Consumer debt is a growing, multi-faceted phenomenon in the U.S. But debt amounts to much more than an inability to honor one’s financial obligations. The lack of financial well-being may cause social, physical and emotional stress. The 2019 CarefulCents Debt Stress Study explores the relationship between consumer debt and stress in the U.S., using findings …
Competition is fiercer than ever amongst potential job seekers, which begs the question: how do you make your resume stand out? Being able to apply online has made life much easier for job seekers. But that sword has a double edge: it’s also increased the number of potential job seekers. On average, each corporate job offer attracts 250 …
When I first started my freelance business, I didn’t have money to hire an accountant. I also didn’t want to spend a lot of money to buy accounting software like QuickBooks. I was looking for free accounting software for small businesses. What I needed was a comprehensive tool that could help me manage expenses and income, …
Wave Accounting Review: Free Accounting Software for Your Small Business Read More
As a small business owner one of your biggest concerns is likely how to pay yourself. Being well-compensated is a big part of feeling valued, confident and productive. Now, think back to the first paycheck you ever received. If your experience was anything like mine you were probably in your late teens or early twenties, …
How Much to Pay Yourself as a Small Business Owner (the Exact Formula) Read More
There are lots of online accounting choices for freelancers and small business owners. Because of this, it can make it difficult to pinpoint which one will work best for your personal business. Sometimes this means finding a local CPA or accountant who can handle the books for you. Or perhaps hiring a freelance bookkeeper to …
Xero Accounting Review: DIY Software to Be Your Own Bookkeeper Read More
Trying to find affordable self-employed health insurance options isn’t easy. There are many choices but not all of them are within your budget. This can make it frustrating to figure out whether or not good health insurance coverage is worth breaking the bank. #1 Self Employed Health Insurance Pick! eHealthInsurance.com is the most popular self employed health …
10 Affordable Self-Employed Health Insurance Options When You’re on a Budget Read More
When it comes to personal finances and budgeting, Personal Capital is a very popular favorite. And with good reason! But what about managing your business finances? Personal Capital isn’t tailored for small business accounting, calculating quarterly taxes, monitoring your cash flow, or for viewing year-end tax reports. That’s when to GoDaddy Bookkeeping (previously called Outright) …
GoDaddy Bookkeeping Review (for 2019): Organize Your Business Read More
Finding ways to lower health insurance costs when self-employed is tough. There are many different options available, but finding an affordable one can seem impossible. The good news is that eHealthInsurance is one of the best ways to compare prices and different insurance plans. So you can find the best rate for the coverage you need! If you’re …
eHealthInsurance Review: Lower Your Health Insurance Costs Read More
Sifting through multiple small business accounting systems is time-consuming and quite the headache. And I should know! As an ex-accountant and small business advocate it’s my job to test out different programs and share my honest findings. The good news is that I don’t mind putting in the work so you don’t have to. I’m …
Testing out the top business apps to use as a freelancer can take a lot of time. The good news though, is that I’ve done the work for you! After spending several years as a self-employed biz owner myself, and working with a team of 3-4 people, I’ve tested out lots of different tools and …
Top Business Apps: 15 Apps That Will Make You Insanely Productive Read More
Are you looking for the best small business payroll program that won’t break the bank? Here’s why you need to try Gusto Payroll services. Finding the best small business payroll service isn’t always easy or cheap. It takes time to research the best programs, find the features you’ll actually use, and then stay tax compliant. …
Are you ready to form an LLC so you can grow your business? You’ve come to the right place! This post explains how and why you’ll want to become an LLC versus doing business under your name and personal Social Security number. The best way to protect your personal information is to form an LLC …
Becoming an LLC: How to Form an LLC Online in 30 Minutes Read More
You’ve heard a lot about QuickBooks Online. But you’ve been searching for something better, with more features and that’s not as complicated to use. You want a version of Intuit’s accounting software that’s made for self-employed business owners. Something like, QuickBooks Self-Employed, maybe? BOOM! It looks like your prayers have been answered. Here is my …
QuickBooks Self-Employed Review: Tax Software for Business Owners Read More
No matter what type of business you’ve built it’s vital you find accounting software that keeps tracks of your business income and expenses. And that’s where FreshBooks comes in! Over the years, FreshBooks has offered many different iterations of their software. The great thing though is that compared to other complicated accounting programs (like QuickBooks …
FreshBooks Review 2018: Try Cloud Accounting Software Free for 60 Days Read More
This post was originally written back in April of 2013, by Catherine Alford (a contributor to the site at the time) and has since been updated over the years. In the past, you could craft an article and pitch it to the editors at the Huffington Post, or even Arianna herself. Or you could submit …
How do you know if QuickBooks Online or QuickBooks Self-Employed is the best bookkeeping software for your business? This is a question we’ve seen asked quite a bit here at Careful Cents — especially since QuickBooks Self-Employed is much cheaper. When Intuit rolled out QuickBooks Self-Employed (also called QBSE for short), freelancers and independent contractors …
QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Self-Employed (2019 Compared) Read More
Improving your life as a small business owner starts by making small but positive changes. There are so many aspects of our lives that need to be taken care of: health, financial, social, personal and business. Some days it can feel overwhelming trying to balance everything and still find enjoyment in your work. One of …
How to Improve Your Life by Tracking Every Tiny Business Expense Read More
Is this the year you’re finally committing to starting a new business? Are you struggling to find ways to fund your business because of money issues? Well I have some good news! This post provides a simple business checklist for starting a new business even when you don’t have money upfront. According to a study by the …
5 Tips for Starting a New Business With No Money (free checklist!) Read More
Should you be an LLC or an S Corp? Figuring out the difference between an LLC vs S Corp can be tough. Each decision comes with a different tax liability which effects your bottom line. That’s why you absolutely have to choose the best business entity, or risk losing all your hard-earned money on paying …
LLC vs S Corp: A Step-by-Step Guide for Choosing the Best Small Business Entity Read More
In recent months I’ve been on a mission to make my business legit. In my last post I talked about becoming an LLC and operating as a single-member business owner. Today, I’m excited to talk about out opening my first official business checking account! In the past I’ve had personal bank accounts with a DBA …
How to Open a Business Bank Account Online as an LLC Read More
Have you ever wished that there was something that could handle ALL of your financial information in one place? If you’re anything like me you probably use multiple tools for your business and personal finances, as well as a spreadsheet to monitor expenses. In other words, your finances are anything but streamlined and simple! Thankfully, …
Cinch Review 2018: Manage Your Entire Financial Life in One Place Read More
Dealing with a stressful business can make you question why you wanted to be a business owner in the first place. I get it. I’ve struggled with this too. So today I’m sharing a few ways to successfully deal with a stressful career by engaging in self-care — that you can do for cheap (or …
5 Awesome Self-Care Tips for Dealing With a Stressful Business Read More
Facing businss cash flow issues is tough. It’s a cycle that’s hard to stop once it’s start. But don’t worry, there are a few things you can do to finally get paid on time! In order to get back to a positive place with your money, the first step is to get your cash flow …
How to Stop Business Cash Flow Problems and Finally Get Paid on Time Read More
Being self-employed is tough enough without having to learn how to budget with irregular income. But today, you’re going to learn how to properly budget for success! Without this skill, your business could be making you broke. You’re not alone in this feeling — it’s something we all deal with as small business owners. It’s …
[Budget Worksheet] How to Budget With Irregular Income to Avoid Going Broke Read More
To succeed as your own boss often seems like an up-hill battle. There are many ups-and-downs you’ll face and it can feel like you won’t be able to survive them all. How do I know this? When you’re self-employed you experience major peaks and valleys. Self-employment isn’t easy. When you work for yourself you tend …
How to Survive the Ups-and-Downs to Succeed as Your Own Boss Read More