Starting a business is a dream of many. Unfortunately, it’s not nearly as easy to do as most people assume. As rewarding as it is to be your own boss, the role comes with challenges too. There will be many responsibilities on your plate, with one of the most crucial being managing the money. The trouble is, most new business owners have little financial experience, which can cause them to make costly errors. Here are six mistakes you must avoid.
1. Using Just One Account
When you first start out in business, keeping all of your money together may seem the most convenient way to go. The trouble is, the money belonging to your business isn’t actually yours. By keeping all of your money it one bank account, you make it very difficult to avoid overspending either way. For this reason, it’s vital that you have an account for the business finances too.
2. Making Large Personal Purchases
No business owner should use company funds to pay for personal things. That being said, you might need to use some of your own money to cover overheads now and then. This is especially in the earlier days. With that in mind, you should avoid making any larger personal purchases in the first year or so of business. This ensures you’ll always have enough cash available to use.
3. Avoiding The Important Expenses
Although you shouldn’t make too many personal purchases, there will be many business ones that you can’t avoid. Most companies need computers, printers, and other office supplies, but yours might also require specialist equipment, like building tools or a chip kit. If you don’t invest in what you need, your business will suffer and might struggle to grow or even fail.
4. Spending Without A Budget
As important as it is to make the necessary purchases for your business, you must first check the budget. After all, you won’t know whether or not you can afford to pay unless you do. If you don’t already have a budget, then you should create one as soon as you can. Make sure that you consider every possible expense as you write it and see if you can find ways to keep costs low.
5. Paying The Bills Late
Every business has bills to pay, such as rent, utilities, and loans. While you shouldn’t pay these bills early, you must do all that you can to avoid paying them late. This could result in you being charged a late payment fee. If you know you aren’t going to be able to make a payment on time, you should call the company you owe and apologize. They may not charge you if you do so.
6. Pricing Products Too Low
Most of the money your business makes will come from sales. This means that, if you price your products too low, you might struggle to generate enough cash to cover overheads. While you shouldn’t overprice your products either, it is much better to sell fewer units at higher costs than more at lower ones. Because of this, you may want to want to increase the price of your goods.
Everyone makes mistakes, especially business owners. However, the ones you make with money can be particularly disastrous. The tips above should help you to avoid any costly errors.
7. Not Searching Around for the Best Deals When Sending/Receiving Money
When sending or receiving money from overseas, it can be frustrating to see your money considerably reduced because of fees. Before you send money to a new destination, search around and carefully assess your options online. It can save you a lot of money.
