Financial Guides and Articles
Plain-English guides on business banking, insurance and more.
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What Is Invoice Finance?
Invoice finance lets you release cash tied up in unpaid invoices without waiting for customers to pay. It comes in two main forms, factoring and discounting, each suited to different business types and situations. Here is how to work out which one fits yours.
How to Structure Payment Terms (and avoid disputes before they start)
The best invoice disputes to avoid are the ones you prevent. Two disputes from earlier in my career, and what they taught me about structuring payment terms properly from the start.
How to Resolve an Invoice Dispute
An invoice dispute is different from a late payment. The client is contesting what you are owed, not just delaying it. Here is how to assess the dispute, negotiate a resolution, and know when to escalate.
How Do Secured Business Loans Work?
A secured business loan works by giving the lender a legal claim over an asset you own. Here is what happens at each stage, from application through to repayment and what occurs if you cannot keep up.
What Is a Secured Business Loan?
A secured business loan is one where you put up an asset as collateral in exchange for lower rates and higher borrowing amounts. Here is what that means in practice, who can get one, and when it makes sense.
How to Apply for a Business Credit Card
Applying for a business credit card takes around ten minutes if you have the right information ready. The thing that slows most people down is not the process itself but gathering the details beforehand. Here is what you need.
Business Credit Cards for Sole Traders
Sole traders can get a business credit card, but lenders assess you differently to limited companies. Here is what that means for your application, which providers to consider, and why a dedicated business card is worth having.
Business Credit Card Rewards Explained
Business credit card rewards come in three main forms: cashback, points, and air miles. Which type suits your business depends on how much you spend and how you want to use the return. Here's how each one works.
Business Credit Card vs Business Loan. Which Is Right for You?
A business credit card handles day-to-day spending. A business loan funds big investments. They are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one costs you money. Here is how to decide.
Business Credit Cards for Bad Credit
Getting a business credit card with a poor credit history is harder but not impossible. Your options are narrower and the rates are higher, but specialist providers will still consider you. Here's what to expect and how to approach it.
Why Timing Isn't the Whole Story for Startup Finance
James Robson argues the SME finance industry has spent a decade chasing the wrong problem: it's timing, not access. He's right, for established businesses. But for startups and first-year companies with no trading history to time, access is still very much the real issue.
The Comparison Site Now Competing With the Products It Compares
MoneySupermarket has launched its own business bank account. Not a comparison of other banks' accounts. Their own. This is a significant moment for the comparison market, and it raises a question every small business owner should ask before using any comparison site to find a bank account.
Small Business Grants UK
Grants are funding you do not have to repay and do not give away equity to receive. For small businesses, they represent the cheapest form of external funding available. The challenge is knowing where to find them and whether your business is likely to qualify. This guide covers both.
Temporary Car Insurance
Temporary car insurance covers you for a defined period, from a single day to a few months, without affecting the main policyholder's no-claims discount. This guide explains when it makes sense, how it works, and what to check before you buy.
How Much Interest Can a Business Earn on Savings?
A business holding cash in a current account is earning almost nothing on it. The same money in a business savings account is earning meaningfully more. This guide covers what current rates look like, what a realistic return works out to, and what affects how much you actually earn.