Several different ways exist to cut your budget by saving money on calendars: desk. Such calendars are a necessary part of doing business. Educators, secretaries and all types of office workers make use of desk calendars. Monthly desk calendars help employees and business owners keep track of and organize appointments, schedules, birthdays, meetings, vacation days and more.

Desk calendars are available in a variety of styles and prices. The most popular are desk pad calendars. The basic desk calendar for sale is pretty cheap. However, some businesses prefer more expensive custom desk calendars. When it comes to the type of calendars, desk versions a company chooses are popular.

Saving money on calendars desk-style is beneficial. Before searching for desk calendars for sale, consider some of the following ideas:

1. Many websites offer free printable desk calendar downloads.

2. Most printing companies offer discounts for bulk purchases of desk calendars.

3. Some companies save money by purchasing refills versus complete office desk calendar sets.

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Download free software for creating desk calendars

Search online for websites that offer free calendar creating downloads. Once the software downloads, simply follow the instructions to create your own desk calendar. The only cost for the calendar is the paper and ink that you use to print it. This method of saving money on calendars: desk is best for secretaries and other personnel that need a calendar at their desks for work. This method would likely not be as appropriate for large amounts of office staff.

I recommend: CNET offers a list of sites with free calendar software downloads for creating your own desk calendars. Download 3000 also features a free download for professional calendar software.

Buy custom desk calendars in large quantities to save money

Many companies like to use desk calendars as a method of advertisement. They use the calendars in their business as well as give them away to customers. When using calendars in this way, companies want to feature a company logo or photo on the calendar. They also want to ensure that the calendar is of good quality. Save money when ordering customized desk calendars by purchasing calendars in bulk quantities. Most printing companies have cheaper rates for larger orders.

I recommend: Maple Leaf Promotions sells and prints custom desk calendars with company logos. The more calendars purchased, the more money companies save. The costs drop when ordering 150 calendars compared to 2,500 calendars. Calendars for Less also prints custom desk calendars. Save money on your purchase by purchasing a budget plastic no-photo calendar.

Save money by purchasing desk calendars refills rather than complete desk calendars

Calendars have a limited life in that one must change them daily, monthly or yearly depending on the type of desk calendar purchased. Some business owners prefer an office desk calendar on a stand or in a box rather than a desk pad calendar. When it is time for a new calendar, many companies save money by purchasing refills for the calendar base instead of a complete new calendar set.

I recommend: Dolphin Blue sells recycled material desk calendar refills. The refills are cheaper than complete sets and are also good for the environment. Keysan also sells desk calendar refills for desk calendar bases.

An office desk calendar is a great way to get your business’ name out there and to keep your contact information right at your customer’s and potential customer’s fingertips. There are many different types of calendars: desk, wall, pocket style . . . the list goes on and on. The type of calendar you give is an important decision. You want to make sure that your calendar is attractive enough that it gets used. The application for the calendar is also very important. Many people prefer one type of calendar over another, so get an idea of which type is most popular or offer a variety.

Deciding on the type of desk calendar you want to distribute is the first step to finding the right one for your business. Consider these ideas when making your decision:

1. Get your name out there with promotional desk calendars.

2. See that your company name is always on their mind with a custom desk pad calendar.

3. Provide some food for thought with a daily office desk calendar.

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Give your customers something for nothing with promotional desk calendars

Every year you probably give your most valued customers a small token of your appreciation. What better way to say 'thank you' than to give them desk calendars featuring colorful pictures? Whether it depicts landscapes, classic automobiles or kittens, a custom desk calendar will surely brighten up your customer's day.

I recommend: The USimprints website sells promotional desk calendars with many different scenes. CalendarsNow.com has different types of desk calendars such as easel type and pop-up billboard type. Finally, Desk-calendars.com has wholesale desk calendars featuring a variety of pictures and natural scenes.

Provide a place for customers to jot notes with custom desk pad calendars

Give your customers monthly desk calendars that do double duty. Many people jot notes and phone numbers on their desk pad calendar because that is the only paper handy at the time. Be the spot that your customers turn to by putting customized desk calendars with your logo on them right in front.

I recommend: The Tru Art Advertising Calendars website gives you many options for personalizing your custom desk pad calendar. Cole Industries, Inc. has a large selection of fully customizable desk pad calendars. Genoa Business Forms, Inc. sells unique desk pad calendars that are sure to get attention.

Pass on both wisdom and jokes with daily desk calendars

One of the hottest desk calendars for sale today is the day-by-day variety. These come in a wide range of types such as word-of-the-day, joke-of-the-day, comics and 'This Date in History' for all of those history buffs out there. The easy part is knowing that you want to get some of these for your employees and customers. The tough part is deciding on just one kind.

I recommend: The Page-A-Day website carries just about every kind of daily desk calendar imaginable. Calendars.com sells many types of desk calendars including humorous and political.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Be sure to purchase next year's custom desk calendars ahead of time to allow enough time for your customers to receive them before the new year. That way you have a better chance of making sure your calendar is the one used, instead of another company's.

For people that don't like using electronic organizers, desk calendars are an invaluable tool. They allow you to easily keep track of what you have to do during the week and are helpful when you need to schedule meetings.

There are different calendars: desk types and styles you should use, depending on what you need them for. Three common types that all have different uses are:

1. Desk pad calendars that lay flat on the desk, often underneath the computer keyboard;

2. Spiral bound monthly desk calendars that are small and can be tossed in a bag or briefcase;

3. Refillable daily desk calendars that sit on stands on the desk.

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Look at desk pad style monthly desk calendars

The advantage of the desk pad calendar is that it is unobtrusive. It doesn't take up a lot of valuable desk space, because you can easily set things on top of it. It also has a lot of room to write on, in the monthly grid and around the edges. It's a great place to quickly jot down phone numbers and email addresses since it is very hard to lose.

I recommend: Keysan sells several varieties of desk pad calendars, including ones with two corner holders, ones with four corner holders and even one with a top panel that flips up. If you're looking for something personalized for your company, look at Cole's offerings. It has pad calendars that can have business information printed above each month's grid.

Check out spiral bound monthly desk calendars

The spiral bound office desk calendar is the type you usually see at bookstores. There are two styles of this calendar: the easel style, with the binding at the top and the book style, with the binding on the left side, or in rare cases the right. Unlike desk pad calendars, these calendars are portable. Some people use them instead of appointment books.

I recommend: Look at the Kate Spade calendar on Barnes and Noble's webpage for an example of the book style spiral desk calendar. Then go to your local bookstore or office supply shop to find more. If you're interested in the easel style, you'll find lots of desk calendars for sale on the Internet. A great place to find them is at CalendarWorld.

Consider refillable daily desk calendars

While a monthly desk calendar is good for looking at a few weeks at a time, the daily desk calendar provides the most space for writing in what needs to be done each business day. It's also good for putting on the counter in a bank or doctor's office so customers don't have to constantly ask the receptionist what day it is. Refillable calendars in stands provide a professional look and will last for a long time.

I recommend: If you're looking to be eco-friendly, visit OnTimeSupplies and take a look at the refillable calendar with a recycled plastic base. Also look at the At-A-Glance refill paper packs the company sells. They fit most standard bases. If you want to get a more high-end calendar, go to Promopeddler's webpage. It has leather calendar bases in four colors and styles. All come with the first refill pack.

Calendars come in many shapes and sizes. Attractive calendars can be works of art themselves, but are quite practical as well. Businesses can find desk calendars with subject matter that relates to their area of business, making them excellent choices for promotional items or corporate gifts. Desk calendars are highly visible, keeping every employee literally up-to-date. Desk calendars increase productivity, time efficiency and organization, and some styles even have room for notation directly on them. When shopping around for the right desk calendars for your business, consider the following desk calendar key terms.

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Daily planner

A daily planner, also called a day planner, is a three-ring or spiral notebook style calendar, with lined pages for notes, with the date at the top; pages are interchangeable, so the daily planner can be refilled each year for reuse.

I recommend: Midwest Marketing has a selection of calendar day planners.

Desk pad

A desk pad is a large, over-sized calendar that lies flat on top of the desk and can be worked right on top of. Desk pads are excellent for over-the-phone scheduling as the desk pad is always visible, directly in front of you and is large enough for writing on.

I recommend: See some examples of desk pad calendars and read about the advantages of using them at At-A-Glance.

Inspirational calendars

Inspirational or motivational desk calendars are calendars with a daily inspirational saying, quote, joke or photograph that rejuvenates the soul.

I recommend: Find some more information and see some examples of inspirational desk calendars at MotivateUs.com.

Tent style

A tent-style desk calendar has three sides, one being a base that the calendar stands on, and the calendar pages flip over the top.

I recommend: Go to ValueCalendars.com to see some examples of tent-style desk calendars.

Memo-style

A memo-style desk calendar is propped up on a small cardboard stand so that is sits at an angle for maximum visibility.

I recommend: Find memo-style desk calendars used as promotional items at PromoPeddler.com.

Pop-up

A pop-up desk calendar transforms from a flat piece of cardboard to a three-dimensional, 12-sided calendar, featuring one month on each side when folded and secured. Pop-up desk calendars are aesthetically pleasing, often colorful and very unique, making them very popular amongst office workers, if not the most practical.

I recommend: Have a look at some pop-up desk calendars by Graphics3.