When starting a new small business, much of your focus is on startup costs which will consume a large portion of your first year’s budget. To name but a few: new insurance premiums such as liability, workers’ compensation and, depending on the industry, auto insurance, possibly for multiple vehicles, may require large sums. There may be security deposits if renting a location, down payments on assets required for your business, or preparing to make payments on a newly acquired small business loan.

During this startup phase, be careful to keep your operational expenses at a minimum wherever and whenever possible. Payroll will likely be one of your bigger expenses. If you’re starting small and taking on the burden of responsibilities to run your company, your payroll expense is probably already at its lowest. However, if your industry requires a staff to be out in the field, there’s a good chance your payroll expense is on the high side as you strive to make ends meet.

Review your business operations to see where you can cut back and save. One common solution among small business owners is hiring an independent contractor to “pay as you go” when the task does not need to be completed by a permanent full-time employee. Savings in payroll expenses can be reinvested in your company as you get off the ground.

And as your customer base grows, any savings will contribute to a steady paycheck for yourself.