Hi Reader,

YOUR CASHFLOW DOESN'T HAVE TO FEEL LIKE A GUESSING GAME — HERE'S HOW TO SEE WHAT'S COMING.

March is that awkward time of year. Tax year-end is looming, spring costs are creeping in, and if your bank balance has been doing its own thing lately — you’re not alone.

The truth is, most cashflow stress isn’t caused by a lack of money. It’s caused by a lack of visibility. You can’t fix what you can’t see.

That’s why we’re big fans of what we call a 90-day money map.

BUILD YOUR 90-DAY MONEY MAP

A money map is dead simple. It lays out what cash is coming in, what’s going out, and — crucially — when.

Here’s how to build yours:

1. List expected cash in by week (sales, retainers, grants, VAT refunds)
2. List committed cash out by due date (rent, payroll, suppliers, HMRC, software)
3. Add your starting bank balance and run it forward week by week

That’s it. Once you can see the shape of your next 90 days, you can act early — invoice sooner, tighten terms, chase late payers, trim non-essential spend, or arrange short-term funding before you actually need it.

Future-You will be very grateful you did this now rather than in a panic later.

THE "INVOICE TODAY" RULE

Want to improve cashflow without winning a single new customer? Change how you invoice.

Simple rule: if the work is delivered today, the invoice goes out today — within 24 hours, no excuses.

Make it practical:

• Keep invoices simple (two lines are often enough: service + agreed expenses)
• Standardise payment terms and bank details so you can reuse them every time
• Add a clear line: “Payment terms are 7 days. If you need a PO number, please provide it before work starts.”

Short, prompt invoices reduce queries and get paid faster. It’s one of those boring habits that genuinely moves the needle.

REGULATION UPDATE: STATUTORY SICK PAY FROM DAY ONE

Heads up if you employ staff: from April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) kicks in from day one of sickness — not day four as it does now.

The lower earnings limit is also being removed, so more part-time and lower-paid staff will qualify.

What this means for you:

• Every single sick day now carries a guaranteed cost, plus rota disruption and cover
• SSP is a pay entitlement, not a free pass on attendance
• Now is the time to tighten sickness reporting, use self-certification properly, and hold a brief return-to-work chat after each absence

If your sickness policy hasn’t been updated recently, it’s worth a quick review — and if you’re unsure, a chat with an HR advisor is money well spent.

WORTH A SMILE: CLOCKS SPRING FORWARD

Quick nudge: the UK moves to British Summer Time on Sunday 29 March. Clocks go forward one hour at 1:00 am.

If you use online booking systems, shift rotas, or timed promotions — double-check your time zone settings that weekend. Nobody wants customers showing up an hour early (or staff arriving an hour late).

On the plus side: longer evenings. Great news if your business benefits when people stay out a bit later.

WORTH CHECKING OUT THIS WEEK

We’re curious …

We’re here to help you make better business decisions quicker — right from BEFORE day one.

All the best,

Graeme and Neil

Co-founders, Basics of Business (BoB)

P.S. Block 20 minutes this week to build your money map. Seriously — it's the kind of small task that prevents big problems. Your April self will thank you.

P.S.2 And don't forget: clocks forward on 29 March. Check those booking systems before the weekend!

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