I'm trying to prepare a merchandise purchases budget with this information:

Weltin Industrial Gas Corporation supplies acetylene and other compressed gases to industry.
Sales are budgeted at $390,000 for November, $370,000 for December and $380,000 for January.
The company purchases 70% of it's merchandise in the month prior to the sale, and 30% in the month of the sale. Payment for merchandise is made the month following the purchase.
COGS is 60% of sales
Other monthly expenses paid in cash= $21,000
Monthly depreciation= $18,000

Assets:
Cash: 25,000
A/R: 71,000
Inventory: 163,000
Property: 1,088,000
Total Assets: 1,347,800

I can't figure out how to adjust COGS, and use the inventory to come up with a budget for November and December. Please help!

I've answered a very similar question to this. Read through this and see if it helps. I'll check back later to see how you are doing. If you'll post what you come up with, we can check it for you.

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/accounting/prepare-merchandise-purchases-budget-november-december-525821.html

Thanks, I understand how to put together the purchases budget for the first month, but I'm confused about how to calculate the second month's. Do I still take 70% of out of the new inventory of 155,400?

Right. You take the 70% that was purchased in November and is sitting in inventory, plus you buy the other 30% needed for December in December, and you buy the 70% needed for January. Remember that those are your purchases, but your payment is on a different schedule.

Ok, so for December I got $226,200. Please let me know if it is correct. As far as setting up the budget, I want to make sure I'm putting things in the right areas. There are four lines which I have to fill in. Right now I have beginning inventory first, the november's budget and then decembers budget. Lastly I have the total cash disbursements. Is this OK? Thank you!

Ok, so for December I got $226,200. Please let me know if it is correct. As far as setting up the budget, I want to make sure I'm putting things in the right areas. There are four lines which I have to fill in. Right now I have beginning inventory first, the november's budget and then decembers budget. Lastly I have the total cash disbursements. Is this OK? Thank you!

$226,200 is correct.

In reading your question, you are asking about a Merchandises Purchases budget. At this point, the $226,200 is what you are looking for in the month of December.

I remember seeing another similar question where the problem then went on to ask for more - such as a cash flow projection, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, etc. The cash flow projection is where your cash disbursements come into play. Is that the way your problem is worded? When you say there are four lines to fill in, do you have a spreadsheet you need to complete? Are there any headings or descriptions?

The heading says prepare a Merchandise Purchases budget for November and December.
Looks kind of like this:

November December
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Total cash disembursements_________________


I have to fill in the three lines

But, the months are off the right as a heading

Okay, so it is specifically asking for the Cash Disbursements. I suppose the lines are a little subject to interpretation, but the way I see it is that you are looking for purchases that need to be made for your Purchases Budget. To me, that is the 30% for the current month, the 70% for the following month, and the total - in this case your Dec number of $226,200 is the total.

I understand the months are across the spreadsheet. It's hard to show that in here, but I knew what you meant.

Thanks :] With the three lines that I have do I use inventory, then November, then December? Or how should I title them?

I'm thinking you would have: (I'll show for December, but you also need Nov)


...........................................Decembe r
30% of current month.............$ 66,000
70% for following month............159,600
Total purchases.....................$226,200


I say this because your goal is to show the amount that needs to be purchased in a given month. The inventory amount was purchased in the previous month.

Thank you! That will give me a blank line though. Sorry I didn't explain well. I have three lines to fill in, and the fourth line is titled "total cash disembursements"

I didn't add your 4th line in as I was just responding to your question about the purchases part of this question. I would show it this way:

...........................................Decembe r
30% of current month.............$ 66,000
70% for following month............159,600
Total purchases.....................$226,200
Total cash disbursements .......$xxx,xxx

The cash disbursements would be what you paid for purchases in the month of December, versus the Total purchases being what you ordered. Per the problem, it says that payments are made the month following the purchase. If you want to compute that, I will check it.

Ok thank you! Do I add together the total purchases from November and December to find the total cash disbursements? If that is how to do it I got $451800

I would show them by month. You are right about the total amount. I'm wondering though - you said the spreadsheet shows only Nov and Dec headings? Your payments will be in Dec (for Nov) and Jan (for Dec). I'd much rather do my own spreadsheet than what they are asking - I tend to get a little detailed though. If you don't have a column for January on your spreadsheet, they must be looking for the total.

Yeah, there isn't a column for January. So how do I total the cash disbursements for each month?

Is your 4th line separated from the other three lines or does it appear directly below them? If it is separated, I think I'd go with your $451,800. Sometimes it is difficult to know exactly what they are looking for when I can't see what you have. The important thing is that I think you understand the lesson, and now it's just a question of how to show it.

It isn't separated it's directly below it.

Darn. I was hoping that wasn't the case because your cash disbursements for Nov and Dec occur in Dec and Jan. Also, if we really want total cash disbursements, don't forget the $21,000 of other monthly expenses paid in cash. I'm wondering if you can ask your teacher for some clarification. I don't particularly like the headings and unlabeled lines they show, but I tend to be overly detailed.

Next I'm making a cash budget with this information too. Could the 21,000 go into there instead?

I mentioned this earlier, but I was thinking you would be doing more on this. I went back over old posts and found several about this type of problem. This one is pretty detailed. Note that the numbers are different though, so don't use their numbers - just the concepts. :)

https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/accounting/managerial-accounting-budgets-527238.html

I think at this point I'd show the amounts to be paid in Dec and Jan for purchases, and when you do your cash budget then add the $21,000. You make a good point that it can be added then, and it really isn't part of the purchases.

It's almost midnight here and I have to work tomorrow. I think I should sign off. If you want to continue this tomorrow, I will be around. You could work on your cash budget in the meantime.

Thank you so much!