Whether you are looking to respond to current events or simply want to telecommute more often, you need a home office setup that will help you get something done To do this, it takes more than the obvious A computer, monitor, and desk are not enough

But there is no need to strain the family budget to provide such equipment If you know where to look, you can get all the equipment you need within your budget To that end, here are some of our recommendations (and top picks)

If you work from home, that probably means you spend at least 20 to 40 hours a week in front of a computer screen More if the computer is also your source of leisure If you sit in a low-quality office chair all the time, you will start to feel pain in your back

If you ignore that problem for too long, you may end up paying thousands of dollars at a chiropractor to fix the damage you've done to yourself Most ergonomic chairs tend to cost a few hundred dollars or more (the best ones often sell for $1,000 or more), but you don't actually have to spend that much unless you are looking for luxury Firmax offers chairs with mesh backrests, which not only provide excellent lumbar support, but are also breathable

A printer and scanner are essential to a home office From printing tax forms and receipts to scanning important documents for clients, printing technology is essential for small businesses Furthermore, we all know that printed documents are easier to read, work with, and remember

Unfortunately, however, most printers, for lack of a better word, reduce productivity From complex setup processes to expensive cartridges, printers are packed with reasons to avoid them; not so with the HP Never Stop Laser Tank 1202w

For one thing, it offers both upfront investment and long-term cost savings; HP's new toner reload kit contains enough for 2500 pages and costs just $16 The printer itself comes with enough toner to print up to 5,000 pages right out of the box

Compare that to a typical laser cartridge, which can cost $60 or $70, some of which are hundreds of dollars No matter what you print, you will be able to enjoy a net cost of less than a penny per page Considering that the toner reload kits are made from recycled materials, you have a recipe for complete sustainability

Factor in the extra features of the HP Smart App, including remote setup, printing, and scanning, and the Never Stop Laser Tank 1202w is a clear winner for any home office

No matter what line of business you are in, you need to maintain some physical documents They are hard copies of contracts, financial statements, receipts, etc Don't make the mistake of trying to stuff these important files into a desk drawer

Instead, buy a dedicated filing cabinet There's no need to buy an expensive one; Space Solutions' three-drawer cabinets are not as durable as other models on the market, but they are ideal for general home office use

There is a lot that can go wrong with your computer Ransomware can lock you out of important files Hardware can fail A software bug can cause data to disappear

Unless you want to lose countless hours of work (and probably a lot of business records), you need to maintain backups you can use cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive, but you should also keep physical backups Western Digital offers an excellent option in this regard

Most of you don't drink enough water As a matter of fact, many of you probably live almost entirely on coffee and saliva That is not healthy

In addition to having a tremendous negative impact on the body in the long term, in the short term, dehydration can wreak havoc on productivity Given that you can't be expected to constantly get up from your desk to go to the sink, the obvious solution is to invest in a water bottle Try the Mammoth mug

This giant jug is meant for the gym, but it works just as well in the office Fill it with ice and water in the morning and you'll have a cold drink within reach while you work Just don't put it in the dishwasher by mistake