How to track utang without losing money or your suki

September 29, 2026 · 3 min read

Almost every sari-sari store gives utang. The stores that stay open are the ones that write it down properly and collect it on time.

Why utang goes wrong

The problem is rarely one big debt. It is many small ones that nobody added up. Twenty customers owing ₱150 each is ₱3,000 of your stock money sitting in other people’s houses. That is money you cannot use to restock.

• The amount is remembered, not written down.
• The notebook has no dates, so nobody knows how old a debt is.
• Payments are not recorded, so the customer and the owner disagree.
• There is no limit, so one customer keeps adding.

A simple system that works

Write it at the moment of sale

Record the name, the date, what was taken and the amount while the customer is still there. Not later. If you wait until the evening, you will forget items.

Set a limit per customer

Decide a maximum balance, for example ₱500, and tell your customers. When they reach it, they pay first before borrowing again. A clear rule is easier to enforce than a feeling.

Agree on when they pay

Most regulars pay on sweldo day. Write that down too. A weekly reminder on payday brings in more than chasing people at random.

Record partial payments

When someone pays ₱200 of a ₱500 balance, record it with the date. Both of you should always be able to see what is left.

Know your total utang every week

Once a week, add up everything owed to you. If the total keeps growing while your sales stay the same, you are lending out your capital. Tighten the limits before it gets worse.

Doing it on your phone

In Tindro, you choose the customer at checkout and pay with Utang. The balance updates by itself, every payment is recorded with the date and who took it, and a “May utang” list shows everyone who still owes you. With the SMS add-on, customers can get a reminder of what they owe.

Questions