Jeremy Quittner at Business Week has some great ideas for entrepreneurs from entrepreneurs on creative ways to bootstrap during tight times like these.
Nothing revolutionary here, but lots of good suggestions. Here is one sample related to equipment:
Printers, desks, telephones, and monitors are the lifeblood of your
business, and they can be costly. For big-ticket items, head to the
“free” section on craigslist or freecycle listings. If you’re willing
to pick through offers for floral love seats, Star Wars figurines, and
’70s-era shag rugs, you’ll also likely stumble on Epson printers, Ikea
desks, file cabinets, and shelving, and they won’t cost you a penny.
You can list your needs there as well. Gary Cassera, owner of Balanced
Dog, a Marlton (N.J.) dog walking and training business with about
$100,000 in sales, says he found three free kennel cages by posting on
craigslist. “Most times these things just sit in people’s garages,”
Cassera explains.Then there are yard sales, the Salvation Army,
Goodwill, and your local thrift store. Companies going out of business
often donate what they can’t otherwise get rid of, says Jeff Yeager,
author of The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches. “A week does not go by when I don’t go to a thrift store,” he says.
When you go to the site in the link above, click on the little picture icons on the bottom for ideas on phone service, getting professional services, postage, meals, etc., etc., etc.
