Ten tips to make the most of your science department budget this year
Managing the school science department budget is just one of the myriad of tasks to be done alongside keeping science running in school. It is important to get the most out of squeezed budgets. We’ve been there as former science technicians!
The aim of any budget is to make the money balance. To stop wasting money, or to find more money. Our top ten tips look at these two areas and how you can get the most out of your school science budget
Stop wasting money
1. Stocktake
Taking stock of what you already have in the prep room stops you ordering things you may already have. There could be things hiding at the back of the cupboard that you didn’t know you already had. Making room in your budget for a wider range of resources.
2. Make a shopping list
You will only buy the things you need if you have a shopping list. It focuses you to add only the must haves to your basket. If you still have a little budget left over, then add in the nice to haves too.
3. Shop around
Have you recently considered if you current suppliers still offer the best value for money? It’s easy to forward an order to your usual suppliers, isn’t it? We will certainly take a look at your supplier quotes and see if we can provide the same resources for a better price.
4. Value vs price
Buy cheap, pay twice. Price is just one factor in the product marketing mix. Value is where you should look for true savings.
Are you really getting the same quality of product? Will it arrive in good time? Can you expect support when you need help? A slightly higher price early on can pay dividends in longer lasting products, better delivery times and customer service.
5. Maintenance and repairs
Maintaining your equipment can make it last longer and improve its performance, Repairing equipment saves budget for the things you really want. We sell a range of spares and tools for repairs.
Our recommended repair and servicing agents, Tech Lab LTD, may be able to assist with out of warranty repair quotations. They hold many spares for our equipment too.
Our technical support team are always here to help.
6. Share resources
Share resources with other departments or schools, or borrow from equipment libraries (some universities have these) to save some budget for more day to day resources.
7. Monitor your budget
Take a look every month or so at your budget spend so far and ask yourself.
Are you on track with spending? Do you need to cut back due to unexpected expenses? Any extra left over for nice to haves? Does what you are spending money on still reflect the needs of the science department?
Find more money
8. Collect rewards / discounts
Free money! Rewards vouchers such as Philip Harris rewards are a thank you for your continued custom. So make sure you are eligible for any rewards schemes. You can also look out for offers online and on social media.
9. Apply for grants
Grants are there to fund science activities and resources in schools. Yet few technicians seem to know about them. It’s extra money for your school to engage students in science, or to involve the local community. There is a huge choice, so it is best to pinpoint your focus, so your grant has a better chance of being successful.
10. Invite ideas
Ask other technicians, teachers and school leaders for a fresh perspective on your budget. They may have new ideas on how to find more money for your science budget.
Tell us your budget saving tips
These are our ten tips to make the most of your science budget. There are many more too. Share your budgeting tips on our Twitter and Facebook pages. Who knows, you could even help another Technician along the way!
