Less coming in, more going out

Read the FSB's latest Small Business Index numbers this morning. Not a cheerful one.

53% of small firms saw revenue fall in the third quarter. 89% are paying more to run the business than a year ago, and for a third of them costs went up by more than 10%.

So the squeeze is coming from both ends at once.

The part I keep thinking about is hiring. Only 6% plan to recruit this quarter, 18% expect to cut jobs. That's not panic. That's people quietly doing the maths and deciding to wait.

East Midlands Business Link has the full breakdown here, including what's driving the costs. Tax, fuel, utilities and labour, each named by around half of the firms hit.

I can't do anything about fuel or tax from my desk. What I can do is go through every invoice older than 30 days and chase it this week, before everyone disappears for Christmas.

Money you've already earned is the easiest money there is.