites better. For example we just switched all our VOIP services from Packet 8 to Lingo. Reason was we saved $5 a month per line plus added free european calling. Every penny counts.

[Chilihost]

I take advantage of content sales by doing large content purchases whenever there is a good sale on.

cheers,
Luke

[basschick]

i try to take advantage of content sales, and save a fair amount that way.

i also try and shop around when i comes to gallery designers and such. it's amazing the price spread on designers of extremely similar quality. if the quality really IS pretty similar, and you can save more than 50%, that's worth a little shopping time.

also with content or design, i will buy more than one of something and get a bulk discount. and i sometimes trade text writing or consulting for programming or design.

[ReverendSassy]

There are a lot of service providers out there that do have very similar content and very different prices It really amazes me that this is true Don't they think that others will realize or take notice of this and then they could loose out on business I just would think that they would want to be a bit more competitive I guess I'm missing the point though Anyone want to clue me in? LOL