Struggle with your B&B financial dashboard? In this episode, I’ll explain revenue, profit, and cash flow in plain English.

👉 Before we dive in, don’t forget to subscribe and ring the bell so you don’t miss the next episode—especially if you’ve ever wondered what your numbers are really trying to tell you.

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Running a bed and breakfast is part warm scones, part warm welcomes—and part spreadsheets. Whether you love numbers or feel like Excel might secretly be judging you, this post is your cheat sheet for understanding your B&B’s financial dashboard… no finance degree required.

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Oh, and stay tuned for a quick mental hack at the end that’ll change the way you look at your finances—promise!

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🧭 What Is Your Financial Dashboard?

Imagine your B&B’s financial dashboard like the dashboard of your car. You don’t need to know how the engine works—you just need to know when to hit the brakes, when to fuel up, and whether you’re heading in the right direction.

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Your financial dashboard includes key figures like:

• Revenue (how much is coming in)

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• Occupancy rate

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• Average Daily Rate (ADR)

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• Profit margin

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• Cash flow

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• Expenses (fixed and variable)

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Quick question: Do you check your numbers weekly, monthly, or just hope for the best? (Be honest—we’ve all had those “ostrich with its head in the sand” weeks.)

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💷 Know Your Revenue (But More Importantly, Know Where It Comes From)

Let’s start with the fun number: money in!

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Revenue includes all the money you’ve earned from room bookings, add-ons (like breakfast baskets or local tours), and maybe even selling your famous homemade chutney.

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👉 But here’s the trick: Track each revenue stream separately.

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Why? Because you might discover your breakfast picnic baskets make more profit than your deluxe room upgrade. And that’s your cue to adjust focus.

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Usable Tip: Use a simple spreadsheet or app to list each revenue stream with monthly totals. You’ll spot patterns faster than a guest spots free Wi-Fi.

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🛏️ The Numbers That REALLY Matter: Occupancy & ADR

Two numbers that can make or break your B&B’s income:

1. Occupancy Rate – the percentage of your rooms that are booked

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    2. Average Daily Rate (ADR) – the average price you’re charging per room

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These are the heartbeat of your pricing strategy.

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Let’s play a game: Which do you think brings more income?

• 80% occupancy at $90/night

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• 65% occupancy at $120/night

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(Spoiler: The second one brings in more with less work. Pricing smarter wins over hustling harder.)

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Usable Tip: Adjust your rates based on seasons and events. And track what works!

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🎧 Hear more about pricing strategies on the Bed, Breakfast & Business Podcast → https://bedsbreakfastsbusiness.com/podcast

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💸 Expenses: The Silent Profit Eaters

Not all expenses are created equal.

You’ve got:

• Fixed expenses (mortgage, insurance, utilities)

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• Variable expenses (food, cleaning supplies, laundry)

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The Mastering B&B Management course recommends reviewing monthly fixed vs. variable to see what’s chewing through your profits.

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💡 If your linen bill is climbing faster than your room rates, it might be time to explore reusable options or bulk suppliers.

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Fun Fact: A typical B&B can save £700 a year by switching to in-house laundry for light loads.

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Usable Tip: Use a highlighter system—green for necessary, orange for negotiable, red for what needs reviewing ASAP.

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📈 Cash Flow: The Truth Behind “Busy Doesn’t Mean Profitable”

You can be fully booked and still be broke. Yep, really.

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Cash flow shows whether money is coming in when you need it. That big summer rush might look good on paper—but if your bills are due in February, that’s trouble.

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Tip from the Mastering B&B Management course: Set aside 10–15% of peak season income in a separate “slow season” savings pot.

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And remember: your suppliers don’t care that it’s low season—they still want to get paid!

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📺 We cover this in more detail on the Beds, Breakfast & Business YouTube channel → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5VwRkN8BEKVfW8OcFr-MWQ

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💡 Profit Margin: The Most Important Number You’re Ignoring

Profit margin = what’s left after expenses.

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If your revenue is £8,000/month but your expenses are £7,500, you’re not running a B&B—you’re running a very fancy volunteer programme.

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Aim for at least a 20–30% margin, depending on your location and seasonality. That gives you wiggle room for surprises (like the time the boiler exploded the night before the bank holiday).

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Usable Tip: Calculate this monthly. If margins are shrinking, dig into expenses or raise your ADR.

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📱 Grab more free tools on our website → https://bedsbreakfastsbusiness.com

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🧠 A Mental Hack to Make It All Easier

Here’s your teaser tip!

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Name your budget categories like rooms. Don’t call it “Expenses”, call it “Room 6: Bills That Bite.” Give “Revenue” a name like “Room 1: Money Magic.” It makes reviewing numbers feel more like checking on guests—less dread, more familiarity.

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Try it and tell us in the comments if it helped!

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What’s one number on your dashboard you know you should check more often?

Drop a comment below.

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Here Are Your Key Takeaways

• Track income by source
• Watch occupancy & ADR
• Cut sneaky expenses
• Cash flow matters
• Name your budget rooms!

 

In Conclusion

Running a B&B doesn’t require you to become a financial analyst. You just need to know where to look—and how to listen when your numbers whisper, “Help me.”

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Once you master your dashboard, you’ll spend less time stressing and more time enjoying the life you built.

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📚 Want more help? Our “Build Your B&B: From Dream to Doors Open” course gives you step-by-step guidance for making your numbers work for you.

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And if you liked this episode, you’ll love our post on “What B&B Insurance Do You Need For Your Property?”, Episode 84. You can find the episode on the Beds, Breakfasts & Business website.

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💌 Subscribe for more value-packed blogs and episodes, and if you found this helpful, buy us a coffee. It helps us keep the lights (and kettle) on.