How to spot a tight week before it arrives

Once a week, look at three numbers: cash available today, bills due in the next 14 days, and invoices or expected sales for the same window.

If bills due are larger than cash plus expected inflows, you have a timing problem — not necessarily a profit problem.

Options that usually help: chase overdue invoices first, delay a non-critical order, or temporarily reduce owner drawings for that fortnight.

Write the decision down. Owners forget why they cut spend and then reverse it too early.

Fifteen minutes each Monday is enough. The habit matters more than the spreadsheet.