Before leaving for the market, prepare a short record of your goods and expected costs. It helps you understand what you took, spent and brought back.
Steps to follow
Count what you take
List each type of goods, its quantity and your planned price. Separate potatoes, beans or vegetables so sold and remaining stock can be counted.
Plan the day’s costs
Allow for transport, packaging and any confirmed charges. Distinguish confirmed costs from estimates; total sales are not the same as profit.
Record payments received
Separate paid sales from goods sold but not yet paid for. For phone payments, check the confirmation and transaction details through your usual service.
Close by checking what remains
Count unsold or damaged goods and record what you spent. Identify money needed to restock before deciding what can go towards household spending.
A planning example
Example: a sale still awaiting payment
You take three baskets to market. Two are sold, but payment for one is still outstanding. Record sales, money received and money owed separately. The remaining basket is stock, not cash available to spend.
Your reminders
- I recorded opening and remaining stock.
- I separated collected money from unpaid sales.
- I checked daily costs and restocking needs.