Co-working is a great alternative to working from home, simply because it has many advantages. Not only can a person who engages in co-working be assured that the work stays in the office (and hence, he or she doesn’t bring the stress of the workplace to the home), he or she is also able to avail of various tools and applications that would otherwise be very expensive to invest in. That, added with a flexible schedule and the opportunity to do networking, makes co-working and sharing an office space an ideal solution for alternative working spaces for freelancers.
Still, you’re still burdened with some expenses, and when you’re in business for yourself, you want to keep those to a minimum. Thinking about co-working but wondering how you can reduce your costs? Here’s how to minimise your expenses even further whilst co-working or sharing office space.
Look further than the rent
The real cost of co-working is not necessarily only the rent or other dues – there’s the membership to consider, and there may be other extra costs. When you compare various places, compare what you get for your fees – and compare the numbers only then, as confirmed by commercial and residential property specialists from Commercial People, which offer plenty of rental choices for such areas as London, Bangor, Swansea, Milton Keynes, Reading, Portsmouth, and more.
Repay your rent or membership
You may be able to get discounts if you offer to repay your workspace or rent. Similarly, there may be flexible deals to be made in case you have to leave town or return to your main office for a while. This is where negotiations are important.
Location is important
If at all possible, select a location that’s close to your home – this will save a considerable amount of commuting expenses, as well as time. You’ll also tend to spend less on take-out or ordered lunches, and it considerably simplifies your life in general – especially if the location of the office tends to be near your favourite supermarket, gym, or bank.
Benefit from promotions
Some co-working managers offer discounts in nearby shops and restaurants – avail of them whenever possible.
Store food, snacks, and drink on location
If there’s a small kitchen and fridge, bring your own food and snacks.
Here’s another tip, something you may want to talk about to your co-workers and others who share your office space: make deals with local businesses. If you take a look around the neighbourhood, you may notice there are many local businesses that simply are not aware that your office exists. Talking to the manager of your office may result in your manager making favourable deals with those local businesses – and that’s another discount to take advantage of.
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