---
title: Maverick Spending: Definition and How It Works | Aavenir
url: https://aavenir.com/glossary/maverick-spending/
description: Maverick spending is buying outside agreed procurement policy, such as from non preferred suppliers or off contract, which loses negotiated savings and adds risk.
updated: 2026-11-07
---

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# What is maverick spending?

Maverick spending is buying outside agreed procurement policy, such as from non preferred suppliers or off contract, which loses negotiated savings and adds risk.

## Common forms

- Buying from a supplier with no contract when a contracted one exists

- Paying rates other than those agreed

- Skipping requisition and purchase order steps

- Splitting purchases to stay below approval limits

- Using personal cards for business purchases outside policy

## Why it is a problem

Maverick spending ranges from small leakage on negotiated contracts to unregulated buying across the business. Either way, the company loses pre negotiated rates and may miss the volume that earns discounts, which can itself breach a contract with a minimum commitment. Unapproved suppliers bring operational, security and reputational risk, and the spending is hard to see until it shows up in the accounts.

## How to reduce it

Make the right way the easy way: clear policy, a simple request process, catalogs of contracted suppliers and quick approvals. Then check. [Invoiceflow](https://aavenir.com/solutions/accounts-payable-automation/) compares invoices with the contract and purchase order, so off contract rates and suppliers surface before payment, and [invoice to contract compliance](https://aavenir.com/use-cases/invoice-to-contract-compliance/) shows where spend leaks.

## Signs to look for

- Payments to suppliers that are not on the approved list

- Invoices with no purchase order

- Many small purchases just below an approval limit

- Rates on invoices that differ from contracted rates

## Keep reading

[Indirect spend Indirect spend is money spent on goods and services that keep a business running, such as supplies, software and facilities, but do not go into its products. Read more](https://aavenir.com/glossary/indirect-spend-in-procurement/)[Procurement analytics Procurement analytics is gathering, classifying and analyzing purchasing data from many sources to produce insights that improve sourcing, suppliers and spend. Read more](https://aavenir.com/glossary/procurement-analytics/)[Approved supplier An approved supplier is a vendor that has passed the buyer's qualification, or won a formal tender, for set goods or services, so purchases of those items go to it. Read more](https://aavenir.com/glossary/approved-supplier/)

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

## Common questions

###

### What causes maverick spending?

Usually a process that feels slow or unclear, people not knowing which suppliers are contracted, or urgent needs. Sometimes it is deliberate, to avoid approval limits. [Read about approved suppliers](https://aavenir.com/glossary/approved-supplier/).

###

### How do you detect maverick spending?

Compare spend data with contracts and approved supplier lists, and check invoice rates against agreed rates. Purchases without a purchase order and payments to new suppliers are common signs. [See Invoiceflow](https://aavenir.com/solutions/accounts-payable-automation/).

###

### Is maverick spending always bad?

Not always. It can show that a contracted supplier is not meeting needs or that policy is too rigid. Treat it as a signal to fix the process as well as a compliance issue. [Read about procurement analytics](https://aavenir.com/glossary/procurement-analytics/).

Have a question we have not answered? [Ask the Expert](https://aavenir.com/contact/)

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