Entrepreneurs - Organize Your Business Receipts - Increase Your Productivity and Peace of Mind

Running a small business (and keeping up with the administrative portion) can get unwieldy in a hurry. If you are starting out and looking for ways to file and organize your business receipts, here are some suggestions:

First, be careful not to make this more difficult than it needs to be. I use a fairly simple system that works great for me and may work for you, as well.

At the beginning of each year, I create 12 files, labeled (with a label maker or something other than my handwriting, which isn't too legible) January - December. I put those in my accounting drawer (which is right next to my computer). I want it to be easily-accessible when I am using the folders or when my bookkeeper is here taking care of my accounting.
Daily or whenever I have receipts that come in (when I make purchases at stores, when boxes are delivered from UPS with receipts inside, or when electronic receipts arrive, I put them all into my "To Be Processed" accounting folder. If it's something I charged on one of my credit cards, then I put it in that folder. Within that folder, I have individually-labeled folders for my two main credit cards, along with a petty cash folder, etc. 'To Be Processed" simply means that it needs to be put into my QuickBooks.
Then, weekly, either my bookkeeper or I will process all of my receipts and input the information into QuickBooksPro. As soon as the information is put into QuickBooks, I move these receipts and other documentation into the current month's receipts folder (Note: Once the final statement for the credit card comes in, I staple the corresponding receipts to that statement so it's all together in the month's receipt folder.
Then, after the month has passed, I move the folder into one of my file cabinets that is across the room from my desk so I have access to it, but it's not in my "prime real estate."
At the end of the year, I move all of the year's monthly folders to my garage file cabinet (where it's archived in case I need it) and then I start the process over with a new set of folders.
It's not fancy, but it's worked for my business for over 10 years (long before I even used QuickBooks. As much as I would hate to be audited, I would be ready with all my receipts, as needed.

Silva have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for id badge printer and great passion and knowledge for  receipt maker and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here designgiftvouchers.com

Coffee Makes Everything Better

We have finally hit the countdown till the big day. Soon the kids will be tied down nestled all snug in their beds, with visions of how to get out of bed sugarplums in their heads. Like these two in the picture. Santa doesn't look too thrilled either.

During this time of year, it is easy to kill someone get wrapped up in the commotion. Heck yesterday at Walmart, I was ready to play bumper carts. The lines are long, people's patience are nonexistent thin, and all everyone wants is for that annoying little girl to get her hippopotamus for Christmas.

Usually I am reluctant to buy things for myself, only because I have a hard time justifying it. Every year, my mother gives me a gift card from Wal-mart (Thank you, Mom and love you) and normally I would use it for my sons. This year, I bought a mini Keurig and wow!, already it is proving to be a wise purchase. In my house, we have the bad habit of brewing 12 cups of coffee, for two people. Somehow, if we don't brew the the whole pot it will taste funny. What's worse is that my husband, eyeballs it, and the coffee comes like some highly caffeinated redneck Redbull.

What a difference a perfectly brewed cup of coffee makes. Gotta love my husband though, I am awake less than 30 seconds, and he says "Did you keep the receipt on that coffee maker?", "because I put the water in, and pushed the buttons and all I got was a cold cup of slightly colored water". Hmmmmm, strange? "Did you read the directions? I smirk, knowing the answer.

I am glad that the holiday season is winding down. It has been quite the nightmare adventure. Looking forward to the weekend, when I can sleep in. Spending time with my family and of course cooking. I have hit my sugar wall, between being at work and it being Christmas. I just want a big comfortable dish of Chicken and Dumplings. Put my slippers on, curl up on the couch and enjoy a holiday film with my family.

Gould's Chicken and Dumplings

1 6 pound broiler-fryer chicken cut up
1 large sweet onion, rough chopped
4 stalks of celery, rough chopped
3 medium carrots, peeled and rough chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and slightly smashed
2 parsnips, peeled and rough chopped
2 small turnips, peeled and rough chopped
1 can chicken broth
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste(around 1 tsp of each)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
water to cover

Dumplings

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp butcher grind black pepper
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Combine all ingredients in a large pan and add enough water to cover chicken. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for two hours or until the chicken is done. Remove the chicken set aside and allow to cool. While chicken is cooling, adjust the seasonings to the broth. In a mixing bowl combine the dumpling ingredients and mix well to form a stiff dough. Set aside and allow to rest. Remove the skin from the chicken and discard the bones. On a floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into squares, and drop into simmering broth and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Add chicken back to pot and enjoy.

Margott have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for id badge printerand great passion and knowledge for  receipt maker and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here tcisecureprint.com

Business Management Tips for the Home Perfume Maker

So, the perfumes are now carefully bottled, labeled, and are set to be delivered to your buyer. But wait, is your price too low, should you factor in your delivery cost, and have you paid for your own labor? What amount of materials should you buy next? All these questions, and more, are part of the things that you should know as a small business owner, particularly in the perfume industry.

When you produced that first bottle of perfume, there must have been visions of grandeur, of knocking the socks off competition and having phenomenal sales. But as your first orders came in, you realized, it's not as easy as you thought after all! So here are some tips for keeping your sanity in your new home perfume business:

A. Keep very good records:

1.Have a notebook for all the cash that comes in (Sales), and all the money that goes out (Expenses, Purchasing of Materials, Rent, etc.) as a result of your business. Because your business is home based, there are times that your personal expenses may be mixed in with the business expenses, but proper business etiquette dictates that this should not be so. So even when you're out shopping, try to have separate receipts if the item is for your business, and a separate receipt if it's a personal expense. Keep all your receipts for your business in a separate place.

2.Have a notebook for your inventory as well. As a small "manufacturer", you will have two types of inventory, one for your finished products (perfume that is finished, bottled, but has not been sold yet), and your raw ingredients (alcohol, essential oils, empty bottles, etc.). Its good to have these at hand because there may be times when you feel you're losing money, when in actuality, they are all in inventory.

B. Try to practice fair pricing, for yourself, and for your buyers. Many home businesses fail because they did not price the products to cover for many hidden expenses. They just place a small mark-up on the total cost of the raw materials, not taking into consideration their own labor, gas or electricity expense, and other overhead costs like rent. Even if its in your own house, you have to factor rent in, because, if your business expands, then you will eventually have to pay rent, and when that happens and you are unprepared, then your costs will jack-up your price, leaving your customers none too happy. The usual rule of thumb for a manufacturing business is the total cost of materials x 3 = selling price. This should cover for all the costs. The perfume industry has a very wide price range, though, and you can increase that amount depending on your market.

C.Keep looking for potential buyers. What kind of store would likely sell your kind of perfume? What trade fairs can you participate in? Do you have contacts that can lead you to buyers? These are questions you have to keep asking yourself and the more you practice, the easier it is to recognize your niche in the home perfume market.

D.Never underestimate the value of advertising. Yes, you don't want to "commercialize" your product, but many times the expense of advertising can more than make up for itself in terms of sales. As a small business owner, with little resources, you have to be very choosey in terms of where you want your product to be advertised in. You don't need to advertise in the national newspaper, for instance, probably the city publication will do, or give some samples out at your local PTA. The possibilities are endless in terms of marketing your product.

All in all, the success of your business will rely on your determination to make it work. It takes discipline to accomplish many of the suggestions above, and, as a wise person has said, without discipline, you have no right to dream.

Laise have been writing articles for nearly 2 years. Come visit his blogs more often for tips and advice that helps people with the interest for id badge printer and great passion and knowledge for  receipt maker and all the different options & providers available in the market today. Find out for more info also here tcisecureprint.com