Keeping your overheads under control is an important part of running a business. And among all of your ongoing costs, one of the easiest to reduce is often your shipping bill. Especially if you’ve never given much thought to how to spend less on shipping before.

If you’re looking to spend less money on shipping goods to and from your business every month, here’s how you can do it.

Step #1 - Take stock of the costs

Start by taking stock of how exactly your shipping budget is being spent. How much of it is going toward the courier service provider? How much is being spent on the packaging? How much is being spent on insurance, assuming you’re paying for it on the side?

Getting a clear picture of how your money is being spent is going to make it easy to figure out which area you should prioritize first. If you’re spending too much on packaging, for example, it may be wiser to consider cheaper alternatives. It may even be worth it to stop selling items that are hard to package.

Step #2 - Compare prices

Most of your shipping budget will likely go towards paying for your courier service provider. Thanks to that, finding a more affordable service provider can lead to thousands of dollars in savings every year. And that’s where price comparison tools can come in handy.

There are many online platforms out here that make it easy to compare different couriers and quotes for various routes. Fast Courier is a good example of that.

This can be used in two ways. You can switch to a provider who offers a lower quote, or you can try the next step.

Step #3 - Negotiate with your courier

Courier service providers have more price flexibility than you may think. If you know what to say and who to call, it’s often possible to get special rates for your orders, especially if you’re moving large quantities every month.

Here’s where having a lower quote from a competitor can come in handy. Try contacting your courier service provider to see if they’re willing to price-match the competition. Or if they are at least able to offer a discount if you’re willing to stay.

You can also try to lower your shipping rates by paying for your orders upfront. Many couriers have programs in place to allow businesses to get a discount by paying their shipping bill upfront. And even if your service provider doesn’t have such a program, they might be willing to give you that option.

You may also be able to get a discount by committing to only sending or receiving packages on less busy days of the week. Courier service providers may be happy to offer a discount in exchange for making the busiest days of the week less hectic.