The Finance Shed Blog
Check out the latest from The Finance Shed…
Cash Economy in Australia: Why It’s Hurting Tradies More Than Helping
Ask around any job site and you’ll hear it — the quiet offer of a “cash job.”No paperwork, no tax. Just quick cash in hand. Cash Economy in Australia It sounds tempting — less hassle, more take-home pay, and no government taking a slice. But here’s the truth most...
Tradie Client Management: Attract the Right Customers, Not the Wrong Ones
If you’re like most tradies, you’ve had a few clients who make you question why you got into business in the first place — the ones who haggle on every quote, pay late, or call you on Sunday because a light bulb blew means Tradie Client Management. And then there are...
The Risks of Hidden Cash in Business & How It Devalues Company
If you’re a self-employed tradie — a plumber, sparkie, chippy, or mechanic — you’ve probably had a customer say, “Can you do it for cash, mate? Skip the Tax?” It sounds easy, doesn’t it? No invoice, no tax, a quick bit of extra money in your hand.And in the moment, it...
Tradie Insurance Basics: What Cover Do You Actually Need?
If there’s one phrase from The Finance Shed hears too often, it’s “She’ll be right, mate.” That attitude works fine on a Friday arvo, but not when something goes wrong on site. A ladder slip, a burnt-out ute, a customer injury, or an illness that takes you off the...
How Digital Bookkeeping Makes You More Attractive to Lenders
Ever applied for a business loan or vehicle finance and heard the dreaded words — “Sorry, we need more paperwork”? You’re not alone. Tradies are some of the hardest-working people in Australia, yet many get knocked back for loans, mortgages, or equipment finance — not...
What Happens If You Get Hurt? The Real Cost of No Income Protection
Picture this — it’s a Monday morning, you’re halfway through a bathroom renovation, and a quick slip off a ladder sends you straight to hospital. Broken ankle. Eight weeks off the tools. No work. No income Protection. No backup. For a lot of tradies, that’s not a...
Exit Plan for Trade Business: How to Build a Company You Can Sell
You’ve spent years — maybe decades — building your trade business. Early mornings, late nights, quoting, chasing payments, and keeping clients happy. But have you thought about what happens when you’re ready to hang up the tools? For a lot of Aussie tradies, there’s...
Tradie Loan Requirements Explained: How to Meet Lender Criteria
If there’s one frustration every tradie feels at some point, it’s this: Getting a loan is way harder than it should be. You’re working hard, bringing money in, quoting jobs, running sites, and doing everything the right way… yet when you try to get finance for a ute,...
Turning Your Trade Into a Retirement Plan: Super Exit Strategy
You’ve spent years — maybe decades — building your trade business. Early mornings, late nights, quoting, chasing payments, and keeping clients happy. But have you thought about what happens when you’re ready to hang up the tools? For a lot of Aussie tradies, there’s...
Cloud Accounting for Tradies: The Smart Way to Get Paid Faster
If there’s one thing that frustrates every tradie, it’s waiting to get paid. You’ve finished the job, sent the invoice, and now you’re stuck checking your account every morning, hoping it’s finally hit. Sound familiar? Late payments are more than an inconvenience —...