ShopMazHow to track shop expenses and see your real profit
Most shopkeepers know their sales but guess their expenses. Writing expenses down is how a busy shop becomes a profitable one.
List every cost
- Fixed: rent, salaries, internet, loan instalments, insurance.
- Variable: electricity, transport, packaging, repairs, phone credit.
- Irregular: licence fees, festival stock, new shelves.
Record as you spend
Add the expense the day you pay it. Even small amounts matter: ten daily tea-and-transport payments become a large monthly number you never saw.
Separate shop and personal money
Pay yourself a fixed amount and do not take cash from the drawer for home needs without recording it. Mixed money is the main reason owners cannot tell if the shop makes a profit.
Compare with your gross profit
At month end, add up gross profit and subtract all expenses. If the result is small or negative, you have two levers: raise margin (prices, supplier terms) or cut cost (waste, power, extra stock).
Plan for the big ones
Divide yearly costs by twelve and set that amount aside each month. When the licence or repair bill arrives, it does not feel like a crisis.
- Add rent, bills, salaries and any other cost under Expenses.
- Your profit numbers in Reports include these expenses.
Common questions
Should I record my own salary as an expense?
Yes, if you take a regular amount. It shows what the shop really costs to run and tells you whether it can support you.