We’re just into February but it’s hard to enjoy the new year with the devil of the recession staring at us.
If you have kids, you’re probably constantly telling them to keep lights switched off, go easy on the crisps and basically pitch in to cut costs around the home. Grocery prices, bills and just about everything is skyrocketing and well trying to keep up with a salary that is not increasing can be maddening.
It’s worse if you own an office. We sympathise with you because well, we’ve been there and done that. We know how hard it can be to keep up with the costs of everything today, even a simple thing as a water dispenser.
If you’re in the red and struggling to slip into the black, well it’s possible! We’ve done it!
TheAsianParent is proud to have shifted into the cost-cutting mode with the following measures.
1. We rely on open source – Our forum is powered by phpbb, which is free. We use Open Office instead of Microsoft Word, and instead of wasting hours of manpower coming up with new templates for invoices, contracts, etc, we make use of the free templates offered online by companies like Microsoft, where possible.
2. We use Skype instead of making IDD calls which has influenced a large number of contacts in our network!
3. We have hired interns to help us with our editorial and design load and where possible we outsource design and programming to students.
4. We shuffle around with a 1 to 4 – day work week and spend the rest of the time working from home. This reduces electricity, the telephone bills and the staff have a big smile on their face as they cut their telecommuting in half! We meet regularly on Skype and have e-meetings instead.
5. Our freelancers are given articles in bulk so as to reduce cost per article.
6. We are active in Barter trade to bring the best values and promotions for our readers.
7. We have formed a buying alliance with our sister site, www.bestof.sg, so as to make use of bulk rates for printing of name cards, domain name purchases, etc.
8. We have switched to re-filled inked cartridges.
9. We prefer to use snail mail and printing only when it’s absolutely necessary. For everything else we just pdf and send it across, including our media kits.
10. We got rid of the water dispenser! We really weren’t drinking all that water. We instead now use an electric kettle.
So don’t put your head in your hands and stay gloomy. Get a paper out and look for ways to cut-cost around the office and the home too! We’ve done it. Why should it be impossible for you?
Cheers,
Roshni
Founder and Editor
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