Sometimes it’s worth it to rent a truck and make a long drive to purchase office furniture or equipment at a bargain price. But sometimes it isn’t. If you’re wondering whether it’s worth it to travel in order to buy office furniture, here are the things you need to consider.

Rental Costs

Unless you happen to own a large truck, you’ll have to rent a vehicle. Tally up how much the rental fee is, along with taxes and other fees for the length of time you’ll need the vehicle.

Mileage

How many miles per gallon does the vehicle you’ll be using get? Will the mileage be significantly affected by the vehicle being loaded down with heavy items? How many gallons of gas do you estimate you’ll need for the entire trip? How much will that much gas cost?

Price Differential on Products you Buy

Is the amount you’ll save in purchase price enough to offset the costs of travel? If you’re buying used office furniture, the answer is often “yes.” But even if the savings offset the cost of travel, consider the cost of your time. Some people love a road trip and don’t consider traveling for a bargain as a hardship. But those who don’t like road travel should consider how much of their time they’re willing to sacrifice to save money.

Physical Efforts Required

If you’re considering driving a fair distance to get a rock bottom price so that your workforce will have the cubicles they need, you’re probably not going to have much help with things like loading and unloading. Can you do this work yourself? Do you have volunteers to help you unload your purchases so you can return the truck? Figuring out how far it’s worth it to travel for office furniture requires considering every possible cost in both money and time.