Understanding Contribution and Break-Even Point
Contribution is the money left over after you subtract variable costs from your selling price. Think of it as the amount each product "contributes" towards paying off fixed costs and eventually making profit.
The formula is simple: Contribution per unit = Selling price - Variable cost per unit. Once you know this, you can calculate total contribution by multiplying by the number of units sold.
To find your break-even point, divide your fixed costs by the contribution per unit. For example, if your fixed costs are ยฃ15,000 and each unit contributes ยฃ7.50, you need to sell 2,000 units to break even.
The margin of safety shows how much cushion you have above break-even. If you're selling 3,000 units but only need 2,000 to break even, your margin of safety is 1,000 units - the bigger this number, the safer your business position.
Quick Tip: A higher margin of safety means you're less likely to slip into making losses if sales drop unexpectedly.