Use computers to save time and money

Computers and software can be used conveniently to help you perform your everyday tasks more efficiently, but also can save you some money. Here are some tips on how to save time and money with computers and software:

Consider using free software

A basic need is to write text documents (e.g. letters, resumes). The software that lets you do this is called a word processor. Buying a word processor from a retail store can be expensive but there are free options. There are word processors you can download from the Internet and use for free. One of them is called OpenOffice.org. Please read our article about OpenOffice.org if you are interested in it.

Use your computer to make long distance calls

With your computer and a headset you can make national and international phone calls, sometimes much cheaper than regular phone rates. You need a software called Skype to do this.

You can visit their website and check their rates. Also, Skype has very low monthly plans that will let you make unlimited phone calls to anywhere in the United States and Canada.

Use a scanner to avoid unnecessary paper storage

One way to save on paper and keep paper storage at minimum is to scan your important documents. You can save the scanned documents on your computer and organize them by date or by client name.

Send your invoices by email

The software you are using to create your invoices may have an option to send invoices by email. Quickbooks has this option. By using this method, you do not have to print and fax invoices, or send them by regular mail.

Use online banking

Instead of receiving your bank account statements by regular mail, you can select to receive them by email. Many banks offer this option. You can also download your bank statement to your computer and import it to your accounting software. But if you decide to use online banking, make sure you protect your computer with a good antivirus software.

Share your printer using a computer network

You don't need to buy a printer for each computer in your office. By setting up a network in your office, you can use one printer only and share it to all your computers. You can learn more about the benefits of a network in our Computer Networking section.

Turn off your computer when you don't use it

You can save on your electric bill if you turn off your office computers when the work day is finished. Also, when your computer is unattended, you can set up your computer to switch to “Sleep Mode”. This is an option that will make your computer switch to a low power consumption mode while you are not using it. Your computer will not turn off, but it will consume less electricity.

We hope you can use this tips on your everyday tasks. If you would like Eikoh IT Solutions to help you with your computer needs, please contact us.