Does your startup need an office space?
Starting your own business is rewarding and stressful. In the early stages of your startup, you’ll probably spend most of your days working from your bed or kitchen table. But as your business starts to get bigger and you add employees, you might be struggling to find some space.
Commercial office space can cost thousands of dollars a month, which sometimes isn’t in the budget for a new business. Even if you do have the money, saving on office space could open up new opportunities and allow you to put that money into other ventures.
If you’re not sure how to get started, keep reading to learn some cheap office space ideas that won’t break your small business budget.
1. Work from Home
Working from home is tricky for some people, but for other’s, it’s the main reason why they wanted to start their own business in the first place.
A cheap workspace option is to allow yourself and your other employees to work at home. Try and create a small area with a desk, so that you can easily separate your home life from your work life.
Another option is to move into a bigger space. For example, rent a two-bedroom apartment instead of a one-bedroom and use the extra room as an office. Your rent will go up, but it is sometimes cheaper than renting out an additional office space, and you’ll get the ease and flexibility of not having a commute to work.
2. Coffee Shops and Restaurants
Coffee shops, cafes, restaurants, and other establishments can make for inspiring office spaces. They’re typically loud and open, so you’ll have plenty of room to meet with your coworkers and discuss ideas.
If you choose to work from coffee shops and restaurants, make sure you keep in mind a few rules of etiquette. Always purchase something from the shop and ask if they have a time limit. Some coffee shops are overwhelmed by remote workers, so they ask that you don’t sit for more than a couple hours at a time to share the space.
3. Public Library
Another free space to work from is a public library. Libraries offer a lot of great benefits and are ideal if your company is just a few people or less. They’re quiet spaces that allow you to spread out and get work done. Plus they’re free, so it’s easy on your business budget.
Again, make sure you’re following the rules of library etiquette. Take your meetings outside or try to move to a loud area of the library. There are usually people trying to read or study in libraries, and taking up too much space or making noise could get you kicked out.
4. Coworking Spaces
A coworking space is a good investment when your company is growing and needs more space and resources than a public property like your library can provide.
Coworking spaces offer a ton of great benefits for entrepreneurs. Typically a coworking space is an office area where small businesses share the rent. So you’ll pay a monthly fee to get access to space.
All coworking spaces are different, but typically they’ll have everything that a traditional office would have. You’ll find desks, conference rooms, office supplies and everything else you need to get your work going. You’ll also be working right next to other small business owners, so it’ll inspire you to keep growing your company.
5. Exchange Services for Office Space
When rent for office space isn’t in your budget, but you need the extra room, you could try exchanging business services for office space in your area.
This option allows you to get creative. For example, you could try to build relationships with local hotels. Hotels typically have conference rooms and other office areas that aren’t always in use. You could offer your business services in exchange for access to the hotel’s resources.
6. Accelerators and Incubators
Cities want to promote startup activity, so many of them have launched accelerator and incubator programs to help young companies get off the ground.
A quick Google search will reveal options in your area. From there, you can start applying for funding. Typically these programs will give businesses grant money that can be used to pay rent in a coworking or other office space.
7. Local Chamber of Commerce
Similar to accelerator programs, your local chamber of commerce wants to promote small business activity in your area. Reach out to them and see if they’ll give you a small grant to get office space, or if they have any places in mind that could become your new office.
8. Desk-For-A-Day Rentals
Sometimes you can’t commit to a rent agreement or even a long-term contract that some coworking spaces require. In these cases, you should look into “desk-for-a-day” programs. There are plenty of websites and apps that allow you to book office space for an hour or a full day, to give you some extra room.
This option is ideal for the small business owner who wants to work from home, but needs an office area to meet with their team once a week or less.
Explore These Cheap Office Space Ideas
Running a business on a budget isn’t easy, but there are plenty of ways you can cut corners, get grant money, work remotely and save money. Now that you have some cheap office space ideas, you’re probably looking for more ways that your business can save money.
Check out the rest of our website for more helpful tips and tricks. Being a small business owner has plenty of challenges, but we’re here to help you every step of the way.