February Tips for Tradies: Late Invoicing Is Costing You – and you might not even realise it.
A while back, I had an arborist come out to prune some trees at my place. The job was great, no issues at all. But then… nothing. No invoice. No follow-up. Three months later, the bill finally arrived. 🤯
We were understanding, but here’s the thing: if you’re not invoicing on time, you’re not just delaying payment – you’re hurting your cash flow. And chances are, it’s costing you more than you think.
Real Talk: What’s Slowing You Down?
When I gently followed up with this tradie to ask if he had a system in place, here’s what he said:
👉 “I haven’t been very good at handling the information handover for my partner to manage admin/bookkeeping. Lots of time wasted going back through diaries and missing invoices.”
Sound familiar?
He wasn’t trying to avoid getting paid. He just didn’t have a system. And because of that, invoices were delayed, cash flow was tight, and the business felt more stressful than it needed to be.
What Happens When You Don’t Invoice Promptly?
❌ You wait longer to get paid
❌ You forget jobs altogether
❌ You waste time chasing paperwork
❌ You miss out on the confidence that comes with clean, current books
It’s not about being perfect. It’s about creating a simple, reliable system that works every time.
Quick Wins to Fix Your Invoicing
💡 Here’s how to turn things around:
📅 Invoice ASAP
Send the invoice straight after the job’s done. The faster it’s sent, the faster you’ll get paid.
📲 Use an App That Works for You
Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks – pick one and use it properly. Stop relying on memory or paper diaries. If you need help choosing, this guide from Xero is a good place to start.
📩 Get a Process in Place
If your partner or admin person is helping out, make sure the handover is quick and clear. Missed info = missed income.
⏳ Automate Reminders
Don’t spend your nights chasing overdue payments. Let your software follow up automatically.
You’ll feel the difference within a few weeks. Better cash flow, less admin stress, and more time back in your day.
Don’t Let February Catch You Short
At Tradies Bookkeeping, we work with tradies across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Canberra, Hobart, Darwin and beyond to streamline their invoicing, set up smarter systems, and improve cash flow – without the overwhelm.
📧 bettina@tradiesbookkeeping.com.au
📱 0424 467 921
P.S. Need help getting your invoicing back on track? Let’s have a chat.