Divvying up freebiesand helping pets in need

Everyone loves free stuff—and practices often receive free scrubs, totes, pet food, and more. But how do you make sure you distribute the bounty fairly? "We hold a yearly raffle and give the year's accumulation of gifts as prizes," says Beth Montoya, office manager at Pembroke Veterinary Clinic in Virginia Beach, Va.

Here's how it works: Employees purchase chances to win items for $1. The practice holds the drawing at a staff meeting and then gives the proceeds to an animal-related charity that the staff members choose. "With this system, no one feels left out, we have fun and build team spirit, and animals benefit from our efforts," Montoya says.