49 min
7 Ways To Save Money As A Graphic Designer Resourceful Designer: Strategies for running a graphic design business
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- Design
Did you ever think you would be pinching pennies in order to save money? Some people view the life of a graphic designer as exotic and full of creative wonder. They see us portrayed on TV and in movies as smart, responsible people who, although not necessarily wealthy, do manage a pretty good living. For some reason, those fictional graphic designers are rarely shown struggling to make a living and trying to save money on every purchase they make.
Truth be told, graphic design is not a profession you get into if you have aspirations of being rich. Don't get me wrong, there are some very wealthy designers out there, and the average designer can make a very good living. But for some of us, especially those working from home, living a simple but comfortable life through careful spending and creative ways to save money is what we can expect.
With that said, I thought I'd share the knowledge I've gained over more than 25 years as a graphic designer of various ways for us to save money. Be sure to listen to the podcast for full details and much more than what's writing in this post.
7 Ways for Graphic Designers to Save Money. 1- Hold Off Upgrading We all want the newest gadgets, the newest toys, the newest fads, but when it comes down to it, there's probably nothing wrong with what we currently have. Save money by keeping your current computer, software and services a bit longer until there's a reason to justify the upgrade expense.
2- Buy in Bulk Buying in bulk is a great way to save money. Whether it's ink for your printer, ordering new business cards, or purchasing credits at your favourite stock photo site. The more you buy, the less expensive they'll be. The same goes for bundles such as software bundles or font bundles. Save money by purchasing the software you need as part of a bundle and you also gain access to other great programs in the process.
3- Pay More Now To Save Money Later It sounds crazy that I'm telling you to pay more for something in a podcast about ways to save money. But sometimes in order to save money, paying more up front is the best option. Look for things like developer licenses, or lifetime access where you pay a bit more but never have to pay again.
You can also use this strategy when purchasing hardware. Spend a bit more on your new computer today, and chances are it will last you longer.
4- Find Ways To Cut Costs in your business This one's a no-brainer. If you want to save money, find creative ways to spend less whenever you make a purchase.
Examples of cutting costs to save money are...
Shop around for best prices. Don't assume the last place you made a purchase still has the best price. Shop around each time you need to make a purchase. Buy refurbished. When you buy refurbished you get the same great item including a full warranty at a discounted price. Take advantage of student discounts if you can. Many hardware and software companies offer special student prices. Buy old versions of software and then upgrade. It's usually cheaper than buying the newest version outright. Hire cheap help. Foreign developers, artists, programmers etc. are just as good as local talent but at a fraction of the price. Wait for special days to make your purchases. You can save money by waiting for Black Friday, Boxing Week and even Mother's & Father's day to make your purchase. Use less expensive alternatives. Serif DrawPlus & Serif PhotoPlus or Affinity Designer & Affinity Photo are affordable alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. 5 Become an Early Adopter For many things, the earlier you get in the less expensive it is. Membership groups, associations, beta versions, conference tickets, even Kickstarter campaigns all offer discounts for those who show an early interest. Take advantage of the low prices by purchasing early.
6 Collect Points/Credits Many companies offer points to loyal customers. Save money by using these points to pay for things. Collect travel rewards on yo
Did you ever think you would be pinching pennies in order to save money? Some people view the life of a graphic designer as exotic and full of creative wonder. They see us portrayed on TV and in movies as smart, responsible people who, although not necessarily wealthy, do manage a pretty good living. For some reason, those fictional graphic designers are rarely shown struggling to make a living and trying to save money on every purchase they make.
Truth be told, graphic design is not a profession you get into if you have aspirations of being rich. Don't get me wrong, there are some very wealthy designers out there, and the average designer can make a very good living. But for some of us, especially those working from home, living a simple but comfortable life through careful spending and creative ways to save money is what we can expect.
With that said, I thought I'd share the knowledge I've gained over more than 25 years as a graphic designer of various ways for us to save money. Be sure to listen to the podcast for full details and much more than what's writing in this post.
7 Ways for Graphic Designers to Save Money. 1- Hold Off Upgrading We all want the newest gadgets, the newest toys, the newest fads, but when it comes down to it, there's probably nothing wrong with what we currently have. Save money by keeping your current computer, software and services a bit longer until there's a reason to justify the upgrade expense.
2- Buy in Bulk Buying in bulk is a great way to save money. Whether it's ink for your printer, ordering new business cards, or purchasing credits at your favourite stock photo site. The more you buy, the less expensive they'll be. The same goes for bundles such as software bundles or font bundles. Save money by purchasing the software you need as part of a bundle and you also gain access to other great programs in the process.
3- Pay More Now To Save Money Later It sounds crazy that I'm telling you to pay more for something in a podcast about ways to save money. But sometimes in order to save money, paying more up front is the best option. Look for things like developer licenses, or lifetime access where you pay a bit more but never have to pay again.
You can also use this strategy when purchasing hardware. Spend a bit more on your new computer today, and chances are it will last you longer.
4- Find Ways To Cut Costs in your business This one's a no-brainer. If you want to save money, find creative ways to spend less whenever you make a purchase.
Examples of cutting costs to save money are...
Shop around for best prices. Don't assume the last place you made a purchase still has the best price. Shop around each time you need to make a purchase. Buy refurbished. When you buy refurbished you get the same great item including a full warranty at a discounted price. Take advantage of student discounts if you can. Many hardware and software companies offer special student prices. Buy old versions of software and then upgrade. It's usually cheaper than buying the newest version outright. Hire cheap help. Foreign developers, artists, programmers etc. are just as good as local talent but at a fraction of the price. Wait for special days to make your purchases. You can save money by waiting for Black Friday, Boxing Week and even Mother's & Father's day to make your purchase. Use less expensive alternatives. Serif DrawPlus & Serif PhotoPlus or Affinity Designer & Affinity Photo are affordable alternatives to Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. 5 Become an Early Adopter For many things, the earlier you get in the less expensive it is. Membership groups, associations, beta versions, conference tickets, even Kickstarter campaigns all offer discounts for those who show an early interest. Take advantage of the low prices by purchasing early.
6 Collect Points/Credits Many companies offer points to loyal customers. Save money by using these points to pay for things. Collect travel rewards on yo
49 min