PHOTO: JIRAPONG MANUSTRONG/ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS/GETTY IMAGES
We asked Pest Management Professional‘s columnists and editorial advisory board members to share their most unconventional budget expenditures. Here are some of the experts’ responses — including a few extra that didn’t make it into our January 2021 print edition.
Please take a minute to answer our latest one-question poll on this topic and let us know your most unconventional budget expenditure: Reader poll: Unconventional budget expenditures
PMP‘s Editorial Advisory Board and Regular Contributors
Mark Sheperdigian, BCE: It took our financial controller by surprise to see Gatorade and Tums show up on a petty cash receipt. It was for an ailing dog in the canine division.
Dan Gordon, CPA: We have a profit-and-loss expense line item called “Company Fun” for team-building events or meals.
Doug Foster: Gifts for employees and clients. One of my favorite gifts is Exterminator Gourmet Hot Sauce from J&K Specialty Foods. It fits right in with our line of work and customers really enjoy it. I always get a laugh when they see the label.
Dr. Faith Oi: Mountain Dew to keep energy flowing in our 2.5-day classes.
Judy Black, BCE: Beer for making slug traps. Buy the cheap stuff; they are not connoisseurs.
Michael Broder: Pens. The first time I bought pens to give away, I got the worst pens ever. They were made of thin plastic you could practically break with your fingers and the ink never flowed properly, so you were constantly going over every letter. They were so bad you would literally throw them across the room in frustration. I now have to get the best metal pens with a stylus and flashlight on them. They are so good I get people reaching out months later asking for more of them.
Schopen Pest Solutions Owner Pete Schopen awards “Schopies” to the top talent at his company at the end of each year. PHOTO: PETE SCHOPEN
Pete Schopen: Company awards. At the end of each year, we give out our “Schopies” to our top talent. These trophies aren’t just symbolic, they are expensive. We buy beautiful glass awards for Top Salesman, MVP, Rookie of the Year, Employee of the Year and our All-Stars. Our employees receive these nice awards on top of their bonuses. We spend between $400 and $500 on our awards.
For 2020, our most unconventional expenditure was for bollards on the sidewalk in front of our building. We spent over $18,000 to have nine bollards (concrete-filled metal posts) installed to try and prevent automobiles from crashing into our building. We are at a very busy intersection and three times in the past three years, vehicles have slid or crashed into our building.
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