Running a small business in Australia right now can feel like trying to keep your umbrella up in a cyclone —rising costs, tighter margins, and more red tape than a Christmas gift-wrapping station. With 75 per cent of small businesses expecting the cost of doing business to increase in 2025, it’s clear many small biz owners are bracing for another tough year.

But it doesn’t need to be all doom and gloom.  Taking a proactive approach to your expenses now can help you with future challenges. And here’s the good news: you don’t need to go full Scrooge to stay afloat.

Here are three areas where you can cut the fat and keep your business lean, mean and running clean.

1. Rethink your subscriptions (yep, even that fancy Canva Pro account)

Be honest—when was the last time you did a deep dive into all the software and subscriptions your business is signed up to?

Between design tools, project management apps, social schedulers, and that mysterious $19-a-month charge you swear you never signed up for, the dollars can stack up fast. And you’re not alone—many Aussie small businesses are haemorrhaging cash through unused or duplicate tech.

What to do:

Block out half an hour this week to go through your bank and credit card statements.

Cancel anything you haven’t used in the last two months.

Consolidate tools where you can—many platforms now offer multi-functionality (for example, Notion or Zoho).

Don’t be afraid to switch to the free version. Unless you’re using advanced features daily, basic might do the trick.

And remember: just because it’s tax deductible doesn’t mean it’s worth keeping!

Get your energy bills under control (without working in the dark)

Power prices have shot up faster than a kookaburra at breakfast, and small businesses are feeling the burn. According to Capify, rising utility costs are one of the top concerns for Aussie SMEs in 2025. But don’t worry—you don’t have to resort to cold tea and candlelight just yet.

What to do:

Switch providers: Use a comparison site and see if there’s a better deal out there. Many businesses just… forget. Don’t be one of them.

Go LED if you haven’t already. It’s a bit of a no-brainer, but some shops and cafés still haven’t made the switch.

Install timers and sensors—especially useful for retail or shared office spaces where lights or aircon get left on overnight.

Tap into government rebates: There’s a $150 energy rebate for small businesses that you can apply for right now. That’s a chunk of your next bill sorted.

Don’t forget to get your staff involved. Make it a challenge—who can come up with the best energy-saving idea gets a coffee shout.

3. Get friendly with your suppliers

This one’s not about being ruthless—it’s about being smart. If you’ve been ordering from the same supplier for years without a chat about pricing, you could be leaving money on the table. A lot of small businesses are finding better deals simply by asking.

What to do:

Reach out and ask for a loyalty discount. You’d be surprised how many suppliers are willing to reward long-term customers, especially if you pay on time.

See if you can get a better rate by buying in bulk or bundling products together.

Chat with other small biz owners in your network and see if you can band together for a group deal—strength in numbers!

And if your supplier’s costs have gone up too (which they probably have), see if there’s another way to work together—maybe a longer payment term, or different shipping schedule to cut freight costs.

Cut cleverly, not desperately

Look, no one loves trimming costs, especially when you’re already running a lean ship. However, making adjustments to your budget now could put you in a better position should lean times continue. The key is to be strategic. Don’t just slash and burn. Make decisions based on data. You’ve built a solid business. Now’s the time to make it smarter.

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