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Small Business Lenders
Small Business Lenders are certified by the U.S. Small Business
Administration to provide guaranteed funding to small business
owners. Due to the diversity of applicants and the different
business types, the SBA partners with their lending...
Small Businesses Consider Company Car Vs. Personal Mileage Reimbursement In Hurricane Katrina's Wake
While Hurricane Katrina is a horrible tragedy, it's not just affecting the Big Easy. Hurricane Katrina will impact every single American that commutes to work , takes a vacation , or shops online. With gas prices at an all time high before...
The Care and Feeding of Your Small Business
While I was hard at work last week, an everyday drama was
playing out in a hospital room in the next town. My niece was
working on presenting me with a new great nephew. Tyler James
came into the world Thursday afternoon, mother and child...
Types of Investment
The word 'investments' is one that most of us are familiar with hearing in financial context. For many of us, it may make us thing of big business and vasts sums of money, but there's much to the world of investments than multi-million dollar...
Web-Site Savvy for Small Business Owners
Home-based business owners don’t have an inordinate amount of time or money to dedicate to hosting, building or maintaining a website. But you should note that the internet plays a part in the daily routine of 88% of Americans, and of those, 92%...
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Keeping Your Business's Finances on Track
One of the biggest benefits of operating a home-based business is that it doesn't require any formal training or experience. After all, some of the most successful individuals never attended a single business-related class or workshop.
The only drawback to having a lack of experience and/or business education is that it can make tracking your company's finances difficult. Even accountants who spend their lives working with numbers often find bookkeeping a tedious chore.
But no matter how mundane keeping track of your company's revenue and expenses may be, it is also necessary for several reasons:
1) You need to know at a glance if your business is spending more than it is earning.
2) You need to have all of this information documented for tax time.
3) You can use this data to help you establish your budgets and to adjust your spending.
Of course, just knowing it's important doesn't make it easier to accomplish. In fact, you really have two options if you want to reduce your accounting stress:
A) Hire a professional to help you or
B) Invest in a helpful accounting software program.
While hiring a professional would be the easiest route, it's also more costly. For most home-based businesses, the most effective choice is to use an accounting software program.
Before you spend a dime, however, there are a few things you need to know.
1) Know What You Need The Program To Do
The accounting programs currently available can handle a wide array of business related tasks, such as tracking expenses, creating invoices, handling payroll, and printing checks. The more of these tasks a program can do, the more expensive it will be.
For that reason, you should know exactly what you are going to use it for. That way you can get a program that meets your needs without paying for features you'll never use.
2) Know The Details Of Your Computer
Before you buy any software, you need to know your computer's current statistics, such as what operating system you use, how much hard drive is available, and how much RAM your system contains.
If you buy a program that won't work on your system, you won't be able to return it and get your money back once it's been opened. Checking in advance will protect you from getting stuck with software you can't use.
3) Do Your Homework
Any type of business-related purchase requires careful consideration, so be sure to investigate before you buy. Explore all of the software programs available and find out what other people are saying about them. Sites like Epinions.com and CNET.com can provide you with product feedback from both consumers and reviewers.
Pay attention to mentions of difficulty levels since you want a program that is easy for you to learn and to use. Also, take advantage of
software demos. Nothing beats a hands-on preview. You should do some research into the companies' technical support and customer service as well. If you ever need help, you want to know it's readily available.
4) Be Aware Of Costs
Another thing you need to know is how much you can afford to spend on the program. The costs for accounting software run from $30 to $600 or more depending on the features included.
Knowing what you need and can afford in advance will prevent you from paying too much. Shopping around for a particular program won't do much good, however. Whether you buy a program online, from an electronics store, or from a retail outlet, you'll pay about the same price. Watch for rebates or special offers, however, because they can cut your costs considerably.
Here are a few suggestions if you find it difficult to identify the right accounting software program for you:
* Peachtree Accounting 2003 Peachtree is one of the most recognized names in business accounting. This program allows you to manage your accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory, payroll, job costing, fixed assets, even general ledger. Other valuable features perfect for small or home-based businesses, such as Internet postage, credit card service, direct deposit, and contact management are also included.
This version costs $199.95, but others are also available. You can learn more about Peachtree's line of accounting software at http://www.peachtree.com
* Quicken Home & Business At $89.95, Quicken Home & Business is one of the most budget-friendly accounting programs on the market. Even though its price is low, its packed with features, such as creating custom estimates and invoices, generating business reports, setting up a Merchant Account, managing taxes and expenses, and keeping track of your cash flow.
You can also use the program to download your transactions and pay your bills online. Other versions of Quicken are also available through the company's web site http://www.quicken.com/quickensw/
* Microsoft Monday 2003 Deluxe & Business With this software, you can take care of most of your accounting needs without breaking your business's budget. At only $64.95, the software still comes with a wide range of features including the ability to create customized invoices, estimate tax payments, compare financial data, balance your checkbook, track cash flow, and pay your bills. Additional versions of the the program are available for sale at http://www.microsoft.com/money
Knowing this useful information will help you find an accounting program that will make your job easier, less stressful, and more efficient.
Vishal P. Rao is the owner of http://www.home-based-business-opportunities.com - One of Internet's leading website dedicated to starting, managing and marketing a home based business.
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| United States Small Business Administration |
| An electronic gateway of procurement information for and about small businesses. Search engine for contracting officers, marketing tool for small firms, ... |
| www.sba.gov |
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| SBA |
| The Small Business Planner includes information and resources that will help you at any stage of the business lifecycle. ... |
| www.sba.gov |
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| Main Page - SmallBusiness.com - Small Business Resources |
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| www.smallbusiness.com |
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| Yahoo! Small Business: Domain Names, Web Hosting, E-commerce ... |
| Yahoo! Small Business provides products and services that enable you to establish and grow your business on the Internet. Services include domain name ... |
| smallbusiness.yahoo.com |
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| Small business advice business start up small business finance ... |
| business start up small business finance start up advice. |
| www.smallbusiness.co.uk |
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| Smallbusiness.gov.au redirect to business.gov.au |
| Business Entry Point - Helping small business in big ways. An Australian Government initiative. The content from this website has now been consolidated into ... |
| www.smallbusiness.gov.au |
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| Business & Small Business |
| Online and print small business publication. Information to help start, grow or manage a small business. |
| www.entrepreneur.com |
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| Microsoft Small Business Center |
| Your home for information about Microsoft's small-business products and services, tailored business advice, technology tools, and more. |
| www.microsoft.com |
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| The Small Business Advisor - advice for starting and operating a ... |
| Advice and assistance for starting and operating a small or home based business. |
| www.isquare.com |
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| SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business" |
| A nonprofit association dedicated to encouraging the formation, growth, and success of small business nationwide through counseling and mentor programs. |
| www.score.org |
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| Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource |
| IR-2006-2, January 3, 2006 - Temporary and proposed regulations will significantly reduce tax filing burden for nearly 950000 small business owners. ... |
| www.irs.gov |
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| Welcome to Small Business BC your business resource in British ... |
| BC Business Services offers assistance and resources for those running or starting a business in British Columbia and Vancouver. |
| www.smallbusinessbc.ca |
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| Small Business Service | Home |
| Provides information and advice to help small businesses realise their potential. |
| www.sbs.gov.uk |
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| NSW Small Business |
| A site developed by the NSW Department of State and Regional Development for small businesses. Topics include management, resources, current issues and ... |
| www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au |
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| Business Management & Advice: Small Business Resources & Information |
| Looking for business management and advice? Our website includes small business resources and information that can help you. Visit the small business ... |
| www.businessweek.com |
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| Small Business Lawyer, Attorney, Law, Legal Help - FindLaw for ... |
| Information and legal sites relevant to small business. |
| smallbusiness.findlaw.com |
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| Small Business Funding Opportunities (SBIR and STTR) |
| Links to Small Business Funding Opportunities and SBIR / STTR Applications. |
| grants.nih.gov |
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| Microsoft bCentral Small Business Directory |
| Directory categorized by industry with company business card feature. |
| sbd.bcentral.com |
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| Our site has moved! Please update your bookmarks! |
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| sbdcnet.utsa.edu |
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| Small Business Development Corporation |
| Our business information services provides guidance to improve business skills and knowledge on advice on starting, buying, selling and expanding a small ... |
| www.sbdc.com.au |
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