Creating a balanced business budget can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. There are a few simple steps that you can take to make sure that your budget is both realistic and achievable. We’ve put together a step-by-step guide to creating a balanced business budget so that you can take the guesswork out of the process.
Step 1 – Calculate Your Income
The first step toward creating a balanced business budget is to calculate your income. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it’s important to be as accurate as possible when estimating your income. After all, your budget can only be as balanced as the income that you’re bringing in. To get started, take a look at your past few months of financial statements and try to come up with an average monthly income.
If you’re just starting out, it’s important to be realistic about the amount of income that you can realistically expect to bring in. Don’t forget to account for seasonal fluctuations in your business’ income.
It’s also important to consider all of your streams of revenue. If you’re selling products, be sure to include both the cost of goods sold as well as any shipping and handling fees.
After you’ve calculated your income, it’s time to move on to expenses.
Step 2 – Fixed Costs
In order to create a balanced budget, you need to figure out what your business’s fixed costs are.
Fixed costs are those expenses that stay the same each month, such as rent, utilities, and loan payments. These are non-negotiable expenses that you have to pay no matter what.
Step 3 – Variable Costs
Variable costs are those expenses that fluctuate from month to month, such as inventory, shipping, and marketing.
The key to creating a balanced budget is to make sure that your variable costs don’t exceed your income. This can be a challenge, but it’s important to keep an eye on your spending in order to stay within your budget.
Your variable costs will increase along with volume of production. So if you sell more, you’ll send more. It is important to track your variable costs closely as your business grows.
Accounting software can help you track your income and expenses so that you can see where your money is going each month. This information can be helpful in creating a realistic and achievable budget.
Step 4 – One-Off Costs
There are always going to be one-time costs associated with running a business. These costs can include things like equipment purchases, website development, and trade show fees.
When budgeting for one-off costs, it’s important to consider both the short-term and long-term impact of the expense. For example, a new piece of equipment may be a large upfront cost, but it could save you money in the long run by increasing efficiency.
Step 5 – Consider Your Cash Flow
Another important factor to consider when creating a budget is your business’s cash flow. Cash flow is the amount of money that is coming in and out of your business each month.
It’s important to have a positive cash flow in order to maintain a healthy budget. If your expenses are higher than your income, you’ll need to find ways to cut costs or increase revenue.
There are a number of ways to improve your cash flow, such as offering discounts for early payment, setting up automatic payments, or offering payment plans.
Step 6 – Putting It All Together
Now that you’ve calculated your income, expenses, and cash flow, it’s time to put it all together to create a balanced business budget.
However, you can’t just create a budget and then set it aside. You need to revisit and review it regularly to make sure that it’s still accurate and on track.
As your business grows and changes, your budget will need to change too. Be sure to review it at least once a month to make sure that it’s still in line with your current situation.
Creating a balanced business budget is an important part of running a successful business. By taking the time to calculate your income and expenses, you can ensure that your business is on track for long-term success.
