Fighting the Sales Slump
Fresh data shows small businesses have managed to stretch their net profit margins this year. But that's not necessarily good news. Read more
Managing Costs
Recent Managing Costs Articles
Avoid These Cash Draining Start-up Mistakes
Because stretching your start-up dollars is so important, it’s critical that you avoid cash-draining mistakes. Read more
How to Switch to a Paperless Office
There are plenty of reasons to reduce your use of paper, including cost, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Here's how to do it. Read more
How to Finance a Business With Your 401(k)
A bad lending environment and provisions in the tax code make tapping retirement funds a tempting start-up financing option. Here's what you need to know. Read more
How to Cut Costs With Green IT
A look at how virtualization, power management, and other green technologies can help you save money Read more
How to Price Business Services
Advice for small businesses on how to manage pricing strategies by calculating costs, considering different pricing models, and evaluating customer and compe... Read more
9 Ways to Cut Energy Costs
Energy costs have been rising in recent years and new taxes are on the horizon, so every business has a reason to become more efficient. Here's how. View slideshow
Two Entrepreneurs Plan for Higher Energy Costs
Manufacturers Bill Latham and Arthur Pascuzzi, both hit hard by previous spikes in energy costs, have permanently incorporated energy-saving strategies into ... Read more
How to Lower Your Company's Energy Bills
How to use less energy and lower your business's utility bills Read more
How to Get a Good Deal on a Lease
What it takes to negotiate a commercial lease in a renter's market Read more
Small Business Benefits Threatened
Employers are expected to shift costs onto workers, health plan execs say. Read more
Cost-Cutting More Strategic
Having learned from past downturns, employers are taking a focused approach to staff reductions, a survey finds. Read more
Raises Smaller than Expected
Hit hard by the sluggish economy, employers are cutting back on pay hikes and bonuses, a survey finds. Read more
Curb Costs of Mobile Device Management
It can cost more than $2,500 a year for a company to take care of a single iPhone. Multiply that by the number of smart phones, laptops, and other mobile dev... Read more
Paycheck Gains Smaller Than Expected
Budgets for salary increases have fallen below four percent, the Conference Board reports. Read more
Businesses Cutting Costs
Most employers are hoping to avoid layoffs by improving efficiency. Read more
A Chocolate Maker is Buffeted By Global Forces Beyond His Control
How long can he stay profitable? Read more
Gas Price Hikes Rippling through the Economy
As prices spike, truckers and gas station owners, among others, get caught in the crossfire. Read more
Gas Price Hikes Rippling through the Economy
As prices spike, truckers and gas station owners, among others, get caught in the crossfire. Read more
Postal-Rate Increase Could Actually Save Businesses Money
While the cost of mailing a letter will go up by two cents, rates for other categories will drop. Read more
Sweet Success: CakeLove at the Inc. 500 
Warren Brown has found sweet success with his Washington-based bakery and cafe. So what does it take to transform a passion into a booming business? Watch video
Case Study: Gambling You Can Turn Around a Business
Micky McDonald ran Westbeach for 5 years. Then the company went bankrupt. Was it time to walk away--or buy it? Read more
Sales More Than Doubled Last Year
So Why Are They Changing Tactics? Read more
Smart Questions for Your Credit Card Company [Video]
Credit card companies send out billions of offers every year. From introductory rates to rewards programs, articles editor Larry Kanter explains how to ma... Watch video
Bootstrapping 101: Use Cheap Web Tools
Using open-source tools that are free on the Internet, Jason Fried and his partners began to devise applications for internal use--and soon sold them on thei... Read more
The Magic Number
Every business has a magic number. By employing his, our columnist didn't overstaff this year. Read more
Money Management Tips
Managing your money doesn't have to take a great deal of time, especially if you get in the habit of taking care of a few money matters on a regular basis. Read more
Trading Places: Inside the Barter Economy
Once a dusty corner of the economy, barter is emerging as a hot entrepreneurial niche and a valuable tool for cash-crunched companies. Read more
Great Bootstrapping Secrets: 45 Ideas that Can Save Your Business Money
Here are 45 money-saving ideas that can help your company do more with less. Read more
How Do I Calculate My Overhead Rate?
A company can use performance ratios, such as an overhead rate, to effectively manage its operations Read more
Everyone's a Cost Cutter
Two entrepreneurs give advice on cutting costs through open-book management. Read more
Teaching Employees to Understand Costs
Sony Display Tube teaches employees to understand costs -- actual and opportunity -- which allows them to make better, big-picture, decisions every day. Read more
Cost-Control Basics
Fine-tuning accounting procedures and comparison shopping for banks can help improve your company's cash flow. Read more
Cash Management
Cash management is a broad term that refers to the collection, concentration, and disbursement of cash. The goal is to manage the cash balances of an enterpr... Read more
Cost Control and Reduction
Cost control and reduction refers to the efforts business managers make to monitor, evaluate, and trim expenditures. These efforts might be part of a form... Read more
