We all have office supplies or tools that will help grow or simply make our business run smoother. The problem may be that we just don't have the budget to purchase them right away. I have a quick tip that I've used a number of times to help fund purchases of non-essential office equipment or supplies. I use this technique whenever the opportunity presents itself.

In a nutshell -- buy more than you need and resell the rest to pay for the one you keep.

"OK, so how does that work?" I hear you ask.

I'm not saying this is an everyday occurrence but if you keep your eyes open you may find it happens more than you expect. A couple of years ago I needed a projector stand for use while teaching. I found a seller on eBay who was selling used stands in lots of four. I did a little research and found that by purchasing them as a lot the each price was much cheaper than buying one. So, I purchased the lot and sold off the extra three. Not only did I pay for the one I wanted, I made a small profit.

It happened again recently when I was in a local liquidator. I've been selling more clothes items recently and have been considering purchasing a manikin. The liquidator had several for sale from a recently closed store. I took out my Droid, checked the retail prices on eBay against the liquidator's asking price and determined I could pay for my one manikin if I purchased two more and resold them online.

It's pretty simple -- if you find the right deal. So, while you are out product sourcing for items to sell online, don't forget to keep an eye out for those assets that can make your business run better.

If you are interested in a Manikin I have a couple for sale here.