Setting up a home office on a budget – Tips & tricks

Working from the comfort of your home has its own perks. Especially as there are many ways to earn online. But, setting up a home office on a budget can be challenging.

People who need or love to work from home struggle with this issue. It’s always good when you can make an affordable and nice workspace. Plus it needs to be functional too.

But, logically you don’t want to spend a fortune meanwhile. So, it might be best to have some basic guidelines.

That’s why today’s topic is going to cover useful details regarding your home office.

Setting up a home office on a budget – Where to start?

The main problem with any renovations is the famous “where to start?” question. This also applies to your home office.

You’ve probably made a lot of Pinterest boards. They all have carefully designed home office examples. But, in reality, your home office doesn’t need to be social media-friendly.

You don’t need to have perfect furniture or white tulips on your table. You need a functional space.

Of course, that place needs to be designed to your taste. But, you really don’t need to go bankrupt. That’s why you should focus on creating a list of essential office things.

So, take a look at the following one.

#1 A work table

A working surface is very important. In the end, that’s where you spend most of your time. The size of your table depends on your job needs.

For a laptop and cup of beverage, you don’t need a lot of space. But, some people need multiple monitors. Therefore their surfaces require larger desks.

So, when making your home office, be sure to check how much space you will need.

#2 A quality chair

If the idea of a decent-quality chair sounds boring to you, think twice. Sure, you don’t need the most ergonomic chair ever. But, it needs to be comfortable and office-friendly.

Try sitting and working on a dining chair for a few days. Not nice.

The chair needs to be functional and doesn’t need to be pretty. So, have that in mind when opting for your home office chair.

#3 Office supplies

Setting up your home office on a budget can be tempting. Especially when it comes to small gadgets. So, try not to go overboard with sticker notes and highlighters.

You should be realistic when buying office gear.

If you mainly work on a laptop, you don’t need ten pens in various colors. They’ll probably just sit on your desk and collect dust.

#4 Computer gear

Many remote jobs require full computer gear. Of course, this depends on the work type. But, a printer, copier, or scanner are usual habitats of office desks.

So, if your job doesn’t require full gear, start with a basic setup, and upgrade later.

#5 Strong internet connection

Remote working almost exclusively requires a high-speed internet connection. Especially if you do regular online meetings.

You don’t want your boss to be a “frozen pixel” during your call.

Besides the internet, you should have a dedicated phone line. You could use Google Voice or Skype. That way your cell phone and the home phone won’t be disturbed.

#6 Office decor

Your office doesn’t need to be picture-perfect, but you do need some decorations. Of course, this is a matter of personal taste.

So, make your home office warm and nice. You’ll spend a lot of time there.

The beauty of remote work is that you can customize your working environment. So, be creative.

Remember, your office decor doesn’t need to be expensive to be pretty. There are a lot of DIY decor ideas you can try out.

Setting up a home office on a budget – Determine a budget

Budgeting is the most important thing if you want to be frugal. So you need to prioritize gear for your home office. First, set a budget according to your possibilities.

Then choose where you will invest the most.

For example, if your job revolves around digital tasks, you need a quality laptop. You can buy a cheaper desk but invest in tech.

If you sit all day, you should have a high-quality chair. Internet and mobile data are also important for remote work. So, investing in high-speed ones can be a good option.

Mobile data can come in handy for the hotspot option if your wifi breaks during your workday.

So, things you can often save money on are gadgets and decor.

You don’t need an expensive painting to bring your home office to life. There are always less expensive ways to decorate.

Setting up a home office on a budget – How to save money?

Setting up a home office on a budget is sometimes hard. But, if you’ve done your budgeting and prioritizing well, you won’t have a problem.

Check out some things you can try to save money on.

Buy used stuff

Used furniture sometimes has better quality than the new stuff. Older stuff might be sturdy and good.

Sites like Amazon and eBay sell these second-hand goods. You can also check the OfferUp app.

So, just make sure the stuff is in a good condition. You can always check reviews on mentioned platforms. That way you can see what other buyers say about products.

Ask friends and family

We often forgot to ask the ones around us for help when renovating. The same applies to office making.

You never know if your cousin has just the right table for your job needs. So asking never hurts.

This can be a great way to get nice and free furniture for your office.

Plus, you’ll help those around you to clear their attic a bit.

Choose smaller devices

One of the ways to save money is to save energy. So, to do this, you might try smaller devices.

For example, a smaller laptop costs less and uses less power.

So, if you don’t need a desktop computer, skip it, and go for the tiny version.

Skip designers

No, you don’t need a designer pen. Yes, it’s nice. But it works the same as any other pen.

It’s okay to go on a shopping spree sometimes. But, if you want to make a low-cost home office, you’ll need to save on these things.

The same applies to all other office gadgets. You don’t need fancy paper. Just buy a regular one.

Ask the employer to help out

If you’re not a freelancer, chances are your company can help out with office gear.

For example, they might be able to give you a laptop or any other necessities. Many companies gear up their employees with everything they need. Even when they work remotely.

So, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Buy on sales

Sales are a great way to save money. But, you already know that.

So, if you don’t need to equip your home office right away, wait for a sale.

That way you would be able to buy a few things and don’t lose a lot of money.

DIY your home office

If you have some old but great furniture, re-use it. With little handiness and creativity, you can make brand new stuff.

A good thing about DIY your stuff is uniqueness. No one will have the same office desk as you. The possibilities are endless.

You can really customize everything. Plus, your office will get a sentimental value as you will give it a personal touch.

Setting up a home office on a budget – Bonus tips

Sometimes little things can have a great addition to your home office. So, take a look at some things to have in mind when creating your workspace.

Lights touch up

If you can, opt for a room with enough light.

You might not have enough budget for a large home office. But, a bright room can make space appear larger.

The other thing to consider is the color of the inside lights. They may not play a big role when it comes to space size. But, they certainly add to the overall atmosphere.

Opt for a room divider

Being careful with your budget often means not enough room for everything. So, that can also affect your home office. But, don’t be desperate.

This can be easily solved with a room divider. They are handy, not pricey, and make rooms.

You can even make a custom room divider with a large bookcase. That way you will save even more money.

Make closet room

Another money and space-saving option is setting your office inside a small closet.

You don’t need to have anything big. Just a small closet.

This will work nicely if you don’t have a large job gear. But, a laptop and a few notes can be fitted in.

A good thing about a closet office is that you can literally shut the door at the end of the working day. Pretty handy, right?

Setting up a home office on a budget – How to earn side money?

Need more money for your home office project? No problem. There is an easy and fun way to gain side income.

You can earn money by answering paid surveys. They are a fast and legit way to gain a few bucks aside.

Online surveys often pay via PayPal account.

All you need to do is to:

• Find a legit survey site.
• Sign up.
• Answer surveys and get paid.

You may bump into various interesting questions. Most often surveys are about some products. That way you also help companies to make their products better.

So, if you like mini-games, you’ll probably like surveys too. Plus, you invest almost no effort, and certainly no money.

That means more side money for your brand new home office.