burn rate

:  the rate at which someone or something (such as a corporation) uses up available funds We had incorporation documents, employment contracts, nondisclosure agreements, and a stock-option plan. Since only one guy was drawing a salary, I thought I could manage our burn rate for a while, but I was feeling a growing sense of urgency. — Charles H. Ferguson, Fast Company, October 1999 The company has $89 million in cash and short-term investments as of January, giving it many years of a cushion even at its annual cash burn rate. — Matt Krantz, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2013