13/05/2026
Wait, is this a business expense or just a ‘treat myself’ moment? ☕️
We’ve all been there, staring at a receipt from Costa or Greggs trying to remember if that sausage roll was a subsistence cost during a client meeting or just, well, lunch.
In the eyes of HMRC, the rule is simple but strict: expenses must be “wholly and exclusively” for the purpose of your trade. Buying a laptop to run your business? Absolutely! Buying a ‘work’ wardrobe that you also wear to the pub? Unlikely.
Mixing your personal ‘Oops, I bought another plant’ spending with your business outgoings is a fast track to a chaotic Self Assessment. Let’s get it sorted before MTD deadlines hit!
Simple steps to follow:
📸 Snap your receipt straight onto you finance system as soon as it’s in your hand if it was for business.
🧾 Make a note on your receipt, like a client name, if you were at a business lunch.
✔️ Reconcile your bank account regularly while your spending is fresh in your mind.
Keep your books clean so you can spend your time growing your empire, not untangling your Tesco Meal Deal receipts!
If you have a pile of receipts in need of sorting, comment ‘EXPENSE’ below or drop me a DM and we can have a chat about how we can get it cleaned up ✨