How to Save Money When Buying Tools Post

Are you looking for ways to save money on your business equipment costs? You’re not alone. Many business owners are looking for ways to reduce their expenses, and equipment costs can be a major expense. 

Consider these three strategies that you can use to save money on your business equipment.

Lease Your Equipment

One way to save money on equipment costs is to lease your equipment. By leasing your equipment, you can avoid the high initial cost of purchasing new equipment. In addition, you can spread the cost of the equipment over a period of time, making it more affordable. 

Moreover, leasing gives you the flexibility to upgrade your equipment as new models become available. As a result, leasing can be a cost-effective way to maintain a well-equipped business.

Buy Higher Quality Equipment

When it comes to saving money on equipment costs, one of the best ways to do so is to invest in higher-quality items. At first, this may seem like counterintuitive advice; after all, doesn’t buying cheaper items save you money in the long run? However, this isn’t always the case. Older machines tend to last longer because they were built better. With cheap equipment, you might have to replace it every few years, which can end up costing you more in the long run. 

In addition, higher quality items often come with better warranties and support, which can save you money if something does go wrong. So next time you’re in the market for new equipment, don’t be afraid to spend a little extra on something that will last. Your wallet will thank you later.

Utilize Tax Deductions

One way to save money on equipment costs is to take advantage of use tax deductions. Use tax is a tax levied on the use of goods that have not been taxed at the point of purchase. Many states allow businesses to deduct the cost of use tax from their gross income, which can significantly offset the cost of equipment. For example, a business that purchased $10,000 worth of equipment would be able to deduct $500 from its taxes, resulting in a savings of $500. 

To take advantage of this deduction, businesses should keep track of their equipment purchases and ensure that they are taxable in the state in which they operate. By taking advantage of use tax deductions, businesses can save significant amounts of money on their equipment costs.

When it comes to saving money on equipment costs, there are a number of strategies that business owners can use. Leasing equipment, investing in higher quality items, and taking advantage of use tax deductions are all effective ways to save money. By using these strategies, businesses can reduce their expenses and maintain a well-equipped operation.

Did you enjoy reading this article? Here’s more to read. What to Know About the Financial Side of Running a Business

Buying equipment is as exciting as ever, if you ask me. While my tastes are probably slightly different than yours, in the sense that I buy '90s flash gear and DSLRs, I have been doing this for around five years and have come up with a few tips on how to save money when buying gear.

The first thing you need to consider if you want to save money buying gear is to buy used. The thing is, as soon as you walk out of the store with your brand-new gear, you’ve just lost about 20-30% of its retail value. Essentially, buying new kit is equivalent to burning money. Buying used can be tricky, and this article is meant for photographers who want to save money but may be reluctant to buy used because of the risks associated with such purchases. I understand your concern. When buying used, you may not get the manufacturer warranty, the gear may be damaged, the person selling may not be entirely truthful with you, and so on. I aim to help you out with this article and show you some of the things you need to look out for when buying used cameras, lenses, lights, modifiers, and other miscellaneous equipment.

Used Cameras

When it comes to used cameras, the property most will suggest you consider is the shutter count. That, however, is not the first thing I will look at, to be frank. The reason being is that while some cameras can have tens of thousands of actuations on them, they would’ve been used as studio units and never seen daylight. Other cameras may have under ten thousand actuations but were used in the field and had all sorts of cosmetic wear on them. My own camera has been everywhere at this point, and I would not want to buy it in the condition that it is now. The main thing you need to look at when buying a used camera is the user of this camera. What style of photography are they doing? What sort of user are they? Do they keep the camera pristine or bash it around? The fewer marks and scuffs there are on the camera, the better for you. I would buy a camera in mint condition with 100,000+ actuations over a bashed camera with 10,000 actuations any day of the week.

Used Lenses

When it comes to lenses, there are way more things that can go wrong. As a rule of thumb, don’t get the cheap prosumer lenses used. They are generally made for medium use, and not heavy-duty 2,000 captures-a-day use. This is why if you are buying used lenses, look at the L-series from Canon or the G-Master from Sony. This is the league of lenses that will be reliable performers even if bought used. Truth be told, I never ever bought a new lens.

When it comes to lenses, you might be worried that minor scratches will affect optical performance. Sure they will, but not nearly to the degree you are imagining them to. It is safe to get a lens if it has no more than one minor scratch on the glass. When buying a used lens, you need to check for dust inside of it, possible fungus, and weather sealing. Ask the user what kind of photography they were doing with the lens. Another thing to check is how well it mounts on the camera, if there is any rattle in it, and so on. Cosmetic wear such as writing on the lens is negligible in my opinion but can be used to bring the price down. Lastly, one of the most important things to check is that every zoom position works with every aperture setting, and that the aperture closes consistently. One of the first things to fail in a lens is its aperture flex cable. Things such as a lens hood are advised to have, but not a must. As long as you are getting a decent lens, with all lens caps, you are good.

Used Lights

Used lighting is generally also best bought from top brands. For example, I recently got an ancient Pro-5 generator as a backup piece for my equally ancient Pro-7a. That said, I also never bought new flash equipment. The reason being that I use Profoto, and getting it new is far too pricey. Also, because the system that I use runs off Proheads, which cost around $3,000 new. With lighting, you need to first decide if you are looking at battery-powered solutions or mains-powered solutions. If a light is battery-powered, don’t expect to get the best battery performance from it and be sure to get a few fresh new replacement batteries to be sure that you won’t run out of power. If it’s a mains-powered light, just look at the cosmetic wear on it, make sure the key functions work and so on. There is really not much that can go wrong with a light, which is why getting them used is so good. One particular thing that does go wrong with lights is flash tubes. I generally suggest making sure that the flash tube is as close to clear as possible. If it appears foggy or perhaps worn out in some way, knock the price down by a few hundred as you will be replacing that tube fairly soon.

Used Modifiers

Used modifiers can go wrong in three spots: yellowed-out diffusers, broken rods, and torn material. I really can’t say more about modifiers than this. With this in mind, if the rods are broken or the diffusers are yellowed-out, you can usually get replacements. As for torn modifiers, I would say skip buying that unless you are good at sewing. When it comes to soft modifiers, go for the RFi range from Profoto or an equivalent high-end choice from your brand. They are constructed with more reliability in mind as opposed to OCF or clic. As for modifiers such as hard reflectors, really no need to worry about most things. Even if it is slightly bent or dented, it will do the job as well as a new modifier. Broncolor and Profoto hard reflectors made for their Proheads are notoriously well-made. I think I have some zoom reflectors from the 1990s that came with my ProHeads and they do the job.

A Safe Alternative

A safe alternative would be, of course, to buy gear from places such as MPB, B&H used section, or refurbished from the manufacturer. These will usually be more expensive than buying used from a private person, though. It all depends on the budget you have. If you are trying to save as much money as you can, go ahead and purchase from private individuals. If you want to find solutions for slightly more money but which have been tested and checked by the company selling them, go ahead and buy from companies specialized in selling used kit.

Over to you, what is your experience with buying used kit? Let us know in the comments below!