Question

You are the payables accountant for a medium sized electrical contracting company. You are paying bills with purchase discounts but can't take advantage of them because the cash balance in the checking account is low. You approached your boss with a suggestion that the company borrow money at the bank so you can pay the bills in time to take the discounts. Your boss thinks you are a little crazy to recommend borrowing from the bank (currently charging 6% interest) to take advantage of 1-2% discounts.
Write him a memorandum laying out your suggestion and justifying your suggested course of action.
Respond to two other student's posts.
Use actual numbers in your memo. For example, if you need to borrow money to pay a $10,000 bill that offers terms of 2/10, n/30 and the loan's interest rate is 6%.

Answer 1

Answer:

Memo

To: The Finance Manager

From: The Payables Accountant

Subject: Bank Loan to Pay Suppliers

Date: October 5, 2020

The above subject on our previous discussion refers.

This memo clarifies the advantage of borrowing from our bank the sum of $100,000 in order to offset the account of our supplier who has offered us the trade terms of 2/10, n/30.

Recall that the bank loan's interest rate is 6% per annum.  If we borrow within the month and repay 30 days after, the interest cost will be $500 ($100,000 * 6%/12).

You can compare this to the discount we shall receive from the supplier totaling $2,000 ($100,000 * 2%).  We can even extend the bank loan to 2 months, thereby paying a total interest cost of $1,000 ($500 * 2).

The implication is that we shall be making some gains by taking advantage of the cash discount.  May you approve the loan based on this clarifications.

Regards,

Tony Ohagwam

Explanation:

This memorandum attempts to justify the request for a bank loan in order to settle the bill of one of our company's suppliers.  It demonstrates the huge financial benefits that are implicit in accepting cash discounts from suppliers.