Four cash rules every small business should write down

Rule one: protect payroll first

Payroll is not just an expense. It is trust. A business should know how many payroll cycles are protected before surplus money is used elsewhere.

Rule two: separate tax cash

Tax money should not sit in the same mental bucket as operating cash. Separation prevents profitable businesses from feeling shocked when obligations arrive.

Rule three: define owner draws

Owner draws should follow a threshold, not a mood. This protects both the business and the household depending on it.

Rule four: plan for slow seasons

Seasonality is easier to handle when it is expected. A written reserve rule turns slow months into a planned event instead of a crisis.