| Have you ever noticed how convenient those giant | | | | too shabby. And to think that this was only one trip |
| office super stores are? I mean we all use them. | | | | over the past ten years. How much could I have been |
| They're on every corner out here in the suburbs of | | | | saving the whole time? |
| Boston. It's Officethis or Officethat or something like | | | | When I try to mention this finding to people in my local |
| Paperclips, you know, all the major players. Well, I've | | | | business community I hear things like "who cares, it's all |
| recently realized that over the past 10 years of | | | | a write off anyway" or "you should buy American"(as |
| prosperity that my small business has been paying a | | | | if these office superstores are all loaded with |
| huge premium for this convenience. In the past several | | | | American made products.) These are both some of |
| months, as a result of the recent economic downturn | | | | the worst excuses for spending way too much |
| in our local economy, I have been doing everything I | | | | money for no reason I have ever heard. It is all a write |
| can to plug the holes in our spending and trying to "trim | | | | off but saving several hundred dollars a month on |
| the fat" so to speak. Fortunately this is something that | | | | office products allows more flexibility in other areas of |
| myself, my competition and other local business | | | | my business. As far as the old "Buy American" thing, |
| owners are not familiar with. We have all prospered | | | | this one makes me laugh; I would literally have to hire a |
| and have rarely, if ever, worried about money. | | | | full time employee to determine what is made here |
| One evening I was shopping with my family at | | | | and what isn't. I usually just respond with something like |
| Wal-Mart loading up on family stuff and I couldn't help | | | | "I'll buy everything American if you start buying |
| but notice that the same 100ct (or very similar) manila | | | | American gasoline or start riding your bicycle." I am as |
| folders that I paid nearly $7.00 for several hours earlier | | | | American as the next person whose ancestors came |
| at Officethat were available at Wal-Mart at an | | | | over on the Mayflower but the bottom line is that |
| everyday low price of $1.77. Now, I never claimed to | | | | when I am done with my office supply purchases now |
| be a genius but a $5.00 difference on a product that I | | | | I have a lot of money left over. |
| buy 5 boxes of a month is a $25.00 a month savings. | | | | Don't get me wrong, I still use the office superstores |
| That of course is $300 a year. I quickly realized that I | | | | for certain items when I don't have time to go into a |
| was on to something but I figured it was just a fluke. I | | | | department store (they are convenient) and for one or |
| had also bought a new water bubbler and a mini bar | | | | two small items it is worth paying more. When I need |
| type refrigerator earlier and they both cost $149.00 | | | | to fill my supply cabinet, on the other hand, I will surely |
| each so I figured I would go and check out that aisle | | | | take a trip to Wal-mart, K-mart or even Target to |
| as well. I couldn't believe my eyes when I found a | | | | save literally a bundle of cash. I simply don't care how |
| water bubbler/mini fridge combo for only $99.00. Of | | | | neatly organized the office goliaths are because with a |
| course I bought it on the spot and when I got back to | | | | little more effort you can find everything you need for |
| my office the next morning I repackaged the fridge | | | | your office and a little more while saving hundreds of |
| and water bubbler and back to Officethat they went | | | | dollars at a department store. |
| with five boxes of manila folders and a few other | | | | Copyright 2005 Affordable Concrete Cutting, Inc. |
| overpriced items and I saved more than $225.00. Not | | | | |