4. Buy Refurbished Hardware

While ripping open a box containing a shiny new computer is an unmatched thrill, saving your business a bundle is a close second. Buying refurbished (nearly new) hardware is a great way to get a deal.

If you have your eye on a specific brand of computer, go to that manufacturer's site to find deals on refurbished systems. But note that each vendor defines refurbished a bit differently. For instance, Dell sells three types of refurbished computers, all of which are tested and restored to factory specs: Certified Refurbished includes laptops and desktops that were returned to Dell and may have minor cosmetic dings or blemishes; Previously Ordered New means a PC that was shipped new, but the customer decided to return the system without so much as booting it; Scratch and Dent products may appear a bit more "worn" on the outside, but still work well and don't contain dings or scratches on the palm rest or screen.

The Dell Outlet store lets you search for refurbished Dell desktops, accessories, and laptops by price range; most of the items cost up to 35 percent below retail. For example, a Flamingo Pink Certified Refurbished Inspiron 1720 laptop with an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, a 17-inch LCD, and a 120GB SATA hard drive was $879 on the Dell Outlet site. Price depends on whether the item has scratches and dents, whether it was ordered new, and other factors. And if you're not happy with your purchase, you can return products within 21 days from the date of shipment, less a restocking fee if the product is not defective.

If you're a Mac devotee, Apple sells refurbished products through its online store. But don't expect huge savings--some of the newer products are a mere $200 less than the retail price. However, in some cases, you can save much more. A recent look at the Apple Store revealed a refurbished MacBook Air (with a 1.6-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, a 13.3-inch glossy wide-screen display, 2GB of memory, an 80GB PATA hard drive, and a built-in iSight camera) listed at $1499, versus $1799 retail. A refurbished iMac (with a 2.8-GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU, 24-inch glossy wide-screen display, 2GB of memory, a 500GB hard drive, and a built-in iSight Camera) was listed at $1599, versus $2299 retail.

Apple's refurbished products are covered by a one-year warranty, and you can buy an extended warranty as well. Apple's refurbished products are "pre-owned," but Apple's site claims that each item undergoes a "stringent refurbishment process prior to being offered for sale." Some products were returned, while others were brought back due to technical issues. To read the full list of refurbished tests and qualifications, visit Apple's site.