If you’re starting up a business from scratch, luckily there are now more ways than ever before of saving money in the process. One of the biggest tools for any entrepreneur is technology; so whether you’re still working on an idea, or are on the cusp of making a massive investment – here are some basic internet-based solutions to help you stick to that all-important budget.

1. Consider Online Alternatives

Whatever category your business falls into, an effective marketing strategy will be vital to getting things off the ground. At its most basic level this can include anything from business cards to letterheads and even email signatures – whatever can help to effectively promote your brand and its message.  So instead of choosing a traditional design agency or printing company, consider going down the online route. With many websites allowing you to design your own logo, low-cost business cards can be easily obtained. It doesn’t mean you’ll have to sacrifice on quality either – a lot of companies can offer a perfectly decent service without the additional cost.

1. Use Money Saving Apps

For a lot of start-up businesses, it can be far too easy to spend money without even realising it. If you need to demonstrate tighter control over your finances – with lots of free apps geared around helping you control your outgoings, you don’t need to hire someone to do it for you – simply utilise the smartphone in your pocket! With apps like iXpensit or websites like Mint.com, you can take total control over your outgoings and help limit unnecessary purchases or confusing bank statements.

1. Delay Moving to an Office

Although Yahoo recently banned its employees from working at home, this doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. For start-up businesses, putting off moving into an office can really work in your favour. If you have all the technology you need at home, why waste money on office supplies, rent and utility bills until you really have to? In the meantime, simply disprove Yahoo’s theory by avoiding the lure of daytime television…

1. Search for Discount Deals

If you are based in an office already, there are lots of ways to save money on basic essentials as well as big technology. If you’re often in need of images, check out popular websites like iStockPhoto for regular money off deals, or if you often buy things like ink cartridges and paper in bulk, search online for business-related Euroffice discount codes. From low-cost laptops to cheap broadband rates, you might be surprised at how much you could reduce everyday outgoings.

Whatever stage you’re at, it’s always important to keep things in perspective. Although you might have big ideas, by saving money now, you could really end up investing in the long term future of your business.

Mark Pearson, chairman of MyVoucherCodes commented: “As an investor in start-ups, and someone who built one from scratch, I’m well aware of the pitfalls of starting a business. My advice – and this might sound like a contradiction coming from someone like me – would be to avoid being a perfectionist in the beginning. Even if it’s just a tiny website, it’s a foundation. Ultimately, doing something’s better than doing nothing at all.”

If you have not bought tickets for London Startup Weekend, you should quickly buy them soon. There are only 100 spots!

The super charged 54-hour weekend event will take place at the amazing REDBULL STUDIOS in London. A very huge thank you to Redbull for hosting us, on the 23- 25th March 2012.

Tickets are going quickly. Why wait? Grab your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

We very much look forward to sharing all our energy with you!

Yes, we like money (who doesn’t!) but we are also on the lookout for organizations that are willing to help fill the welcome swag bag, or gifts in kind. (Drinks for the weekend / Free prize give-aways etc!)

We’ve even raffled away awesome gifts like iPads and mobile phones for our sponsors to charity, so we’re pretty much open to anything!

If you have something to give to the entrepreneur community or know of someone that does, let us know and we can make it Startup Weekend London March 2012 the most awesome to date!

GET IN TOUCH

Superb teams and pitches at Startup Weekend London, and super uber support from our Twitter followers!!!

Teams, there are some invaluable feedback on your pitches and ideas from the Twitter followers, search #swlondon on Twitter http://bit.ly/pnyAY2 for the awesomeness!

These feedback and followers may serve as your very good step to morph / pivot your ideas to something bigger, test your market, or potentially find your early adopters!

Don’t forget to follow @startuplondon on Twitter too or Download our iPhone / Android App http://mobileroadie.com/apps/swlondon to keep up to date!

Join us, and Check the pitches out through the Live Stream link –  it will start in no time! http://silver-line.tv/live-stream.html

Good luck teams!

The heart of Stranger’s delivery approach, is based on conversations. They recognise the importance to communicate personally and instinctively, approaching design in a human centred way. This ensures the deliverables are inventive, highly crafted and effective solution that engages with the audience.

In addition to creating amazing work (check them out here!), Stranger is also a Gold Sponsor for the weekend sponsoring fabulous prizes including, Visual Identity Workshop, Logo and Business Card Design for the winning team!

If you know of anyone that can use their services – forward this post or start a conversation with Stranger by saying “Hello!”  . If you say that Startup Weekend sent you, you will definitely get a piece of cake from this awesome Stranger!

It was great to see so many new faces come along curious to find out more about Startup Weekend. Hopefully the new faces will be back next month and for the next London Startup Weekend later this year. A few familiar faces were on hand to answer questions about the Weekend and there was lots of good chat about everyones latest projects.

See you all next month!

Tickets for the event can be order online at http://londonstartupweekendjuly2010.eventbrite.com/

As always there are a limited number of free tickets for members and guests are also welcome to come along.

If you’ve been to startup weekend before or never been then come along to Bar Detroit in Covent Garden.

Rags2Riches

This is the mobile game to play where every check-in makes you money
http://rags2riches.mobi

BuddyBounce

Allows people around the world to meet online through a video speed networking service
http://www.buddybounce.com/

Zolidays

Creates your personalised holiday planner based on budget and your interests
http://www.zolidays.com/

Brit My Pride

We want people to be proud of their voice rate or record phrases and show off your national or regional accent
http://www.britmypride.com/

Tweevents

Create and track meetings and events from Twitter
http://www.tweevents.com/

Movitica

Develops casual & fun games for any mobile and branded content games

http://movitica.com

Ludofy Github

Ludofy:Github creates an incentive for productivity and effective use of source control by making Github into a game. Developers get points, badges and experience points for checking in their code.
http://github.ludofy.com

Charity Mapper

find events around you for charities, such as fun-runs, bake-offs, etc

Gruvi world

Film fan centre for Facebook ‘The Universe for those that love movies…. and the movies we all love’

Smartime

Find places or event nearby that are open right now

Peer Genie

new business networking tool to help entrepreneurs and potential co-founders find each other.

Checkout these new teams on Twitter:

Charity Mapper

Zolidays

Tweevents