Caz counts it down

brizzledfw

All great stuff CM ..well done you! :-)

cazmanian_minx

I've been doing the November business accounts today - all done apart from reconciling the bank statement, which can wait until tomorrow. I'm running low on charm bracelets again, so the next task is to save up a couple of thousand pounds to place an order with that manufacturer.

hillside777

The way your sales are going, it shouldn't take you long to achieve this kind of money.

Keep up the good work. :j :j

cazmanian_minx

Today has felt rather like wading through porridge because I didn't sleep very well. There's been nothing but low grey cloud and rain all day which hasn't helped. The temptation to book ourselves two weeks somewhere tropical in January is very, very strong, but I've made do with two tickets for Skyfall at the Screen Machine on Wednesday night instead (I'm sure I've mentioned the Screen Machine before, but it's a lorry which uses some clever hydraulics to unfold itself into a 70 seat cinema and it trundles round the Highlands and Islands bringing us the latest film releases!).

I need to do the cashflow forecast for the month tomorrow. I'm going to be away between boxing day and new year's eve, which will depress sales a bit, so ideally I want to have all the money I need to carry me through to the first few days of January in the bank by 24th December.

cazmanian_minx

I've done the December cash flow forecast and it's not particularly cheery reading! I've got £541.08 available at the moment, which covers all the bills until 16th December. After that I need to find the following:
16th SagePay - £30.00
16th Streamline - c.£15.00
16th BT - c.£25.00
23rd Supplier - £1458.82
28th Terapeak - £16.50
31st VAT - £960.00
1st Drawings - £1500.00
c. 4th - Royal Mail - c.£800.00

- which is another £4785.31 by the first week of January or about £155 a day, though in reality it has to be more because sales will drop off dramatically after about 21st December. If I'm really stuck, I can drop my drawings to £750 and put the supplier payment on the (ouch) credit card, but I'd really rather not!

brizzledfw

Sorry to hear all is not cheery in the far North..December is only just underway though so hopefully you will find something comes up in the next few weeks?

I know all about the Screen Machine..!:D We were sorry to have missed it on Mull this summer..but we went to the lovely new (re-opened) community cinema in Oban on the way home which was simply gorgeous

Onwards and upwards..I need to get a coffee and get on with some more work now:o

cazmanian_minx

Humph. Streamline bill came in at £18.73 and the Royal Mail direct debit is due on 2nd Jan, not the 4th, and will be for £887.52 instead of my estimated £800 :eek: On the plus side, I banked £415.78 this morning, so it's not all doom and gloom

The farrier came today and asked me if I'd like to learn to trim Merlin's feet myself when he came next. Yes please! He's going to bring his spare chaps next time he comes and will show me how to do Merlin. Finn will be a two-person job for a while longer, though he was much better today than he was last time we did him.

cazmanian_minx

Good news, I've got a new supplier They supply one of my current suppliers but are still a UK company - I sent them an email a couple of days ago applying for a trade account, but it kept bouncing. I finally found a moment to ring them today and spoke to a very nice bloke who gave me a different email address and fingers crossed I should get set up with them with no further problems. The supplier I'm buying their products from charges £1+VAT per pack so not only will I be able to sell to my customers much more cheaply, I'll be able to see what sort of margin that supplier is making. I have a rough idea, because my Hong Kong supplier is another one of theirs I managed to track back, but this will be in the same currency and so not subject to exchange rate fluctuation.

Talking of exchange rates, it's really frustrating that I don't have free cash floating around to buy stock at the moment, because all the Chinese stuff is paid for in US$ and the rate is better than it's been ages - just tipped over $1.60 and when I'm working out whether a new line will be profitable or not, I use $1.50 in my calculations. Fingers crossed it'll carry on into the new year and I can top up my charm bracelets at a decent price.

cazmanian_minx

Scores on the doors day

(last week/this week/ + or - amount)
Business
Overdraft: -£2115.37 / -£3797.32 -£1681.95
Barclaycard: -£450.00 / £0.00 +£450.00 :D:D:D

Business total: -£2565.37 / -£3797.32 -£1231.95

Personal
Overdraft: -£3080.00 / -£2374.00 +£706.00
Egg card: -£3260.00 / -£3260.00 no change
Barclaycard: -£2900.36 / -£2900.36 no change

Personal total: -£9240.36 / -£8534.36 +£706.00

Grand total: -£11,805.73 / -£12,331.68 -£525.95

Slightly worried as I only have four orders to go today which is Not Good.

brizzledfw

Hi..just popped in to see what the latest results were. Still looks like Ou are making steady progress ..so don't be too disheartened. Plus as you say the new exchange rate may help.

Hang on in there and just remember you're getting there!