The Real Price of Offering Payment Terms (And How to Take Back Control)

The Hidden Cost You're Probably Overlooking

Offering payment terms might feel like good customer service. It helps you stay competitive, keeps clients happy, and can even win new business. But beneath the surface, those delays are costing you more than you realise. 

Every extra day you wait for a payment is a day your cash flow is tied up — money that could be used to pay suppliers, invest in growth, or simply keep operations moving smoothly. Over time, those “just 30 days” can quietly drain tens of thousands from your bottom line.

Delayed payments don’t just cause frustration — they create financial strain and limit your business’s ability to act on opportunities when they arise.

💡 Want to see how much it’s really costing you?

Use the calculator below to estimate the annual cost of waiting for payments and how much you could save by working with Brunswick.

The Real Cost of Waiting for Payments

If the numbers from the calculator surprised you, you're not alone.

Many businesses don’t realise that offering payment terms isn’t just about being flexible — it comes with a very real cost. This is known as the Cost of Account Terms and it can quietly erode your profitability year after year.

The formula looks like this:

Here’s how it works in practice:

Example:

Annual Revenue: $1,000,000

Payment Terms: 30 Days

Cost of Capital: 21%

📉 Estimated Annual Cost = $17,260

This isn’t a made-up figure — it’s the opportunity cost of your money being locked up in unpaid invoices. It reflects the financial pressure of running your business while waiting to get paid.

Of course, this is an estimate. The actual cost can vary depending on factors like your true cost of capital, how often clients pay late, or how much of your revenue is on credit terms. But even as a rough guide, the cost is clear — and significant.

Why It Matters: Cash Flow and Business Stability

At the heart of every successful business is a healthy cash flow cycle. It looks something like this:

Purchase → Production → Sales → Payment Collection

The cycle starts strong: you buy materials, create your product or deliver your service and make the sale. But then the wait begins — payment collection is where things slow down. When payments are delayed, the entire cycle stalls.

This disruption doesn’t just affect your books — it affects your business’s ability to function day-to-day:

• You can’t pay suppliers on time.

• You miss out on early payment discounts.

• You’re forced to delay growth plans or turn down new opportunities.

In many cases, the stress of cash shortages falls squarely on the shoulders of the business owner.

What may seem like a competitive business strategy can quickly become a cash flow trap.

The Alternative: Invoice Financing with Brunswick

So, how do you keep your cash flow cycle moving? In short, invoice financing.

It’s a simple, effective solution that allows your business to unlock the value of unpaid invoices and turn them into working capital — fast.

Instead of waiting weeks or months to get paid, you can submit your outstanding invoices to Brunswick and receive up to 80% of their value within just 24 hours.

💡 Here’s how it works:

1. You issue an invoice to your customer as usual.

2. That customer will pay the invoice directly to Brunswick.

3. Once verified, we advance up to 80% of the invoice value — typically within 24 hours.

4. When your customer pays, you receive the remaining balance minus a small fee.

What sets Brunswick apart?

✔️ No hidden fees

✔️ Full transparency

✔️ Clear, supportive communication every step of the way

Invoice financing puts you back in control of your cash flow — so you can stop chasing payments and start focusing on growing your business.

Ready to stop chasing payments and start taking control of your cash flow?

Let Brunswick help you turn unpaid invoices into opportunity — fast, simple and stress-free.

👉 Talk to our team today to see how much you could unlock. Apply now.