Medium-term finance refers to money used to pay for assets the business will use for one to five years.
KEYWORDS Delivery Van Equipment Machinery
Sources of medium-term finance:
Medium-term loan: A loan from a bank or credit union that is repaid with interest in regular instalments over one to five years. Reason to use it: A business can buy an asset in full straight away and spread the cost
over the time it will use it. Drawback: The loan must be repaid with interest, so the business pays back more than
it borrowed.
Hire purchase: A business pays a deposit and then makes regular instalments. It can use the asset straight away but does not own it until the final payment is made.
Reason to use it: A business can use the asset immediately without having to pay the
full cost upfront. Drawback: The business does not own the asset until all payments are complete.
Leasing: A business rents an asset and makes regular payments for its use. It never takes ownership of the asset.
Reason to use it: A business can use an asset without the high upfront cost of buying it
outright. Drawback: The business never owns the asset, regardless of how long it has been
paying.
Always match the type of finance to the purpose of the purchase. TOP TIP
Short-term finance should only be used to pay for day-to-day items, such as paying for stock, wages or bills.
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STRAND 2 CHAPTER 24: Sources of finance and the cash flow budget