Packaging EPR Laws Are Now Enforcing in 7 States: Are You a "Producer" Without Knowing It?
Oregon and Colorado already bill packaging EPR fees, with California starting in 2027. Check whether you're a producer, claim exemptions, and join a PRO.
#cost-management
Cost Management
Manage and reduce costs for improved profitability
Commercial Grain Drying Service Bookkeeping: Cost Every Point of Moisture So Your Rate Is More Than a Guess at the Elevator's Price
Custom grain drying costs about 3.2 cents per point per bushel before margin — price from your fuel, shrink, and fixed cost, not the elevator's rate.
The Five Lease Clauses That Decide Your Rent for the Next Decade
Renewal caps, CPI escalators, holdover penalties, co-tenancy and exclusive-use terms set your real rent for a decade — negotiate them before you sign.
Fuel Costs Are Quietly Eating Your Margin: What Record Gas Prices Mean for Your Books
Small-business gas spend jumped nearly 31% in 2026. Track fuel per mile, split the 72.5¢/76¢ IRS mileage rate, and book fuel surcharges as revenue.
Pricing a 3D-Printed Product: Build a Bill of Materials So Your COGS Isn't a Filament Guess
Filament is usually the smallest of six print cost lines. Build a per-SKU bill of materials, then price from true COGS.
Juice Bar and Smoothie Shop Bookkeeping: Track Produce Spoilage per Ingredient to Protect Your Margins
A 70% smoothie margin can be 45% after spoilage. Log waste per ingredient, cost recipes on yielded produce, and book abnormal loss outside COGS.
Activity-Based Costing for Small Manufacturers and Job Shops: Find Your True Cost Per Job
Activity-based costing traces overhead to setups, inspections, and orders, so each job carries its true cost and quotes stop subsidizing complex work.
Guaranteed Maximum Price Contracts: The Cost-Plus Deal With a Ceiling (and Who Pays Past It)
A GMP contract caps a cost-plus job: the owner pays actual costs plus fee up to the ceiling, and the contractor absorbs overruns unless a change order moves it.
Your Lease Doesn't Let You Open: Why the Certificate of Occupancy Decides Your Opening Day
A certificate of occupancy — not your lease — is what legally lets you open. Verify the CO matches your use before signing and budget the full fee chain.
Holiday Shipping Surcharges Start September 27: Your 2026 UPS, FedEx, and USPS Date-by-Date Guide
UPS peak surcharges start September 27, FedEx September 28, USPS October 4 — flat residential demand charges jumped 22–32% over 2025.
Joint Interest Billing for Small Oil and Gas Operators: How COPAS Rules Decide Who Pays for the Well
A COPAS joint interest billing audit window closes 24 months after the calendar year ends — check overhead rates, AFE overruns and your decimal before it shuts.
Squarespace's New Pricing in 2026: Basic, Core, Plus, and Advanced
Squarespace replaced Personal and Business with Basic ($16), Core ($23), Plus ($39), and Advanced ($99) — and digital-product fees now run 7% to 0% by tier.