What is a business expense?

An expense is the cost of operations that a company incurs to generate revenue. It is simply defined as the cost one is required to spend on obtaining something. As the popular saying goes, “it costs money to make money.” Common expenses include payments to suppliers, employee wages, factory leases, and equipment depreciation.

What is economic cost?

Economic Cost. Economic cost includes both the actual direct costs (accounting costs) plus the opportunity cost. For example, if you take time off work to a training scheme. You may lose a weeks pay of £350, plus also have to pay the direct cost of £200. Thus the total economic cost = £550.

What is an expense in accounting?

An expense is a type of expenditure that flows through the income statement and is deducted from revenue to arrive at net income. Due to the accrual principle in accounting, expenses are recognized when they are incurred, not necessarily when they are paid for. As the diagram above illustrates, there are several types of expenses.