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A shop can sell well all week and still not have the money for the next carton.
Customers came. Money came in. The shop was busy. Then it is time to restock, and the cash is not there.
That is not necessarily a sales problem. It may be a cash-flow problem. What you can spend on the next stock depends on the money actually available after the week's costs, not simply the total value of sales.
Sales Are Not the Same as Money You Can Spend
A trader records ₦200,000 in sales in a week.
Stock replacement: ₦110,000
Transport: ₦15,000
Electricity and fuel: ₦12,000
Other shop costs: ₦13,000
That is ₦150,000 in costs, leaving ₦50,000 from the sales.
But even that figure needs context.
A customer may still owe ₦20,000. A supplier may be waiting for ₦10,000. VAT on taxable sales, where applicable, may also need to be accounted for.
A sale made on credit is not cash in hand. And money owed to a supplier is still a commitment the business must plan for.
Money a customer has not paid is not money you can take to the market.
Three Records That Show Where the Money Went
You do not need a complicated financial report to start understanding your cash flow.
Keep track of three things:
What came in: Sales and other money actually received by the business. Keep credit sales separate from payments received.
What went out: Stock purchases, transport, rent, electricity, fuel and other payments made.
What is still outstanding: Money customers owe you and bills you still need to pay.
These records help you see what is available, what is committed and what you can reasonably put towards the next restock.
Without them, "we sold well" and "we have no money" can both be true, and you may not know where the difference went.
Start with Today
You do not have to wait until month-end.
Write down today's sales. Record the money received and the expenses paid. Keep track of outstanding customer payments and bills. Do the same tomorrow.
After a few weeks, you will have a clearer picture of whether the shop is generating enough cash for the next carton, or whether money is leaving before you get there.
Good records help with everyday business decisions first. They also provide useful information for tax and other financial responsibilities later.
TaxMateNG helps you keep track of income and expenses on your phone or computer, even offline. It also includes PAYE and company tax tools when you need them. It helps you organise your records and prepare your figures; it is not a tax filing portal.
Get started with TaxMateNG:
https://www.taxmateng.ng/download
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