How to Find Cheap Office Space

If you’re trying to find cheap office space, then often it can be a difficult task. It may pay to look for a coworking alternative for the short term, as they can be the best way for you to find somewhere to work without any kind of long term lease.

And in contrast to popular opinion, it can actually be more difficult to find good, cheap office space in smaller cities. This is because nowadays, larger cities are providing alternative options for office space, whereas smaller cities and towns don’t really have this kind of option.

But when you’re trying to find cheap office space, where should you begin? Well, here are a couple of tips to try and find something cheap and simple.

How to Find Cheap Office Space

When you’re trying to find some cheap office space, it’s worth considering a variety of different options. Doing this can ensure that you don’t have to pay over the odds, which is one of the main concerns with getting something decent.

Don’t be afraid of co-working spaces

co work

If you’re a freelancer flying solo or you only have a small team, then the undoubted best option for you when you’re looking for something cost effective is to opt for a co-working space. This is likely going to be the very cheapest way that you can get some office space.

A co-working space is well.. exactly as it sounds. It provides the option for you to work at a desk surrounded by other freelancers and individuals, all for a pretty low monthly fee (sometimes you can rent them daily, but this isn’t that cheap in the long run).

This is perfect for solo workers, as effectively you’re only renting a small amount of space, and you get the ability to surround yourself with likeminded, hungry people.

In the majority of co-working spaces that I’ve been to, you also have the option to rent an individual office too. You’ll often find co-working spaces that give you the option to book into a separate office room on occasion, which is perfect if you have the occasional client meeting, or they’ll have a meeting room which you can use freely.

So if you’re looking for the most cost effective way to get some office space, then undoubtedly a co-working space is the best way of doing this. They’re suitable not only for freelancers, but also for small start ups businesses and those that don’t need an entire, costly office to themselves.

Hot Desking

Hot desking is essentially using a co-working space, however nowadays it’s also used within the office environment to describe any office where the seating arrangement changes frequently, and you don’t have your own desk.

In some places, they might split the time between you and another person wanting an office – for example, you have the office Mon-Wed, and they have it for the rest of the week. Or you have the office between 9am-1pm for certain days of the week.

One of the negative issues with hot desking and co-working is that you don’t get the same desk to return to day after day. For some people, they prefer to set up their desk with pictures of their family, and have some sort of organisation. This is one of the main drawbacks of hot desking, but it’s a sacrifice that many consider to be worth it, primarily due to the huge cost in monetary saving.

Renting within a company

Unlike co-working, if you’re a one man band then you might want to consider scrolling online and having a look at different companies.

Many start ups, and even some established businesses, will have an office that’s too big for their current staff. In some scenarios, they’ll rent out their spare desks to try and help meet their overheads.

This can prove to be a great way not only to get some desk space and surround yourself with work motivated people, but also it can be advantageous for your connections too. If you can find an office full of friendly faces, then you might end up finding someone who can help you with your own business. This is especially good for start ups or new entrepreneurs, as surrounding yourself with established business people can help elevate you to their level.

Consider Coffee Shops

coffee shop

In 2019, it isn’t considering unprofessional to meet clients in a public place like a coffee shop. In fact, a lot of clients will prefer this kind of relaxed environment in comparison to having your meeting in a dreary office, so it’s definitely worth considering working in coffee shops.

One of the best things about working in a coffee shop is essentially you’re trading your office monthly rent for coffee and cake. You’ll likely have to buy a coffee in any shop you work in, and if you average at $5-10 a day, this will probably equal the same amount you’d find at the cheaper co-working spaces.

The main drawback of coffee shops is of course distraction, so working in coffee shops might not prove to be a long term strategy. But in the short term, a coffee shop might prove to be a good solution.

Work from Home

Working from home might the reason why people you’re ending up looking for cheap office space to rent. But, not everything about working from home is bad.

A lot of people aren’t aware that you can actually write off a lot of your home office expenses on your tax bill. This means that if you want to create your own home office, then it can be worth doing it up to high standards, as you’re able to write this off on your taxes. This is another thing to consider if you’re a freelancer.

Of course, working from home does has its negatives, especially the inability to separate your work and home life, which can be an issue for some (especially workaholics). However, if you can manage to separate work and leisure, then it’s definitely worth thinking about your own home office.

Conclusion

Overall, these are just a few ways that you can easily get some good cheap office space for you to work from. Renting a whole office out can be expensive, and in many cases it’s just entirely unnecessary when you’re trying to keep the costs down. So, considering one of these options is a good place to start for most people.

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About Melissa

Hey! I'm Mel, I write the occasional article for Spacehop, amongst other things. I love meeting new people and chatting, so if you have any questions don't hesitate to ask.

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