11 DIY Bookkeeping tips to make your life easier
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If you’re managing your own books, here are simple ways to make it easier and save you time—and time is money!
1. Separate financial accounts. Always.
I know I say this a lot—but it’s that important. Keep separate bank accounts and credit card for your business. Whether you’re using a spreadsheet or bookkeeping software, this makes tracking clean and simple. It’s also what the IRS expects to see if you’re ever audited. I like Relay and BlueVine for checking, and Chase and Capital One for credit cards. They all connect well to QuickBooks Online.
2. Don’t overcomplicate your banking setup.
Only open the accounts you actually need. Too many accounts = extra work and confusion. Avoid using credit cards with multiple users—they’re notoriously difficult to connect accurately to bookkeeping tools.
3. Etsy and Amazon are bookkeeping-friendly platforms.
These may not be perfect for every business model, but from a bookkeeping standpoint, they’re two of the easiest platforms to manage. If you're using one of my custom Etsy or Amazon spreadsheets, it's even easier.
4. Consider admin costs when expanding.
When exploring a new platform or revenue stream, don’t forget to factor in the “hidden” costs—like time and money spent on managing your bookkeeping. Simpler isn't just better for your stress levels; it’s better for your bottom line.
5. Selling in person? Use Square.
If you need a payment processor for craft shows or in-person sales, Square is my #1 recommendation. It’s easy to set up sales tax and connect to QuickBooks Online. When integrating with QBO, always choose the daily summary import—not every transaction. Trust me on this one.
6. Simplify your Shopify setup.
Shopify lets you accept a ton of different payment types (PayPal, Klarna, Amazon Pay, Gift Cards, etc.), but keep it simple. Shopify Payments is the easiest to reconcile in your books.
Also: don’t link other platforms (like Etsy or Faire) to your Shopify store unless you absolutely have to. Once you connect external platforms, Shopify bookkeeping becomes more complicated.
7. Minimize or avoid PayPal if possible.
PayPal has always been a challenge, and the new QuickBooks integration that everyone will have to use soon makes it worse. If you can avoid it—or use it only as a secondary option—you’ll save yourself (or your bookkeeper) a lot of headaches.
8. Don’t run personal vehicle expenses through your business.
The IRS does not want to see fuel receipts in your business books. Instead, track your business mileage separately and use the standard mileage deduction. Need help with that? My Ultimate Tax Deduction Toolkit walks you through it.
9. Use the cash basis of accounting.
If you're a small business, the cash basis is not only IRS-approved—it’s so much easier than accrual. You’ll be able to expense inventory directly to Cost of Goods Sold when it’s purchased, keeping things simple and clean.
10. Choose your business structure carefully.
Bookkeeping for sole proprietors or single-member LLCs is much easier than for S Corps or partnerships. There are benefits to those more complex entities—but don’t switch until it actually makes financial sense. Filing as an S Corp before you're ready can cost more in payroll, compliance, and tax prep than you’ll save.
11. Organize your digital and paper records.
In a recent newsletter, we talked about getting your digital and physical files in order. That organization directly impacts how easy (or hard) your bookkeeping will be. Keep your receipts, tax docs, and statements organized and accessible.
Hiring a Bookkeeper? Here’s How to Keep Costs Down.
Want to pay less for professional bookkeeping help? Do all of the above.
Seriously.
The more organized you are, the less your bookkeeper will charge.
Clean records = fewer hours = lower bills.
All the tips that make bookkeeping easier for you to DIY, make it easier for a bookkeeper, and that can be passed along to you in cost savings.
No bookkeeper wants to hear: “I’m a total mess, please help me!” You’ll pay for that mess. But if you come in organized, prepared, and with clean records (or even clean-ish records), your costs will be lower, and your bookkeeper will love you for it.
Small Business Updates and Tools
Save Money on Amazon
This is more of a personal finance tip than anything else—possibly even an old-school one! My family loves board games… or maybe it’s more accurate to say that I love board games, and my family humors me by playing along! But board games can get expensive, so when I see a glowing review of a new one, I add it to my CamelCamelCamel account.
CamelCamelCamel is a free tool that tracks Amazon product prices, allowing you to view historical price trends and set a target price for items you're interested in. When the price drops to your desired level (or close to it), you’ll get an alert.
This simple trick has helped us save money on everything from board games to big-ticket items like iPads. It's also a game-changer for Christmas shopping, ensuring you snag real deals on the products you actually want—rather than whatever’s on sale.
Best Buy Influencer Program
In other news, Best Buy is launching an influencer program this summer, allowing influencers to create branded storefronts featuring Best Buy products. This could be a great opportunity for content creators looking to monetize their recommendations with a trusted electronics retailer.
