Home office, it sounded so good when we first thought about it. Working in our slippers, never having to dress up, showering at our whim, and sipping coffee from our own mugs.

Now we order our own paper, find our own printers, and try to get supplies at the best prices. Like everything else loyalty matters, pick a club and stay with them except for exceptional bargains.  I am a proud member of the Staples Club. They give me points for purchases and every three months send me a check.  Recycle used ink cartridges for a $2 rebate per cartridge.

My personal paper goods favorite is Envelope Mall for that all important first impression. What variety, what fabulous colors, what a deal. For business I want the best quality to tell my clients they are worth it. For a few pennies more you can have something that makes a terrific impression.  Do your own invitations. Euroflap envelopes bring a touch of elegance and no one will know whether you bought them at that expensive stationary store or ordered them off the Internet.

My favorite on line printer is uprinting.com- the site where you can talk to a real person in and they actually care about your order. You can send up files for a technical review at no charge and receive an on line PDF to verify your order. And if you live in Los Angeles you can pick up your printing and skip the delivery charge. They are nice and they deliver a high quality of customer service along with great printing.

If you are also your own publicist, go to PRWeb.com - they will teach you how to write a press release and then deliver to multiple markets for $80. Not bad for getting your name out there in a hurry.

You are receiving this newsletter from Mailchimp.com. They will let you have 12,000 sends per month for up to 2000 subscribers for free. This is a great way start out your mailer and see what works before making an investment. The dashboard is user friendly and they have many templates to choose from.

If you have a straightforward legal issue, Legal Zoom is reliable with top notch customer service. I used them for a DBA after a friend recommended them.  They were so good at explaining every step that it was a very relaxed process for a legalphobe such as myself.

Use that travel time that you are saving for walking, meditating, or reading a good book to transition from office mentality back into your home environment.

Even if you don’t work at home, you still need office supplies, paper, and all the other necessities that Staples carries.

Recycle ink cartridges – For each one Staples gives you $2. As anyone with an ink jet printer knows, this will add up very quickly. Last year the Frugal Diva collected $34 to spend at Staples.

Coupons – Keep track of your supplies and wait until you get a coupon with a discount for the amount purchased. Organization is the key to saving time and money.

Household items – Staples now carries paper towels, toilet paper, cleansers, and the all important M & Ms at prices that rival big box stores.

Holiday shopping – They have coffee makers, slow cookers, panini grills, and toasters for  giving. Make wonderful gift baskets from boxes of tea, Starbucks gourmet hot chocolate mix  and tins of cookies.

The rewards are as follows – 10% back in Staples Rewards on all ink & toner purchases, 10% back in Staples Rewards on all case & ream paper purchases, 10% back in Staples Rewards on all Copy & Print purchases.  Don’t forget to recycle!

Use them or lose money, there is no way around the loyalty program concept.   What really matters is maximizing the benefits. Two ways to enhance your savings – when ever possible stick with one program for every category type i.e. food, office supplies, hotels, air travel and give them your email address (set up a seperate account for deals if necessary) so you receive up to the minute offers. 

Here are the no fee programs the Frugal Diva likes best and why.

Staples – They give you $2 for every used printer cartridges and a percentage of purchases in a rebate check.  Watch for emails with weekly savings and coupons. Back to school is an excellent time to stock on supplies for the office.

Ralphs – Their points system allows you to get back a small rebate every three months along with coupons for products. They will email you items that garner bonus points and just by clicking you can make your way to savings. The coupons are loaded into your loyalty card and automatically deducted at checkout. No cutting and no forgetting.

Borders - You get emailed discount coupons ranging from 25% to 40% off, special bonus savings, and a rebate with purchases.

AMC Moviewatcher Club – Two points for every movie ticket purchased whether it’s a discount matinee or full fare in the evening. They add up quickly to get free drinks, popcorn, and tickets.

Chicos – After an initial purchase amount, members receive an automatic 5% off and a coupon every month plus a birthday bonus, invitations to private sales, and special discounts.

Let me know what you think are great programs and I will add them to the post.