You don’t think you’re overspending but you’re looking at your accounts, and the money just isn’t building the way it should.

Chances are, there are hidden drains in your overhead that are quietly sabotaging your cash flow. Let’s shine a light on a few possibilities.

1. Subscription Stack Creep 📦
We all do it. You try a new CRM, grab an online coaching class, sign up for a design platform spending $9.99 here, $39.99 there. And suddenly you’re paying $500/month for tools you don’t even log into anymore.

✅ Tip: Review your bank statements and QuickBooks expense reports every month. Cancel or consolidate anything that isn’t needed anymore.

2. Recurring Transactions You Forgot Existed 🧾
From storage units to annual software licenses, there are payments quietly leaving your bank account like clockwork. Just because it’s automatic doesn’t mean it’s necessary.

✅ Tip: Pull a 12-month Profit & Loss and sort by vendor or expense type. Cancel what you no longer need or renegotiate terms or find new services that align with your needs better.

3. Payroll Bloat 💸
Payroll is usually your biggest monthly overhead line, and often the least questioned.

✅ Tip: Compare year-over-year payroll and labor expenses to revenue. Review how your team is performing. Set up time audits.

4. Team Perks That Add Up 🎁
Holiday gifts, team lunches, office snacks, uniforms all matter, but they also multiply. If you’re not tracking these closely, you might be spending thousands more per year than you realize.

✅ Tip: Budget for perks and stick to the allotted budget. Share the number with your team so they are part of helping you stay on budget. I can guarantee they would rather have a job, be paid on time, than have any extra perks.

5. Insurance, Utilities & “Fixed” Expenses 🔒
Just because they’re fixed doesn’t mean they’re fair. Insurance premiums go up. Utility costs fluctuate. And Rent? Let’s just say, read the fine print on increases, CC&Rs, and any other extra costs in terms.

✅ Tip: Audit fixed costs annually and renegotiate contracts. Loyalty doesn’t mean you have to overpay. You can shop around for new insurance brokers and find a property manager that works for you versus the space you are renting from.

Final Thoughts from Your Favorite Bookkeeper 🧡

Overhead drains don’t always feel dramatic. They’re subtle, boring, and easy to ignore until your books show no profit. The solution is to constantly review your books. Bookkeeping is a system that catches the issues before your business has no more cash.

📊 At My CFO, we don’t just track your numbers, we teach you how to understand them. From subscription creep to payroll audits, we help you turn overhead expenses into clarity and positive cash flow.

If you’re ready to stop wondering where your money went and start building positive cash flow that works for you…

👉 Hire us to be your bookkeeper.

Because at the end of the day, cash flow isn’t luck, it’s strategy.