YEAR-END ADVICE FOR UNIFORM WEARERS

If a uniform is required for your employment, the expense is a tax deduction for either you or your company (depends on who pays for the uniforms). If you purchase your uniforms today, you can file the expense with your 2010 tax return which means you only have to hold on to the receipt (and, most importantly, REMEMBER that you bought uniforms :) ) for a few days or weeks. If you wait until January 1st to make the same purchase, you must hold on to your receipt and remember the purchase for 52+ weeks until it's time for you to file your 2011 tax return. If you're planning to make a purchase in January anyway, reduce some administrative burden and make the purchase today.

3 Days Left to Spend Your 2010 Budget for Scrubs and Uniforms

If you are a manager, the phrase "if you don't use it, you lose it" takes on new meaning this time of year.  Don't lose the remaining dollars in your 2010 budget for uniforms, lab coats and scrubs.  The art and science of budgeting for a planning analyst is to base next year's budget on a factor of your current year's spending.  In most cases, the factor is a fraction that will make next year's spending allowance smaller than this year's budget.

For example, let's assume that your 2010 budget for uniforms and scrubs is $3,000 but you've only spent $1,500 to date.  Your planning analyst will use the amount you've spent, $1,500, as the base amount for setting your 2011 budget.  The $1,500 is also the amount that will show up for all of your year-over-year expense analysis -- not the $3,000.  Let's say that your planning analyst has decided to apply a 15% expense reduction to your 2010 spending to set your 2011 budget.  This would mean that your 2011 budget for uniforms would be $1,500 * (1 - 15%), or  just $1,275, while the 2011 budget based on your full utilization of your 2010 budget would be almost twice that amount, or $2,550.  Which dollar amount do you need to work with for your 2011 budget uniform needs:  $1,275 or $2,550?  Which amount do you want your 2011 spending to be compared against:  $1,275 or $2,550? 

EZ Uniforms and Scrubs is the fastest and most convenient way to survive the last 3 days of the 2010 budget crunch!  We have the best prices and a wide selection of uniforms, work pants, work shirts, scrub skirts, chef pants, chef coats, lab coats, disposable lab coats and scrubs.  Our online store is open 24/7 which means you have up until the very last second of the 2010 calendar year to use your 2010 budget.  We have a color to match the "trade name" colors of all of the big, branded, uniform stores and our quality is equal or better.  The only difference is our price and our convenience!

Not using your 2010 budget for uniforms means losing the dollars for 2010, and for 2011, and the ripple effect could last for years.  It also means being compared to an extra-low threshold in your year-over-year expense analysis for the following year.  Managing your department's budget is all about strategy -- not just for this year, but for years to come.

Don't let this happen to you or your team!  Use the final days of 2010 and the final dollars of your 2010 budget wisely!

Make the Most of Your 2011 Uniform Procurement Budget

Whew, you're through with the hard part of getting the executives to sign off on your uniform budget for the 2011 fiscal year.  Now, phase two of the challenge begins - execution.  You will need to apply the same care and thought that you applied to creating your budget, to executing it.

The last few years have showcased the trend of budget cuts and reductions.  98 percent of all companies and departments are working with smaller budgets for 2011 than they did in 2010.  The irony of the matter is that headcounts have already been cut to bare-bones, so you're not actually working with fewer people from the prior year - just fewer dollars.  So how, you wonder, do you pull 2011 uniform procurement off?  Here are some tips.

1.  Comparison Shop.  The good ole days of buying from the 1st vendor on the google search page or that vendor you've always used are over.  The current economic conditions require that you seek out the vendors with the best prices.  Use price comparison sites like The Find and Google Product Search to get easy spec/price comparisons.  Both The Find and Google Product Search are great sources to find a wide variety of vendors for medical scrubs, janitorial uniforms, work shirts, work pants, chef pants, chef coats, lab coats, disposable lab coats and children's disposable lab coats.  Take advantage of these sources when selecting who your uniform vendors will be for 2011.

2.  Stick With Your Standards.  Paying less for your uniforms does not mean settling for less.  Discount vendors are popping up all over the place in response to the constant economic downturn of the last few years.  Many discount vendors offer the same quality as the name brand houses, but without the name brand price tag.  When faced with a discount vendor that offers the same quality as name brand vendors for less - GO WITH THE DISCOUNT VENDOR.  If you're not immediately comfortable shifting from "name brands", start with baby steps.  Order a sample quantity from the discount vendor.  The beauty of discount vendors is that it is not a big loss to try them out.

3.  Request Customized Quotes.  If you are ordering a large quantity or will submit repeat orders of uniforms, scrubs, work shirts, work pants, chef pants, chef coats, lab coats or disposable lab coats, request a customized quote.  EZ Uniforms and Scrubs welcomes requests for quotes!

4.  Consolidate Your Orders.  Find a vendor that sells most of the items you need.  If you buy uniforms for a janitorial company, order the work shirts, work pants, polo shirts and embroidery from the same company for the biggest savings.  Similarly for medical offices, order your scrubs, scrub skirts, lab coats and embroidery from the same vendor to get the best pricing possible. 

Follow these easy steps to meet your 2011 uniform procurement budget.  Be sure to leave us comments about how much money you save on uniforms for the 2011 fiscal year.

Email us at EZ Uniforms and Scrubs for our price lists to assist you with your 2011 uniform procurement budget research (info@ezuniforms.com).  We'll be happy to send you customized quotes to help you stay on budget for 2011.

Scrub Skirts Are Nurse Uniform Classics

Scrub skirts are nurse uniform classics, a little bit retro and a great way to add style and versatility to your uniform wardrobe.  Dare to be classic, classy, sophisticated and different in a scrub skirt or scrub skirt set.  Here are some basic things to look for when purchasing your scrub skirt or scrub skirt set:

• Find a company that offers scrub skirts in customizable lengths to meet your personal style needs so that you can wear your scrub skirt long or short.  Customizing the length costs a little more, but it's usually a small price to pay for the perfect fit.
• Look for style details like neat flat front, large side pockets and back slits to make sure that you're not just ordering a bag of fabric.
• Look for vendors that give you the opportunity to customize your skirt through a 'Special Instructions' option.
• Check out the colors available.  Look for scrub skirts in a wide selection of colors to be sure that you will be able to find any color you will ever need for any occassion.
• Finally, look for special deals, i.e. free shipping.

Email us at info@ezuniforms.com if you have any questions about customizing your scrub skirt for that perfect fit.