8 WAYS COMMUNITY GROUPS CAN SAVE MONEY

Every tabloid magazine in the known universe has published articles this year about “getting through” the downturn/depression. Here are our ideas for non-profit organisations.
More ideas welcome. Please leave your comments/suggestions below:
1) Instead of paying an organisation for providing a trainer for a day, barter with them and offer a day’s training (in something your group/staff/volunteers are expert in) by way of payment.
2) If you’re with the ESB, change electricity supplier and save 10% – 13% per annum.
3) If you’re renting a premises, you can and should negotiate a reduction in rent with your landlord.
4) Remember email is free. It wasn’t around a bit over a decade ago.
5) You can text for free via the internet (eg www.vodafone.ie). Very handy for getting a message out to a group of people.
6) If you need to print something, you’ll save anything up to 20% by going green. ‘Changing Ireland’ changed over to vegetable inks and recycled paper last Autumn.
7) Bye-bye to paying people mad money to put a few pages of a website together for your organisation. There are companies nowadays offering ready-to-go websites (the layout is pre-set, you just add in your content) for a tenner a year and upwards. Tip – There are free websites too, but they’re a bit of hassle and very basic. Alternatively, set up a blog (a form of mini-website). It’s totally free and much easier than you think.
8) Seek out volunteers to do jobs. You need to support volunteers properly, for it to be beneficial for everyone. Log onto www.boardmatch.ie or have a think with your colleagues and make a few calls.

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