This is a contributor’s blogpost …

 

If running a business of your own is something that appeals to you, then it’s sensible to learn about the expenses involved before you jump in with both feet. Despite what some people claim, starting a small business is rarely a cheap endeavour, and there are a lot of expenses involved that many people don’t consider. Underestimating how much cash you’ll need to run your business is a mistake that many entrepreneurs make, which is why so many startups fail. To help yours succeed, here are five costs you might not know about.

 

Insurance

 

Every business needs insurance, but when you first start out, you rarely need very much. Unfortunately, as time goes on, you may need to add various other insurance policies, including property insurance, cyber insurance, liability insurance, and more. If you fail to take this added expense into account, it will negatively impact your cash flow, and your business could go under.

 

Storage

 

If your business sells products, then you might not have the room at home or in the office to store all of your inventory. In fact, keeping all of your stock at home isn’t safe or practical regardless. Because of this, you will need to find a company, like Jayde Transport, who you can call today about warehousing and storage services. It’s important that you do this as soon as you can, to avoid any major issues.

 

Photo courtesy of DT / 7 via Pixabay

 

Employee Benefits

 

You have probably remembered to budget for the salaries of your employees, but have you considered benefits too? Things like health insurance, medical and personal leave, and holiday hours will all need to be taken into account as well. You will also have to consider how much it costs to train each employee, and how much you’re willing to spend on incentives and rewards.

 

Shrinkage

 

Shrinkage is the loss of inventory from when you make it or buy it from your supplier and then sell it to your customer. This can happen through theft, fraud, and simple human errors. It is a huge problem faced by every retail company, and as such, it can cost you a lot of money. Of course, there are ways to reduce shrinkage, but you still need to prepare if you’re to avoid its negative impact.

 

Photo courtesy of Vera Cires via Pixabay

 

Maintenance & Repairs

 

Every business has equipment it needs to keep it up and running. This can include office equipment, like computers, printers, and phones, and equipment more specialised for your business. If this equipment is faulty or broken, then the efficiency of your business decreases, and you start to lose money. This is why it’s vital that you keep up with maintenance, and make essential repairs as soon as they’re required.

 

If you’re planning to start a company of your own, then it’s vital that you know just how important money is and that, without it, your business won’t survive. Unfortunately, there are many hidden costs that you need to consider when starting or running a business, but hopefully, this will help you to prepare for a few of them.