The good news? With a few small tweaks to how you buy, store, and manage your supplies, you can save a surprising amount — without compromising on quality or convenience.

Here are our top tips to help you get started.

1) Take Stock of What You Actually Use

It sounds obvious, but many offices keep buying things they already have (sometimes multiple times). Start with a quick audit of your cupboards, you might be surprised what’s hiding at the back.

Ask yourself:

• What do we genuinely use every week?
• What sits untouched?
• Are there items we’re over-ordering out of habit?

This alone can prevent duplicate purchases and reduce waste.

2) Standardise Your Essentials

Too much choice isn’t always a good thing. Standardising on core products, like pens, A4 paper, or lever arch files, keeps things simple and helps you buy more efficiently.

For example:

• Instead of stocking 6 types of ballpoint pens, pick one good option.
• Choose one paper weight and stick to it for most needs.

This avoids overspending on unnecessary variations and makes reordering easier.

3) Make the Most of Contract Pricing

Buying the same items repeatedly? You could be paying less.

Most suppliers offer preferential contract pricing for committed, repeat purchasing. That means:

• Better unit costs
• Improved availability
• Clear visibility on spend
• Easier budgeting

If you haven’t reviewed your supplier agreements recently, you could be missing out on easy savings.

Tip: If you work with BSG, your account manager can help make sure you’re getting the best pricing across your key lines.

4) Buy in Bulk (Smartly)

Bulk buying can save money... but only if you’re buying the right things.

Good bulk buys:

• Paper
• Toner
• Files
• Post-its
• Kitchen rolls

Things to avoid stockpiling:

• Perishables
• Items easily damaged in storage
• Niche products only used by one department

Aim for a balance between price advantage and practicality.

5) Switch to Own-Brand or Value Alternatives

Premium packaging doesn’t always mean premium performance.

Own-brand office supplies are usually:

• High-quality
• Reliable
• Significantly more cost-effective

From stationery to janitorial products, swapping even a few branded items for own-brand alternatives can deliver instant savings.

6) Reduce Printing & Waste

Reducing your printing is one of the easiest ways to cut office supply spend.

Try:

• Encouraging digital note-taking
• Moving to e-signatures
• Using shared files over printed documents
• Introducing print rules (like mono default)

And if you do print regularly, Managed Print Solutions like uniFLOW Online can help you manage output, prevent unnecessary jobs, and cut waste. Speak to one of our MPS experts today!

7) Control Who Can Order Supplies

It’s very easy for costs to creep when “everyone” can order.

Centralising responsibility helps:

• Reduce impulse buying
• Keep stock consistent
• Maintain standardised products
• Improve budget visibility

You don’t need to micromanage, just create a simple ordering process and nominate a responsible person or team.

8) Track Usage & Spend

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Regular spend reviews can help you:

Spot seasonality (e.g. training weeks)

• Identify wasteful departments
• Understand usage patterns
• Reduce overordering

If you work with BSG, your account manager can provide assistance to help you understand where your budget is going and where easy efficiencies might be found.

9) Bring Sustainable Practices into Play

Cost-saving and sustainability can go hand-in-hand.

Simple switches include:

• Refillable pens
• Re-usable folders/binders
• Recycled paper
• Water-saving cleaning products

Not only does this reduce cost, but it supports sustainability goals good for the planet and great for CSR reporting. Learn more about BSG's sustainability journey here.

10) Choose Higher-Quality Core Items

(Especially ones that last)

Sometimes spending slightly more upfront saves money in the long run. Anyone who has replaced a cheap stapler six times in one year knows this.

Choose well-made essentials for high-use environments:

• Staplers
• Hole punches
• Scissors
• Desk tidies

Pay once, keep for years.

11) Manage Your Tail-End Spend

Tail-end spend (all those small, ad-hoc purchases scattered across different suppliers) can quietly become very expensive. Think:

• The quick Amazon order
• The emergency supermarket stationery run
• The odd purchase card transaction

Individually, they seem minor…
Collectively, they can add up to 15–20% of total procurement cost.

Bringing this spend into a centralised process:

• Reduces maverick buying
• Improves cost control
• Gives staff better product choices
• Cuts admin time

BSG specialises in helping organisations simplify and consolidate tail-end spend so they can access better pricing and fewer invoices, without compromising flexibility.

Bonus: Engage Your Team

From small switches like printing less to choosing greener cleaning supplies, getting everyone involved helps drive bigger savings. A simple email or desk-side conversation can work wonders.

Final Thoughts

Saving money on office supplies isn’t about cutting corners, it’s about buying smarter.

With a little planning, standardisation, and visibility, you can reduce costs, minimise waste, and keep your teams well-equipped.

And if you’d like help reviewing your current setup, recommending value alternatives, or getting tail-end spend under control…

Contact our Workplace Supplies experts today

We’d love to help you spend less and get more.