Watching the cash balance is one of the most frequent activities of a small business owner.  Besides making sure you have enough cash for payroll and bills, there is another huge opportunity you can benefit from: lowering the cost of processing your bills.  It can be expensive and time-consuming to process bills and handle the paperwork involved.  We’ll take a look at a couple of the many ways you can streamline your accounts payable processing…

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On a doctor’s visit, the first thing the nurse does is take your vitals:  your temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, and respiration rate.  These basic measurements are the first place doctors look to see if something is wrong with our health. Knowing your vital signs, and especially when they are out of whack, is good for your health.  In the same way, knowing your business’s vital signs, and especially when they are out of whack,…

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You might have heard the terms “cash basis accounting” or “accrual accounting.”  Your net income number can change depending on which method your books are set up for.  Here’s a simple explanation of the difference, with a little help from one of the most famous cartoon characters in history. Popeye and Wimpy You might recognize Popeye the Sailor Man from the television cartoons or other media.  His sidekick, Wimpy, was the one who was always…

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If you are the type of person who loves mobile apps, texting, and getting your email on your phone, then you’re in for a treat: accounting has finally come around to your smartphone.  Here are a couple of great developments you can try so you can stay on top of your numbers. Accounting Apps For users of QuickBooks desktop and QuickBooks Online, an app is available to help you stay on top of your accounts…

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When you hear the word “budget,” what do you think about?  Most people would say something similar to “Ugghh!” If you would rather do just about anything besides create a budget, you’re not alone.  The word “budget” brings up connotations of endless numbers, constraints, the opposite of freedom and creativity, and hard work, none of which are very desirable. Yet, the benefits of a budget are huge.  Budgets can help you with cash flow improvements,…

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