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 …
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. …
Figuring out the difference between an LLC vs S Corp can be tough. And each decision comes with a different tax liability which effects your bottom line. To wrap up this month’s theme of making my biz legit, I’m explaining exactly WHY I chose to be an LLC and NOT be taxed as an S …
As someone who was a small business accountant for over 10 years, I’ve had a lot of experience with Intuit’s QuickBooks software. And to be honest I never really liked QuickBooks. The desktop software was clunky and geared more towards inventory-based businesses. But as the years have progressed so have the offerings from different Intuit …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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. Not to mention the 15+ savings accounts that you have to manage …
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 …
Are you ready to fix your finances? In my latest video that’s exactly what I’m talking about! In the past I’ve talked about the business systems you need to take back your work day. And I’ve also explained the ten things I do every week to automate and streamline my business. These are strategies I’ve …
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 …
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 …
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? I’ve been personally experiencing major peaks and valleys for this entire year. And let’s just say, it hasn’t been …
Throughout this month I’ve been talking a lot about business burnout. I opened up about how to find your passion when you feel lost and unmotivated. Then I shared how to reduce stress and overcome feelings of burnout successfully. Finally, I explained the one true tactic I use to solve every single problem I have. …
Learning how to be a critical thinker takes time and a lot of patience. But in the end it’s the key to solving any problem that life throws at you. Life is full of obstacles, whether they’re financial issues, mental problems or physical setbacks. But in order to be a successful business owner and manage …
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, …
Learning how to reduce stress so you can recover from business burnout is key to long-term career success. The only problem is that this solution is easier said than done. While trying to manage my full-time job and my freelance business, I ended up to working about 80 hours per week. A typical day had …
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 …
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) …
Small business expenses can eat into your profits as a freelancer. In fact, in 2015 I invested a lot of time and money into growing this blog, and my skills as a freelancer. I purchased a lot of courses and bought tools, and paid a crazy amount out to freelance contractors (this was for help with social media …
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 …
This post brought to you by Chase. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Careful Cents. Over the past several years I’ve traveled and lived in places like New York, Seattle, Dallas, San Francisco, Denver, San Diego, New Orleans and countless other cities across the United States. And I did this all while …
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! How can you find good coverage when you’re on a budget? On January 1, 2014, the Affordable Care Act became fully implemented. This means individuals and employers alike are mandated to have health insurance …
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, …