October Finance Focus: 4 Smart Moves for Melbourne Small Business Owners

Written By Rebecca Kartel

October marks an important checkpoint for business owners in Australia. We’re now three months into the new financial year, Q1 results are in, and the sprint toward Christmas is about to begin. For small business owners in Melbourne, this is the month to shift from settling in to setting up, making sure your finances are working for you before the end-of-year rush.

As an experienced Melbourne bookkeeper and CFO advisor, here’s what I recommend you prioritise this October:

1. Strengthen your cash flow before the holiday period

The lead-up to Christmas brings unique challenges for Australian businesses: increased sales for some, staff leave payouts, and supplier deadlines for most. All of these can put a strain on cash flow if you’re not prepared.

  • Review your September bookkeeping data. Look at patterns in income and outgoings.

  • Stress-test your cash flow: how will your business handle late client payments or a revenue dip?

  • Build a buffer now to carry you through December and January downtime.

2. Review and cut unnecessary expenses

By October, many small businesses are overspending on software, subscriptions, or supplier contracts that don’t deliver ROI. A good bookkeeper will spot these fast.

  • Audit recurring expenses: Are you still using every tool you’re paying for?

  • Check your supplier rates; this is the perfect time to renegotiate.

  • Redirect savings to your profit buffer or growth initiatives.

For Melbourne small business owners, these small changes can result in thousands of dollars in annual profit.

3. Don’t miss your October compliance dates

Staying compliant with the ATO is non-negotiable. Here are the key October deadlines:

  • Payroll Tax (monthly lodgers): due 7 October

  • September Monthly BAS: due 21 October

  • September Quarterly BAS: due 28 October

Missing these dates creates unnecessary fines and interest, costs that can easily be avoided with organised bookkeeping and CFO support.

4. Re-forecast your targets for Q2

September closes out the first quarter of the financial year. That makes October the perfect time to re-forecast.

  • Compare Q1 results with your annual plan. Are you on track?

  • If revenue falls short, what adjustments need to be made now?

  • Factor in rising supplier costs and wage increases to avoid being blindsided later.

This is where outsourced CFO support for Melbourne businesses can be invaluable; you don’t just get compliance bookkeeping, you get proactive financial strategy.

Final Takeaway

October is a great time to sharpen your financial systems before things get busy. Review, reset, and reforecast now so you can make confident, informed decisions, not reactive ones in December.

If you’re a Melbourne business owner looking for more than just bookkeeping, The Kartel Solution offers CFO-level support. From cash flow management to expense reviews and compliance, we’ll help you protect profit and scale sustainably.

Ready to scale smarter? Let’s talk.

Book a strategy session with The Kartel Solution. We're not just bookkeepers, we're your Finance Ops team that uses real systems and strategies.

Rebecca Kartel
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