Running a small business is exciting, empowering, and let’s be real, sometimes really expensive. While you’ve probably budgeted for the obvious (gear, marketing, insurance, perhaps even a co-working space), it’s often the hidden costs that sneak up and throw your bottom line off track.
The good news? Once you know what to look for, you can get ahead of these expenses and keep more money in your pocket, exactly where it belongs.
Subscription Overload
How many times have you signed up for a “free trial” that quietly turned into another monthly bill? Between frustrating CRMs, comprehensive design tools, hard-to-use editing software, upgraded file storage, and multiple apps, the subscription creep is one of the biggest drains on creative businesses. Sure, it might seem like $4.99 here and $9.99 there, but every month X 12 (or more) charges … yikes!
Solution: Do a quarterly subscription audit
Chances are, you have apps that do a lot of the same thing – cancel any duplicates and commit to one. Not sure if you want to cancel it? Then pause anything you’re not actively using, and consolidate when you can.
Pro Tip: Look for apps, tools, and platforms that do many things at once. Rock Paper Coin, for instance, combines leads, contracts, invoices, and payments into one affordable subscription with no extra add-ons or charges, making it a smart and affordable CRM option.
Processing Fees You Didn’t Plan For
That 3% credit card fee may not seem like much until you realize it adds up to thousands of dollars a year. Add in surprise ACH or platform fees, and suddenly your “take-home” is way less than you thought after booking that brand new client.
Solution: Account for the fees
Fees are part of running a business (like paying taxes is part of business ownership), so you have options. The most common solution is building the fees into your rates so you’re not eating the cost, and clients don’t feel like they are being nickel-and-dimed. Another option is rolling the fees to the client; however, not all states support this, so make sure you check to make sure you’re in the clear before you pass those along.
Pro Tip: In a year where it felt like everything got more expensive every quarter (and it did!) choose platforms and tools that stay transparent about their pricing. Fee increases are normal – but multiple a year, or even ones that happen seemingly overnight – not cool. Rock Paper Coin keeps its fees simple and transparent, so you always know what you’re paying AND what you’re earning.
Chargebacks & Refunds
We know, very few things sting more than a client disputing a charge. Even if you win the case, you can still be hit with hefty fees in the process.
Solution: We say it because we see it every day – strong (signed) contracts are your best defense against a client reporting a refund. Make sure expectations, deliverables, and refund policies are crystal clear from day one, and if anything changes, gets added, or the client asks for more work, a quick and simple contract addition could end up saving you (literally) in the end.
Pro Tip: Make your booking process as easy and seamless as possible. Rock Paper Coin members send digital contracts with e-signatures in seconds. No client guesswork and no gray area. When a client needs a change, it’s as simple as click, click, send.
Time Costs (a.k.a. The Invisible Expense)
Many pros don’t think of time as money, but it is. Every extra email, manual invoice, or spreadsheet update has a cost, and if you’re spending hours spinning your wheels on duplicating admin work and tasks instead of on your paid projects, you’re losing revenue and your sanity (burnout).
Solution: You hear it everywhere, but you need to automate wherever possible. Sending contracts and proposals, automatic payment reminders, and invoices. Not only does it save you hours, it creates a smoother, more professional experience for clients that they don’t just appreciate, they expect from a business today.
Pro Tip: Fun fact, Rock Paper Coin was literally created to give our Co-Founders their time and money back, and now it’s available to work for you too. Contracts, proposals, invoices, and payment reminders are sent automatically in just a few clicks (no endless back-and-forth or late-night admin marathons), which means more time for booking more clients, making more money, and working on those paid projects so you can live that work-life balance you deserve.
The “Just in Case” Fund
Emergencies happen. A dropped laptop, lost a hard drive, cancelled event or project, and a sudden illness can all feel devastating and put you in the red overnight if you don’t have a cushion.
Solution: Set aside a small percentage of every client payment into a business savings account. Even better, one that earns internet so you can snowball those funds even bigger while just sitting there. Even a small 2–3% per invoice adds up fast and gives you the breathing room when life throws a curveball.
Pro Tip: This is the perfect example of how doing your system audit and cancelling recurring monthly fees can add up – you can roll that amount right into that account as well for even bigger savings. Better yet, move to a new CRM with lower monthly fees and processing fees and watch the savings grow even faster! By the end of the year, you can use that money to upgrade your gear, afford to take the summer off, or hire your first team member. The options are endless when you start small and grow smart!
The Bottom Line
The hidden costs of business don’t have to take you by surprise. With a little awareness and the right tools, you will save money, protect your income, and spend less time stressing over expenses that seem to come out of nowhere.
👉 Ready to cut unnecessary costs and simplify your business?
Rock Paper Coin gives you contracts, invoices, and payments all in one place.
No hidden fees. No surprises. Just more money in your pocket.
