Finding cheap presentation books is a great way to trim the budget for school supplies, office supplies, or professional portfolios, and there are many ways to save on these necessities.
About Presentation Books
Presentation books are elaborate portfolio notebooks that can include a variety of deluxe features such as photo sleeves, sheet protectors, spine labels, dividers, and other features for different types of presentations. They are generally spiral bound or three-ring styles, and come in a variety of sizes, from standard letter size to large art portfolio books. Presentation books are valuable for many purposes, including:
- School or college reports
- Professional portfolios for job hunting or resume presentation
- Business portfolio storage for short or long term display
- Organizing material for a business presentation or speaking engagement
Whatever the use, presentation books can be a necessary office expense for many professions. Costs range from less than $5 to more than $50 depending on the size, quality, style, and features of the book, and finding discount presentation books can be a significant savings for students and young professionals who may need a sleek way to present their work to professors or potential employers.
Finding Cheap Presentation Books
There are several ways to find discount presentation books. Office supply store sales are the easiest way to find cheaper books, and many stores offer spectacular sales during August and September for back-to-school supplies, as well as during May and June when school is ending and graduates may need a way to showcase their resumes. Specialty paper supply stores may also have a selection of presentation books available, and specialized presentation books can often be found at art supply stores and other equipment retailers.
Online shopping can also yield great deals on presentation books, notebooks, and folders. Online retailers who offer cheap presentation books include:
Less Expensive Alternatives
The best way to save on a presentation book is to determine whether one is necessary at all. While the sleek lines of a presentation book may be stylish, a carefully organized binder or notebook can be just as professional for a fraction of the cost. Furthermore, most employers and other individuals who will look at the presentation book will be less interested in the type of book used and more concerned with the material in the book, making expensive books unnecessary. Ways to make presentation books cheaper include:
- Choose a regular notebook, binder, or folder to use instead. Use standard dividers and other materials to enhance a basic notebook if necessary, and use a good printing program to create coordinated materials.
- Buy presentation books in bulk if several may be needed. Many office supply stores offer discounts on larger quantity orders.
- If the book is needed for a business presentation, workshop, or speaking engagement, consider requisitioning it from the company's office supplies or request a reimbursement for your own investment.
- Buy a book that has only the features you will need, instead of spending more money on extras that do not enhance the material being presented.
- Choose styles that can be emptied and reused for future presentations or portfolios. While they may be more expensive initially, the long term savings from not needing to buy additional books can be substantial.
- Share presentation books with another student or employee if possible in order to split the cost of a more expensive book.
More Ways to Save
In addition to finding ways to save money on the type of presentation book and how it is used, savvy shoppers will investigate other ways to save when buying the presentation books they need, such as:
- Use coupon codes and online deals for buying supplies.
- Combine orders to take advantage of free shipping and other deals.
- Look for deals that offer mail-in rebates or free samples of other office supplies with a presentation book purchase.
- Choose deeply discounted styles that may be overstocked or discontinued.
- Comparison shop between different stores and book styles to find the best deal for your needs.
Cheap presentation books can keep assembling a stellar portfolio or a sleek looking presentation from being a drain on the budget, and knowing how to adapt supplies for a better look on a smaller budget can make any presentation more attractive.
