Here are six tips for scoring office supply discounts on everything from ink jets to laptops; furniture to copy paper.

1. Save on office furniture by checking craiglist or your local freecycle network from time to time. It’s also possible to find screaming deals on furniture from online office supply superstores; you just have to stay on top of the deals. Several of the big online office supply stores, such as Office Depot and Office Max, run weekly specials. Others, such as Quill, offer new specials on a monthly basis.

2. Don’t skimp on organizational tools. You’ll save so much time if your home office is properly organized, and time is money – especially in a home office where you’re bound to find yourself wearing a few different hats, on occasion. Search for used file cabinets on craiglist or freecycle networks, as well. Or look for businesses in your area that might be having “going out of business sales.” You might be able to score some great deals on file cabinets and shelving this way.

3. Do you really need all that expensive software? Before you spend a lot on software, see if there is a freeware version that works for your purposes. OpenOffice, for example, is a free productivity suite, which has a word processor, spreadsheet program, even databases and graphics programs. And you can use it free of charge, even for commercial applications.

4. Keep your receipts. Talk to your accountant to make sure you are getting all of the deductions you can for these items, as well as any other tax breaks you may be able to get from your home office.

5. Don’t skimp on tech. Instead of saving a few bucks by buying used or refurbished items, I have had better experiences with purchasing computers new, but at a discount. First, you’ll want to do a fair amount of research to determine exactly what you need and then shop around online (biding your time, if necessary) until you find just that item for a good price – or with a coupon code (preferably both.)

NewCouponsAndDeals.com is a well-organized site that posts only the best deals and coupons available online. Check out their current listings for Computers and Software Deals here.

6. Take advantage of online coupons whenever possible (and it’s nearly always possible). Office supply stores offer some of the best perks for online shoppers. Several of the large online stores, such as Viking and Quill, offer frequent gifts with purchase, such as free gift cards to Starbucks, Target, or iTunes with a purchase over a certain amount.

Other online stores, such as Office Depot, offer a consistent $30 off $150 for non-tech purchases. And many of them offer free delivery on orders of $50 or more.

Online printing companies, such as 123print.com, make it a snap to design brochures, business cards, even calendars and other goodies for your clients. You can see the “printing proof” right there on the screen and, generally, you can use a coupon code for the purchase to make it cheaper than you might imagine.

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