One of the most important pieces of equipment to consider when setting up your home office, is a fax machine. Read on for some thrifty fax options!
One of the most important pieces of equipment to consider when setting up your home office, is a fax machine. Read on for some thrifty fax options!
Freecycle: If you don’t yet know about Freecycle, you’re missing out! Freecycle is built on the premise that “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure!” People post things that they no longer want, and people e-mail them directly to get the item. It’s all local, and virtually every community has one. The Freecycle rules forbid asking for payment, so everything is 100% free. This is how I got my fax machine (and also my first washer and dryer!).
Free online/e-mail fax services: Fax by e-mail is a popular choice. The main drawback to this option is that you are often “assigned” a number for the “free” service” that long-distance. To get a local number, you must move to a higher tiered “paid” service. Another drawback to this option is that, in order to subsidize the “free” service, your documents (both sent and received) are inundated with ads, giving an unprofessional appearance. However, if you send intermittent faxes, or just want to receive them, it can be an interim solution.
Services such as FaxZero, FreeFax, and FaxDigits fall under this category. The company best known for this service, eFax,, has now moved to a paid system.
Your computer: Yes, the computer you are using right now most likely has fax software that will allow you to send a fax straight from the document. The downside is, obviously, this only works for documents you create. If you are sending back paperwork to a client, this option will not work for you. However, the next idea should address that.
Your printer: If you have a printer that also scans, you can scan your documents and send them as e-mail attachments.
Hopefully, these ideas can help you create a professional yet frugal home office!
by Marie Stroughter
connect with us