Top 10 Christmas Cashflow Ideas for NZ Business | Real Asset Finance

As the festive season approaches, New Zealand SMEs face unique cashflow challenges and opportunities. Implementing smart strategies now can set your business up for a strong start to the new year. Here are the top five cash improvement strategies every SME should consider—each designed to boost liquidity and resilience. Ready to take action? Contact Real Asset Finance today to discuss how these solutions can work for your business.

1. Reduce Overstaffing

Review your staffing levels to ensure you’re not carrying excess wage costs. Streamlining your team can free up significant cash, especially during quieter periods. Consider flexible staffing options to match demand without sacrificing service quality.

2. Tighter Debt Collection

Accelerate your receivables by implementing stricter debt collection processes. Prompt follow-ups and clear payment terms help ensure you get paid faster, improving your cash position and reducing bad debt risk.

3. Reduce Work in Progress

Monitor ongoing projects and jobs to avoid tying up cash in unfinished work. Completing projects efficiently and invoicing promptly means more cash in your account and less locked up in operations.

4. Payables Delay

Negotiate longer payment terms with suppliers where possible. Delaying outflows—without harming supplier relationships—can help you maintain a healthy cash buffer during peak spending periods.

5. Stock Control

Optimise your inventory to avoid overstocking and unnecessary cash outlays. Regular stock reviews and smarter purchasing decisions ensure you only invest in what you need, when you need it.

Finance Solutions to Support Your Cashflow

Consider these tailored finance options to further strengthen your cash position:

1. Cashflow Loan

A cashflow loan provides immediate working capital to cover seasonal expenses, payroll, or unexpected costs. These loans are typically unsecured and can be approved quickly, helping your business manage fluctuations in income and outgoings. They’re ideal for bridging short-term gaps and ensuring you have the funds needed to operate smoothly. You can expect a solution within 24 hours, Typically you can raise up to 70% of your monthly turnover as a loan.  Repayments depend on  your cashflow.  They can range from daily, weekly to monthly.  Terms can be short or spread out to 3 years.  We can pick the most suitable for you.

2. Invoice Finance

Invoice finance allows you to unlock cash tied up in unpaid invoices. Instead of waiting for customers to pay, you can access a percentage up to 90% of the invoice value upfront. This improves your cashflow and reduces the risk of late payments impacting your operations. It’s especially useful for businesses with long payment cycles or those experiencing rapid growth and have specific large invoices that would suit realising the value now to match cash needs.  The options here are numerous.  Some lenders can apply they system over your accounts so when you need it you check a box and the funds are released.  Others will work on the invoices you upload for payment.  To implement this solution is a few days.

3. Debtor Finance

Debtor finance is a flexible funding solution based on your accounts receivable. It works similarly to invoice finance but can be structured to provide ongoing access to funds as you raise new invoices. This helps maintain steady cashflow and supports business expansion without taking on additional debt. The big benefit is the first drawdown releases up to 80% of you Accounts receivable up to 60 days. Providing a lump sum then weekly cash releases on invoices raised.  A great tool for businesses facing growth or who deal with large corporates who may delay payments until end or charge you for earlier payment.  Debtor finance is typically cheaper than Sales discounting or the rates for invoices to be paid earlier. To set up this product will take a few weeks so best get onto it if your thinking about this.

4. Equity Release

Equity release enables you to leverage the value of your business assets—such as property and equipment—to access cash. This can be a strategic way to fund growth, invest in new opportunities, or cover seasonal expenses without selling assets outright.   The benefit is the asset is yours, and the rates are lower than other cashflow solutions.  With Asset Finance equity release the rule of thumb is to release up to 60% of the asset market value. The term can be anywhere up to 5 – 7 years, seasonalised around your cashflow cycle.  Rates are competitive. Time to set up is a few days from initial discussion and onboarding. For an estimate try using our Asset Checker app to give you a value and finance estimate.  Note its based on 100% so you would need to scale back to 60% of the values.

5. Debt Restructure

Debt restructure involves consolidating existing loans or renegotiating repayment terms to reduce monthly outgoings and improve cashflow. This can help you manage multiple debts more efficiently, lower interest costs, and free up cash for other business needs.  This is a full assessment, look at forecast and plans and decide best options.  We can use existing assets or use any of the features mentioned above.  The outcome is cashflow for your business, lower loan payments and confidence you have cleared the short term  business debts and  have a stable platform moving into 2026.

Take Action Now

Don’t let cashflow concerns dampen your Christmas spirit or business growth. Contact Real Asset Finance today for a personalised discussion on implementing these finance solutions. Secure your business’s financial future and start the new year with confidence.