Use It or Lose It
The rule that unspent budget vanishes at year-end — and next year's allocation shrinks to match. Directly responsible for December's mysterious surge in equipment purchases and conference attendance.
Heard in the wild
“It's use-it-or-lose-it season, hence the new monitors for everyone.”
Tone check: Professional
Perverse incentive, universal behavior. Ethical version: pull next year's genuine needs forward.