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Showing posts from November, 2026

Cash Flow vs Profit: Why Profitable Businesses Run Short of Cash

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"But we made a profit this month. Why is the bank balance so low?" It is one of the most common puzzles for new business owners, and it has a simple explanation: profit and cash are measuring two different things. This post explains the difference in plain language, shows a small example with made-up numbers, and lists the usual reasons the two drift apart. Two different questions Profit asks: "Over this period, did the work I did earn more than it cost?" Cash flow asks: "Over this period, how much money actually moved into and out of my bank account?" Profit is recorded when work is done and invoiced. Cash moves when someone pays. If those two moments are weeks apart, the numbers can tell very different stories for the same month. A worked example (fictional numbers) This example is simplified to show the idea. Real accounts have more moving parts, and an accountant can tell you how yours should be recorded. A small furniture work...

What Is a 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast? A Plain-English Guide

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If you run a small business, you probably know roughly how much money is in the bank today. The harder question is how much will be there in six or ten weeks. A 13-week cash flow forecast is a simple way to answer it. This guide explains what the forecast is, what goes into it, and how to read it. There is a small worked example with made-up numbers, so you can see the arithmetic for yourself. The short definition A 13-week cash flow forecast is a table with one column for each of the next 13 weeks (about one quarter). For every week you write down three things: the cash you expect to receive , the cash you expect to pay out , and the cash balance you expect to have left at the end of the week . That is the whole idea. It looks at real money moving in and out of your bank account, not at profit on paper. Accountants call this the "direct method" of cash forecasting. Why 13 weeks? Thirteen weeks is far enough ahead to spot a problem while you can stil...

How to Save Your First $1,000: A Simple Step-by-Step Plan

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The first $1,000 is often the hardest part of saving. It feels large, progress is slow at the start, and it is easy to give up before the habit forms. The good news is that you can turn a big number into a series of small, ordinary steps. This guide gives you a straightforward plan. It does not promise any particular result, because your income and expenses are your own. It simply shows a clear way to organise the effort. Step 1: Decide what the $1,000 is for A goal with a purpose is easier to stick to than a vague wish to "save more". Common reasons for a first $1,000 include: a small cushion for unexpected costs, the start of a larger emergency fund, a deposit or a planned purchase, or simply proving to yourself that you can build a habit. Write the purpose down in one line. You will use it later when motivation dips. Step 2: Find out where you are starting from Note any money you already have set aside for this goal. If it is nothing, that is fi...