Best Laminating Machine for the Classroom or Teacher

One of the questions we are often asked is "which laminator is best for a teacher?" A laminating machine is certainly an asset to the classroom and can provide many functions, so that is a legitimate question.

Overall a laminating machine is great benefit to have in the classroom. Many schools don't offer one to their teachers, or have strict guidelines on the use of the front office's machine. But, a smaller hot pouch laminating machine can be purchased by a teacher for an affordable price and will give them many years of use.

Teachers like to laminate many things in the classroom to protect them from dirty hands and lots of use. Laminated items tend to hold up much better than an unprotected piece of paper, making them easier to carry over from year to year, rather than having to recreate items at the beginning of each school year. Flash cards, task cards, reference sheets and charts, and even classroom decorations can be laminated to keep them in good condition for years of multiple use.

Cassida 5700 Professional Money Counter Newly Released – Loads Like a Top Loader and Can Count Different Denominations at a More Economical Price

Cassida USA has announced the release of their new Cassida 5570 Professional Money Counter, and it features some pretty nifty new perks for those that much deal with, and count, large amounts of cash.

The Cassida 5700 Professional Bill Counter incorporates the industry’s first bill turner design, combining the ergonomics of a top loading bill counter with the economical design of a back loader. Now you can load money quickly and easily and then count at speeds up to 1,300 bills per minute. No more paying for a more expensive top loader, when this features is now built into a more economical money counter.

The 5700’s innovative bill flippers push bills directly into the hopper, eliminating the need for bills to be manually flipped, which is an industry first. Counting begins automatically when bills are placed on the hopper platform, similar to a top load counter. A large LED screen showcases the number of bills counted, as well as denominations and total count values, when using the available ValuCount™ feature.

Understanding the Different Types of Business Card Printing

Even in the age of online global business, people still use business cards as a leave behind when meeting with new customers and clients. Business cards offer a convenient size for filing away in a wallet or rolodex (for those that are still using these dinosaurs), to keep needed information on hand about people that they meet.

Traditionally business calling cards included phone numbers, addresses and the name of the company the person you met worked for. Now, with the internet being used so much in business, these handy calling cards also tend to include things such as email addresses, websites, and even Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn account addresses.

Some people don't have a need for a lot of business cards, so they will design and print their own business cards using perforated business card paper, with their computer and inkjet or laser printer.  While some of these papers are plain, and come in different colors, others have preprinted designs and allow you to drop in your personalized information, for a beautiful card without the cost of professional printing.

Other people have a need for business cards in bulk and rely on traditional printing to get them produced. With business card printing there are several different types of printing available.

Your Office Stop Re-Launches Custom Online Printing Website

Even in the age of the internet and web based marketing, many businesses still rely on print shops for the basics – letterhead, business envelopes, business cards and promotional products. But, in the age of the internet, you no longer have to schlep halfway across town to visit a dirty, smelly print shop to order your marketing materials, promotional products, and business printing.

Your Office Stop is proud to announce the re-launch of our online print shop. While we have offered online printing services since the start of our business in 2003, our new website has been updated, and new products have been added, to service the printing needs our customers have been asking for.

Now printing online has never been easier! Our new online printing site allows you to either design your printed items from our web-based design interface, or upload completed designs in .TIFF, .BMP, .EPS, and for color printing, .JPF file formats.

Why Buy Refurbished Office Equipment?

Buying factory refurbished equipment is a great way to get a bargain on an otherwise expensive item. Many companies buy their equipment exclusively as refurbished. When many people think of the term "refurbished" they think of old, used, torn apart, rebuilt equipment. However, that is not generally the case at all when it comes to electronics!

Basically, an electronics item can be classified as refurbished if it meets ANY of the following criteria:

Customer Return - Most major retailers have a 30-day return policy for their products and many consumers, for whatever reason, return products within that time period. These are fully functioning items, that are the same as new, but because the box has been opened they must be sold as refurbished. Most of the time, if there is nothing wrong with the product, stores will just reduce the price and resell it as an open box special. However, if there is some sort of defect present in the product, many stores have agreements to return the product to the manufacturer were it is inspected and/or repaired, and then repackaged for sale as a refurbished item.

Shipping Damage - Many times, packages can get damaged in shipping, whether due to mishandling, the elements, or other factors. In most cases the product in the package may be perfectly fine, but the retailer has the option to return the damaged boxes (who wants to put a damaged on box on the shelf?) to the manufacturer for full credit. The manufacturer, then, is obligated to inspect the products and repackage them in new boxes for sale. However, they cannot be sold as new products, so they are relabeled as refurbished units.

Perforated Postcard Paper and Printable Postcard and Index Card Stocks Now Available From Your Office Stop

Your Office Stop has just introduced their own brand of perforated printable postcard stocks. No more fumbling with smaller size postcards that never want to feed right in your printer, and don't seem to work at all in most laser printers. Our postcard stocks are on full size 8.5" x 11" sheets of paper, for easy printer feeding, and perforate out into the size of your choice. 

These post cards are easy to print with a laser or inkjet printer and easy to update on the fly. They are great for filing, reminder post cards, invitations, announcements, or flat panel greeting cards. 

We are currently offering the following sizes:

Blank Laser and Inkjet Printer Labels Save Money

Creating your own custom printed labels can save you time and money. Whether you need laser labels or inkjet printer labels for creating your own mailing labels for mass mailings, creating product labels, or for other marketing needs, Your Office Stop carries a large variety of labels in different colors and sizes, perfect for getting the job done.

By creating your own custom label, you can make your company stand out from your competitors and be remembered by your clients and customers. Even a mailing label doesn't have to be just a plain old mailing labels, it can also serve as an advertisement for your company.

There are a variety of label templates available online, which allow you to easily design and print your own custom labels, right from the convenience of your own desk. And, because so many label sizes are now standardized, it's easier than ever to find a template that will work for you.

View Our Blank Laser & Inkjet Printer Labels

Creating Effective Email Signatures For Interacting With Your Customers and Clients

In our line of business it is important that our emails get delivered through to our customers. Our company sends important information such as order confirmations, shipping updates, and other pertinent information in regards to orders via email. We have been asked by some customers, why in this day and age, we still use text based email formatting, rather than rich text or HTML formatted emails. The answer is plain and simple – deliverability and readability.

While we now have the ability to create fancier, graphically oriented emails that some people seem to be so fond of, the question is should we do it. In business you have to be cognizant of the fact that not every email client is going to deliver the exact same viewing experience to your customers. Emails may look one way on the Macintosh Mail app, and another on a PC in Outlook. And, they can look different on Gmail, then they do on a Blackberry, Android or iPhone.

Therefore we use text based email to make sure that the message is (1) delivered and not caught in SPAM filters, due to excessive graphics, HTML formatting, and links; and (2) is legible across the board, on all devices. Often times people will check their email from a smartphone or tablet, rather than a computer. We want to make sure the customer gets the same experience, whether checking it on the road, or from behind their desk.

One thing we have always struggled with is keeping an email engaging to read, using just plain text. One area of special interest has been our email signature line. Because we aren't including fancy graphics, or the equivalent of a pretty digital business card, we want to make sure we include pertinent information in our signature, so customers know who they are dealing with, at first glance, without having to rack their brains.

An overly long signature can make it difficult for the recipient to wade through the information to find your contact info. However, not providing enough information in your signature may leave a new client or customer wondering who you are and why you are contacting them.

Therefore, we have come up with some best email signature practices that we like to follow when our staff create their email signatures, and thought we would share them with you.

Cassida Discontinues and Replaces Two Of Their Popular Counterfeit Detector Models

On May 15, 2014, Cassida announced that it is discontinuing and replacing two of it's popular low cost counterfeit money detectors. The Cassida 3310 counterfeit detector will be replaced by the new and improved Cassida 3300 counterfeit detector, and the Cassida 2200 counterfeit detector will be replaced by the newer 2230 model of counterfeit bill detector. Each of the new models has been upgraded and is being offered at an even lower price point than their predecessors.

Cassida 3300 with Counterfeit Shield Guarantee Replaces Cassida's 3310 Counterfeit Detector

The Cassida 3300 is an excellent replacement for the 3310 because it offers all the features, including ultraviolet (UV), magnetic (MG) and infrared (IR) security mark detection. Plus, the 3300 is the market's ONLY counterfeit detector backed by the Cassida Counterfeit Shield Guarantee, which eliminates all worry that you'll take a fake bill.

The guarantee reimburses you for the full face value of the counterfeit bill should your Cassida 3300 accept one as genuine. The Cassida 3300 is the market's most reliable detector, with the ability to spot bleached bills and other sophisticated counterfeits.

How To Detect Counterfeit Money

Counterfeit bill passing costs businesses millions of dollars in lost revenue every year. Those businesses that fail to carefully examine the bills that are passed on to them are victimized daily. Don't let the counterfeiters get the best of you and your business. Learn how to spot counterfeit money and stop the thieves in their tracks.

You can help combat the threat of counterfeiters by becoming more familiar with United States currency. Examine the money your business receives. Train your employees in how to spot fake bills. Compare suspicious notes with genuine ones of the same denomination and series, paying attention to the quality of printing and paper characteristics. Don't look for similarities – instead look for differences.

There are a variety of things to look for when examining money for counterfeit bills.

Portrait
A genuine portrait on a bill appears lifelike and stands out distinctly form the background. A counterfeit portrait is usually flat and lifeless. Details merge into the background, which is often too dark or mottled.

Federal Reserve and Treasury Seals
A genuine bill will have clear saw tooth points of the Federal Reserve and Treasury seals are clear, distinct, and sharp. A counterfeit seal may have uneven, blunt, or broken saw tooth points.

Border
The fine lines in the border of a real bill are clear and unbroken. On the counterfeit, the lines in the outer margin and scrollwork may appear blurred and not distinct.

Serial Numbers
Genuine serial numbers have a distinctive style and are evenly spaced on the bill. The serial numbers are printed in the same ink color as the Treasury Seal. On counterfeits, the serial numbers may differ in shade or color of ink from the Treasury Seal. Also, the numbers may not be uniformly aligned or spaced, as they will be on a  real bill.

Paper
Genuine current paper has tiny blue and red fibers embedded into it. Often counterfeiters will try to simulate these fibers by printing tiny blue and red lines on their paper. But on close inspection, one may see that on the counterfeit notes the lines are printed on the surface, not embedded in the paper. It is illegal to reproduce the distinctive paper that is used in the manufacturing of U.S. currency.

But, if your business deals with lots of cash, it is often impossible to stay on top of the counterfeits all of the time. This is where counterfeit detectors come into the picture. Counterfeit detecting machines are specialized pieces of equipment that are used to spot fake money.

The price ranges on counterfeit detectors runs the gamut, from very cheap to very expensive. You are paying for the technology that is embedded in the machine model that you choose. Obviously, the more sophisticated machines, with several modes of detection, will cost more than a simple tabletop non-electric model.

Cassida 5700 Professional Money Counter – An Economical Bill Counting Machine with Powerful Features

Cassida Corporation announced today the introduction of the Cassida 5700 Professional Money Counter, the company's first bill counter to include the bill turner features, which gives this economical back loading money counting machine the convenience of a top loading money counter.

With the 5700, bill counting is triggered immediately when a stack of bills is placed on top of the Cassida 5700. The revolutionary design automatically pushes the bills into the back of the machine and begins counting at a speed of up to 1,300 bills per minute, making the 5700 bill counter a perfect choice for mid-size and larger businesses that process significant amounts of cash.

According to Matt Goldfain, product marketing manager for Cassida, "Cassida’s exclusive bill turning features solves a longtime challenge for the industry. Conventional back loaders are reasonably priced but they can be tricky to load and, if done improperly, it can interrupt counting. The Cassida 5700 combines the cost effectiveness of a back loader with the ease of a top loader. The result is the market’s easiest loading back loader, which is a real game changer."

Microsoft Releases Office for iPad and Expands Cloud Services

Yesterday Microsoft released the long awaited version of the Microsoft Office Suite for iPad. Many individuals and small businesses who rely on their iPad for daily use and business use are excited to hear that it has finally arrived. And, from preliminary reviews, it is actually pretty good, unlike their earlier release of Office for the iPhone.

Now Office 365 users can simply add an iPad as one of their chosen devices included in their subscription and they will be able to create and edit documents with Word for iPad, PowerPoint for iPad and Excel for iPad. The iPad apps are available as free downloads from the App Store, however they will only allow people to read and present documents, spreadsheets and presentations, until they subscribe to the Office 365 service ($9.99 per month or $99.99 per year), at which time they will also be able to edit these documents, and create new documents, on their iPads.

The Office 365 subscription not only gets you the Office for iPad apps installed on up to 5 tablets, but also 5 copies of Office for your PCs and Macs. With one subscription all of your devices are covered, allowing more freedom for people so they are not chained to their desk to be productive.

At the same time Microsoft also announced the Enterprise Mobility Suite, a set of cloud services to help businesses manage corporate data and services on the devices people use at work and at home.

“Microsoft is focused on delivering the cloud for everyone, on every device. It’s a unique approach that centers on people — enabling the devices you love, work with the services you love, and in a way that works for IT and developers,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer for Microsoft.

Graduation Announcement and Invitation Etiquette 101

Graduation is just around the corner and many are wondering about the proper etiquette for sending out their graduation invitations and graduation announcements. Many have questions such as when do I send my graduation announcements, or what do I put on my graduation invitations?

As far as when to send the graduation announcements or invitation out goes, it depends on which they are going to be. If they are invitations to the actual graduation ceremony itself then you want to give your guests at least 14 days, however four weeks would be better, especially if you are inviting guests that must travel long distances to attend. This gives them time to plan and respond to the invitation. Keep in mind that many schools and universities limit the number of people that may attend, due to seating constraints, so be sure to check with your school for any such limitations prior to sending our your invitations. Many people choose to only invite family and close friends to the actual graduation ceremony, and will then send announcements to others to let them know they have graduated.

If you are sending out announcements, to share your educational milestone, then you will probably want to plan them for anywhere between a month prior to and a month after the actual graduation ceremony takes place. Also be aware that while people receiving actual invitations to the graduation may assume a gift is required, announcements do not necessarily mean that a gift is expected. Still, you may want to add “No gifts, please” to the card, if you don’t want to put a feeling of obligation on the announcement recipients.

One of the Most Affordable Money Counters on the Market Just Became Even More Affordable

Have you always wanted a money counter, also known as a currency counter, but the cost of entry was just too high to justify it? For a limited time we are offering our customers $200 OFF our very popular Cassida Tiger Semi-Professional Currency Counter with Counterfeit Detection. The Cassida Tiger currency counter machine delivers commercial grade performance and features in a sleek, ultra compact design. Steel components are precision engineered for accurate and reliable operation, and a ground breaking one piece steel chassis means years of dependable service. Fast and powerful, the Cassida Tiger offers far more than you expect in a low cost money counting machine. And for those intimidated by money counting machines, it offers easy use instructions right on the bill hopper. Get high end quality at a low end price, without sacrificing a thing.


Weighing in at less than 10 pounds, this cash counter is portable, features a handy carrying handle, and makes a great asset for any small business that deals with large amounts of cash. It has a capacity of counting up to 250 bills at a time and counts at a speed of 1300 bills per minute. The Cassida Tiger rivals many commercial grade automatic money counters in performance and durability. From the first bank note to the last, the Tiger delivers fast, accurate, and reliable currency counting. This affordable money counter can “ADD,” which means it keeps a running counter of the bills counted ; “BATCH,” which lets you define the number of bills you need in a single count, such as when you are setting up a cash register till ; and also does “ADD” + “BATCH,” where a grand total is important. You are able to batch while keeping a running total in that mode.

Updated Spring and Floral Paper Stocks Announced for 2014

Your Office Stop has updated our Spring Flowers and Floral paper stock line to new designs this year. From butterflies and gardens, to daisies and dahlias, we have beautiful floral paper stocks for your pleasure. Our paper stocks are acid and lignin free, making them great for scrapbooking, as well as for flyers, crafting projects, newsletters and more.


Our paper stocks are designed for both laser and inkjet printers and allow you to create beautiful advertising pieces, letterhead and flyers with minimal waste of your colored ink and toner cartridges, because we have preprinted the colored part for you already!

A sampling of the new items to our 2014 line of Spring Floral paper stocks can be found below. For the full product line, please visit our website and have a look around.

Daisy Plaid Spring Flowers Laser & Inkjet Printer Paper

Retro Spring Flowers Laser & Inkjet Printer Paper

Cassida Upgrades Its 5520 Professional Currency Counter to Increase Efficiency and Streamline Money Handling

Many people like the idea of a currency discriminator, also known as a discriminating money counter, but don't like the high cost that this type of cash counting machine comes with. Now Cassida Corporation, a leader in the money counting industry, just may have a solution for those people with the release of their new 5520 model featuring ValueCount™ technology.

Starting today, Cassida Corporation began shipping an upgraded version of its 5520 Professional Currency Counter that will save time and simplify operations for cash handlers and processors nationwide.

This new and upgraded model now includes ValueCount™ technology, an exclusive feature to Cassida, that lets users get a count of different denominations, while keeping track of the total value of the bills in the machine’s stacker.

According to Matt Goldfain, product marketing manager for Cassida Corporation, "ValuCount essentially allows the Cassida 5520 to be both a bill counter and have some properties of a currency discriminator, which is unique to the marketplace."