The Government recently announced that thousands of government credit cards will be cancelled as part of a crackdown on wasteful spending. With spending on these cards reportedly increasing fourfold in the last four years, it’s a reminder that keeping an eye on expenses is crucial.

While most businesses are likely to be far more mindful of costs than a Government department – where inefficiencies apparently go unchecked – this is still a great opportunity to review spending in your business to see what can be trimmed.

Are you spending more than you need to?

Even in a profit-driven business, unnecessary spending can creep in without you realising it. Some common areas where businesses often overspend include:

• Subscription services: Are you paying for software or memberships you no longer use? It’s easy to forget about recurring costs that add up over time.
• Travel and entertainment expenses: While meetings and networking are important, are you getting real value from every trip or client lunch?
• Office supplies and equipment: Are you making the most of bulk discounts and supplier negotiations, or could you be getting a better deal?
• Consultancy and external services: If you outsource work, are you regularly checking that it’s cost-effective, or could an in-house solution save you money?

Simple steps to reduce waste

If you want to tighten up your spending and make sure every pound is working for you, here are some practical steps to take:

• Review your expenses: Look at your spending over the last year and identify anything that isn’t delivering real value.
• Set approval processes: Introduce spending limits and require approvals for larger expenses to keep things under control.
• Use expense tracking tools: Software can help you see where your money is going in real-time, making it easier to spot savings.
• Negotiate with suppliers: Regularly review your supplier contracts to make sure you’re getting the best price possible.
• Update employee expense policies: Make sure your team knows what’s acceptable to claim and encourage cost-conscious decisions.
• Compare with industry standards: Benchmark your spending against similar businesses to see where you might be overspending.

How we can help…

If you’d like some support, or think it may be helpful to have an external view, we can help!

From providing a sounding board around the process, to conducting a review the expenses in your business, and identifying cost-saving opportunities, we can help you as much or as little as you’d like to make improvements.

If you’d like some help, please just get in touch. Cutting out waste doesn’t just protect your bottom line – it also helps your business grow stronger!