Your Monthly Money Date

Quick question: When’s the last time you actually sat down and reviewed your business finances?

Not glanced at your bank balance. Not felt a wave of relief (or panic) when you checked your account. Actually reviewed. Analyzed. Understood.

If you’re like most petpreneurs, the answer is… it’s been a while. Or maybe never.

You’re not alone. Money is the thing most small business owners avoid until they absolutely can’t anymore. It feels complicated. It feels stressful. And honestly? It feels like opening Pandora’s box.

But here’s what I’ve learned after 20+ years in this industry: the petpreneurs who build sustainable, profitable businesses aren’t the ones who work the hardest. They’re the ones who know their numbers.

And it only takes one hour a month.

Welcome to your Monthly Money Date.

What Is a Monthly Money Date?

A Monthly Money Date is exactly what it sounds like: a standing appointment with your finances. One hour, same time every month, where you sit down with your numbers and give them the attention they deserve.

Think of it like this. If you were in a relationship but only checked in with your partner once a year, how healthy would that relationship be? Your business finances work the same way. They need regular attention, not annual panic sessions at tax time.

Your Monthly Money Date is where you:

• Review what came in
• Review what went out
• Calculate what’s left
• Spot trends before they become problems
• Celebrate wins (yes, this matters)
• Set intentions for the month ahead

It’s not complicated. It’s not scary. It’s just one hour of focused attention that pays dividends all month long.

Why Pet Business Owners Avoid Their Finances

Before we dive in, let’s address the elephant in the room. Why do so many petpreneurs avoid looking at their money?

“I’m not a numbers person.”

Neither was I. But you don’t need to be a mathematician to understand revenue minus expenses equals profit. If you can count pets on a walk, you can review your finances.

“I’m afraid of what I’ll find.”

I get it. But here’s the thing: the number is the number whether you look at it or not. Not looking doesn’t change it. Looking at least gives you the power to change it.

“I don’t have time.”

One hour a month. That’s less than 15 minutes a week. You spend more time than that scrolling Instagram. Your financial health is worth one hour.

“I don’t know what to look at.”

That’s exactly what this blog post (and my free checklist) will teach you. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to review and why.

“My accountant handles that.”

Your accountant handles tax compliance. YOU need to handle business intelligence. No one will care about your profitability as much as you do.

The Six Steps of Your Monthly Money Date

Block one hour. Pour yourself something you enjoy. Turn off notifications. This is a date, after all.

Step 1: Review Your Revenue

Revenue is the total money that came into your business this month. Before expenses. Before taxes. Just the top-line number.

Questions to answer:

What was your total revenue this month?

$_______________

How does this compare to your goal?

Break it down by service type:

What patterns do you notice? Which services are your bread and butter? Which are underperforming?

Break it down by client:

Who are your top 5 revenue-generating clients this month?

Why this matters: If one or two clients represent a huge chunk of your revenue, that’s a risk. Diversification protects you.

Step 2: Review Your Expenses

Expenses are everything you spent to run your business this month. Every subscription. Every supply purchase. Every contractor payment.

Questions to answer:

What were your total expenses this month?

$_______________

Break it down by category:

Look for surprises:

Any expenses you forgot about? _______________________________________________

Any subscriptions you’re not using? _______________________________________________

Any costs that increased unexpectedly? _______________________________________________

The subscription audit: Go through your bank statement. How many recurring charges do you see? Are you actually using all of them? Cancel what you don’t need.

Step 3: Calculate Your Profit

This is the number that actually matters. Revenue minus expenses equals profit.

The calculation:

Total Revenue: $_______________

Minus Total Expenses: $_______________

Equals Profit: $_______________

Your profit margin:

(Profit ÷ Revenue) × 100 = _______%

Industry benchmark: A healthy pet sitting business should aim for 20-40% profit margin after paying yourself. If you’re below 20%, you either have a pricing problem or an expense problem.

Important question: Are you paying yourself?

☐ Yes, I pay myself $_____________ per month

☐ No, I take whatever’s left over

☐ No, I reinvest everything into the business

If you’re not paying yourself a consistent amount, you don’t have a business. You have an expensive hobby. We need to fix that.

Step 4: Compare to Last Month

Numbers in isolation don’t tell you much. Trends tell you everything.

Month-over-month comparison:

Questions to answer:

Is your revenue trending up or down? _______________

Is your profit trending up or down? _______________

What changed this month that impacted your numbers?

If revenue went up but profit went down: Your expenses grew faster than your income. Investigate why.

If revenue went down but profit stayed the same: You got more efficient. Nice work.

If both went down: Time to focus on sales and marketing.If both went up: Celebrate! And figure out what you did so you can do more of it.

Step 5: Celebrate One Win

This step is not optional. Your brain needs positive reinforcement to stay motivated around money.

Find ONE financial win from this month:

Did you book a new client?

Did you raise your prices?

Did you pay off a debt?

Did you save money on an expense?

Did you hit a revenue milestone?

Did you pay yourself consistently?

Did you finally cancel that subscription you weren’t using?

My financial win this month:

Why it matters:

Write it down. Say it out loud. Tell someone. Wins count, even small ones.

Step 6: Set One Financial Goal for Next Month

Not five goals. Not a complete financial overhaul. ONE specific, measurable goal.

Examples of good monthly money goals:

• Increase revenue by $500
• Cut expenses by $100
• Raise prices for new clients
• Pay myself $1,000 (or whatever your target is)
• Save $250 for taxes
• Book 2 new recurring clients
• Cancel 3 unused subscriptions
• Create a separate business savings account

My ONE financial goal for next month:

How I’ll measure success:

Specific actions I’ll take:

When to Schedule Your Monthly Money Date

Consistency matters more than timing. Pick a day and time that works for you and protect it.

Popular options:

Last day of the month: Review the month that just ended while it’s fresh.

First day of the month: Start fresh with a clear picture of where you stand.

Last Sunday of the month: Combine it with your Sunday Success System planning.

My Monthly Money Date is scheduled for:

Day: _______________ Time: _______________Put it in your calendar now. Recurring. Non-negotiable. Like a client appointment you can’t cancel.

Tools to Make Your Money Date Easier

You don’t need fancy software, but having the right tools helps.

For tracking income and expenses:

• QuickBooks Self-Employed ($15/month)
• Wave (free)
• FreshBooks ($17+/month)
• Simple spreadsheet (free)

For accepting payments:

• Square (2.6% + $0.10 per transaction)
• Stripe (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction)
• PayPal (2.89% + $0.49 per transaction)

For pet business management:

• Time To Pet (includes invoicing)
• Pet Sitter Plus (includes invoicing)
• Precise Petcare (includes invoicing)

Pro tip: Use software that categorizes expenses automatically. Manual entry is a barrier to consistency.

Common Money Date Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake 1: Skipping months when you’re “too busy.”

Busy months are the MOST important months to review. That’s when expenses creep up and you make emotional decisions.

Mistake 2: Only looking at revenue.

Revenue is vanity. Profit is sanity. A $10K month with $9,500 in expenses isn’t success.

Mistake 3: Not separating business and personal finances.

If you’re still running everything through one account, fix this immediately. You can’t manage what you can’t see clearly.

Mistake 4: Beating yourself up about the numbers.

Your Money Date is for observation and action, not shame. Whatever the numbers are, you can improve them. But only if you look at them without judgment first.

Mistake 5: Reviewing without taking action.

Information without action is just anxiety fuel. Every Money Date should end with at least one specific action step.

What Happens When You Commit to Monthly Money Dates

After just three months of consistent Money Dates:

You stop being surprised. No more “where did all my money go?” moments. You know exactly where it went.

You make better decisions. Should you buy that new equipment? Take that training? Hire that VA? You’ll know because you know your numbers.

You catch problems early. That expense creeping up? That revenue dipping? You’ll see it in month one, not month six.

You pay yourself consistently. Because you’ve built it into your financial awareness.

You feel confident. Money stops being this scary mystery. It becomes a tool you know how to use.

You grow faster. Because you’re making decisions based on data, not guesses.

The Valentine’s Day Connection

Here’s the thing. February is all about love. And if you want to build a business you actually love, you have to eliminate what’s making you resent it.

The Energy Audit is an act of self-care. It’s looking at your business honestly and saying, “What’s not working for me anymore?”

You deserve a business that energizes you. You deserve clients who appreciate you. You deserve systems that support you instead of frustrating you.

But you have to identify what’s draining you first.

Your Challenge This Week

Block 30 minutes. Work through the five categories. Identify your top three energy drains. Take ONE action on each.

That’s it. One Energy Audit. Three actions.

Your future self will thank you.

Ready to build a pet business that actually gives you energy instead of draining it?

The Monthly Money Date is just the beginning. If you’re serious about scaling sustainably to $10K+ months without burning out, let’s talk strategy.

Book your free Strategy Session at www.10kmonthcall.com and let’s map out your path to a business you love.