Guides for small businesses

Plain-English UK guides on pricing, invoicing, tax, staff and planning. Pick your business below.

Trades and contractors

4 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Estimated Quarterly Taxes for Contractors: 2026 Guide

How US contractors work out and pay quarterly estimated taxes for 2026, with IRS due…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Write a Contractor Invoice (With Example and Checklist)

Everything a US contractor invoice should include, from license number and change orders…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

What to Include on an Invoice: A UK Tradesperson’s Guide

The details every UK trade invoice needs, the extra VAT rules, and how to set payment…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Price a Job as a Tradesperson (UK Guide 2026)

A simple way for UK tradespeople to work out a day rate, price materials and build quotes…

Read the guide →

Self-employed money and tax

4 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Simplified Expenses vs Actual Vehicle Costs: Which Is Better?

Should you claim the 55p flat mileage rate or your actual vehicle costs? Worked examples…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Allowable Expenses for the Self-Employed: UK Guide and Examples

What UK sole traders and side hustlers can claim as allowable expenses, what HMRC won't…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How Much Tax to Set Aside When Self-Employed (UK 2026/27)

How much to put aside for tax as a UK sole trader in 2026/27, with the rates, worked…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Claim Business Mileage in the UK (2026/27): 55p Rate Explained

From 6 April 2026 the HMRC mileage rate for cars and vans is 55p a mile. Who can claim,…

Read the guide →

Restaurants, pubs and cafés

4 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Do Restaurant Inventory: Counting, Par Levels and Food Cost

A step-by-step method for counting restaurant inventory, valuing it, turning it into food…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Restaurant Prime Cost: Formula, Targets and a Worked Example

How to calculate restaurant prime cost and labor cost percentage, including payroll taxes…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Write a Staff Rota for a Restaurant or Pub (UK Rules)

A step-by-step way to build a restaurant or pub rota around your covers, check it against…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Calculate GP on Food: Menu Pricing for Pubs and Restaurants

The GP formula for pubs and restaurants, with VAT handled properly, a costed steak and…

Read the guide →

Photographers

2 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Photography Business Expenses: What You Can Claim (UK)

Which costs UK photographers can claim, how to handle expensive kit and mixed use, and…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Price Photography in the UK: Cost of Doing Business

Use your cost of doing business to find the minimum you must charge per session, with a…

Read the guide →

Hairdressers and beauty

4 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Self-Employed Hairdresser Expenses: What You Can Claim (UK)

The expenses self-employed and mobile hairdressers can claim, what they can't, and what…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Price Hair Services as a Self-Employed Hairdresser

Set an hourly rate, price colour by the gram and add travel, with a full worked example…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Patch Test and Consultation Records: What to Keep and How Long

What to record on consultation forms and patch tests, how long to keep them, and the GDPR…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Price Beauty Treatments: The Cost-Per-Minute Method

Work out what every minute of your time costs, add product, and set treatment prices that…

Read the guide →

Dog groomers

2 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Dog Grooming Records and Consent Forms: What to Keep (UK)

The client and pet records, consent forms and licensing rules every UK dog grooming…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How Much to Charge for Dog Grooming: Pricing by Size and Coat

Price grooms by size, coat and time, with a worked price list and fair surcharges for…

Read the guide →

Landlords

2 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

Deposit Deductions and Fair Wear and Tear: A Landlord’s Guide

How to tell fair wear and tear from damage, work out deductions an adjudicator will…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Landlord Check-In Inventory Checklist (England, 2026)

What a landlord inventory should include, deposit rules for 2026, and a full room-by-room…

Read the guide →

Weddings

2 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

UK Wedding Planning Timeline: What to Do and When

What to book and when, from 18 months before the wedding to the week after, including the…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

UK Wedding Budget Breakdown 2026: What a Wedding Really Costs

The average UK wedding costs £20,604 in 2026. See the cost breakdown by category, guest…

Read the guide →

Home budgets and meal planning

4 guides

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Make a Weekly Meal Plan and Shopping List (Step by Step)

A simple weekly routine for planning meals, batch cooking safely and turning the plan…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Meal Planning on a Budget: A UK Guide to Cutting Your Food Shop

Seven practical steps to cut your weekly food shop, from setting a realistic budget to…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

Emergency Fund and Sinking Funds: How Much to Save (UK)

How to work out your emergency fund target, build it in stages, and use sinking funds so…

Read the guide →

Free PDF + 10% off

How to Make a Monthly Budget in the UK (Step by Step)

A five-step guide to building a monthly budget in the UK, with the 50/30/20 rule adapted…

Read the guide →