Internal sources of finance

External sources of finance

Personal Funds- the use of an entrepreneur's own savings

Retained profits- profits that are held by a company to reserve in order to invest in the future

The sale of assets- selling of dormant assets (unused assets)

Equity of finance- the process of raising capital through the sale of shares

Debt finance- When a business takes out a loan that will be repaid with interest at a later time

Financial aid- monetary aid or help such as subsidies, tax allowances, loan guaranties, loans, bailouts, and grants

Other sources

share capital- money raised from selling shares in a limited liability company

venture capital- a form of high-risk capital, in the form of loan or shares, invested by venture capital firms, usually at the start of a business idea

business angel - extremely wealthy individuals who choose to invest their own money in businesses that offer high growth potential - high-return business ventures.

loan capital- medium to long term sources of finance obtained from commercial lenders

debt factoring- Debt factoring is when a business sells its accounts receivables to a third party at a discount

overdrafts- a financial service that allows a business to temporarily overdraw on its bank account

trade credit- source of finance that allows a business to postpone payments, or to 'buy now and pay later.'

leasing- form of hiring whereby a contract is agreed between a leasing company and the customer

Grants- a sum of money given by a government or other organization for a particular purpose.

Subsidies - government funds given to producers to help increase production and consumption of a good, by reducing their production costs.

Advantages:
no interest charges
Available immediately
No loss of ownership
Only available up to the amount already accumulated by the business and therefore avoids debt

advantages- Encourages the business to manage cash flow effectively

advantages- remaining private and does not have to be repaid

Disadvantages:
Amount available may be limited
Reduces payments to shareholders which may cause dissatisfaction
One used, it is not available for alternative purpose

disadvantages- for most sole traders, personal funds are insufficient, so they need to use additional sources of finance

Disadvantages:they are more time consuming than stock sales and get no established credit

advantages- common tool for expansion -no shares in the business -lower interest rates

disadvantages- limited flexibility -assets may be taken

advantages- you only borrow what you need at the time which may make it cheaper than a loan -it's quick to arrange

disadvantages- If you have to extend your overdraft, you usually have to pay an arrangement fee -the interest rate applied is nearly always variable, making it difficult to accurately calculate your borrowing costs

advantages- retain control (when you agree to debt financing from a lending institution, the lender has no say in how you manage your company) -easier planning (You know well in advance exactly how much principal and interest you will pay back each month)

disadvantages- qualification requirements (you need a good enough credit rating), you’ll need to have the financial discipline to make repayments on time

advantages- lowering prices and controlling inflation

disadvantage- potential increase in taxes

advantages- free money -gain credibility

disadvantages- time-consuming -difficult to receive -they come with restrictions and conditions

advantages- help start-up businesses get up and running -no cash required up front

disadvantages- penalties and interest -legal action if you fall behind on trade credit payments

advantages- saves time and resources

disadvantages- puts businesses in temporary debt

advantages- tax benefits -low capital expenditure

disadvantages- lease expenses -limited financial benefits -debt

advantages- lower risk, no repayment required

disadvantage- not cost-efficient, shareholders expect higher returns

advantages- free to make investment decisions quickly -no need for collateral

disadvantages- takes longer to find a suitable angel investor -giving up a share of your business

advantages- can help your business grow quickly

disadvantages- your investors earn a stake in your company