Spring Apparel Trends

Have you thought about how you are going to spend the rest of your department budget before the end of the year? Not only do unspent budget dollars typically get lost at the end of every year, 2009 budgets are in danger of being slashed drastically at the end of this year - thanks to the recession. Budget-makers are going to be on the lookout for any area that they can make some cuts - and unused budgets are the ideal candidates. Don't let your budget go to waste - we've put together some ideas that will not only help you use those left-over dollars, but use them effectively.

NOTE: Do NOT "waste" your budget - the last thing you want to do is throw money around on items that aren't useful. You want to make sure you are cautious about what you are buying. Follow the tips below and you should be fine.

Tip #1 - Restock / Stock-up on Essentials

The first rule of practical year-end spending is to focus on the essentials - what do you use around the office every year that you will need again in 2009? Restocking and stocking-up on the products that you use every year is smart, useful and a great use for your budget dollars. Here are some products that are usually on the top of everyone's essentials list:

Pens. Promotional pens are by-and-large one of the top-selling promotional items on the market. Companies continue to use pens because they provide great value at exceptionally low prices and are very easy to stow away until they need them again. Your employees, clients, and prospects use them regularly so this should be one of the first things you should stock-up on for the new year.
ePromos Value Pick: Retractable Comfort Grip Pen

Notepads. Notepads and memo cubes are desktop staples that aren't wavering in popularity. You'd be hard-pressed to find a desk where there isn't some kind of scratch or note-taking pad. These items are extremely popular for the office and are very easy to store - making it perfect to stock-up on for next year.
ePromos Value Pick:Post-It � Half Cube

Calculators. The calculator is another desktop classic that gets a lot of attention at the end of the year. Put your company in front of your clients by imprinting your name and logo directly onto one of these budget-friendly calculators. These products work especially well in financial and accounting industries.
ePromos Value Pick: Slimline Translucent Calculator

Tip #2 - Anticipate Future Needs

Does your company run an annual conference or trade show, give out quarterly incentive gifts to your salespeople, or customer appreciation gifts for the holidays? By purchasing these products NOW rather than next year, you are not only effectively using your leftover budget, but you are also proactively thinking about your future projects and getting a head start on them.

Thinking ahead + leftover budget = great results!

Tip #3 - Lock in 2008 Pricing on Your 2009 Promos

Okay we cheated, this isn't really a tip as much as it is one of the major benefits of buying your promos now rather than later. January 1st marks the first day of industry wide price increases on all promotional products. If you've followed tips #1 and #2, then you will be completely ready to take advantage of tip #3. Not only will you be using up the budget that you would be losing anyway, but with the price savings, you actually get more for your money than if you waited.

Bonus: We just put over 3,000 of our best products on sale through the end of the year. These are some of the most popular and bestselling items on our site - perfect items to use for your end-of-the-year spending.

View our Top 100 promotional items!