What Kind of Bookkeeping Software Do You Use?
Do you use Quickbooks? Peachtree? Open Office Spreadsheets? Post-it Notes?
I’m curious what everyone uses to keep track of their finances. I use a mix of Quickbooks (even though their registration requirements are excessive) and Excel spreadsheets. What do you use?
Post a comment with what you use and why. If you don’t have a business, just post with your personal finance record-keeping preferences. I’m curious to see what everybody else uses, and why they chose to use it. I’ll start.
Quickbooks: Had a lot of great features. Good for a small corporation.
Excel: Needed some custom expense and profit tracking, so I just built it myself.
Your turn…
Cube Escape Episode 4: Resources
In this episode of The Cube Escape Podcast, I talk about resources! Specifically, I mention three books that will serve as a primer to becoming an entrepreneur. Read these books and you’ll have a solid feel for the knowledge you’ll need to start and keep a successful company.
I also talk about an online resource for getting some in-demand skills that you may need to start your company, or take your career to the next level. Skills mean more money, and highly specialized skills typically command an even larger payday.
The three books:
The 4-Hour Work Week
Loopholes of the Rich
Rich Dad Poor Dad
The online Resource:
Download this episode Here
Get Clients to Pay Invoices
Business gotta get paid. It’s all about the cashflow, after all. No cashflow, and your business can dry up fast. I came across this great little article about getting clients to pay invoices. Sometimes it’s rough. I’ve been stiffed in the past, and I’ve had to bug clients a few times to get them to pay me.
It’s a quick read with good, simple information. Read it here.
I’ve Been on Vacation
I took a short, impromptu vacation, and I recommend all of you do that from time to time. It’s all too brief, but refreshing just the same. And, naturally, the vacation explains the recent lack of content… I’ll be back on it in the next day or two.
Book Review Section Coming Soon
I’ve read a few business books in my day, and I thought it was time to write some reviews of them. I’ll write a review of each book and place it here in the “Book Reviews” category so you can easily find them.
I’ll review books that meet the following criteria: 1) I have read the book; 2) I think the book will benefit you (the readers) in some way; and 3) the book deals with some aspect of business. Since, no matter one’s specialty, an entrepreneur must be fluent in all things business, it’s good to read up on the subject. Read all you can about everything you can.
If you can learn a lot from others, you can save yourself some mistakes. Keep an eye out for the first review!
Cube Escape Episode 3: Finding a Niche
In this episode, I talk about Niches. What is a niche, finding your niche, why it’s important to have a niche, and so on. I give some practical advice for niche exploration, and then follow it up with a little business/training opportunity I came across that I think you might enjoy.
Here is the Internet Business Opportunity link.
When to Walk Away
When do you know it’s time to walk away? Is it when the boss/client is not going to pay you? Now, I’m not talking about getting stiffed. In my opinion, getting stiffed is grounds for never working with that individual again.
But what if you are told — or just expected — to work extra and then, when you ask about extra pay, the question is just deflected? Well, pardon my French, but that’s bullshit. When a boss or client plays too close to the chest, as they say, that means they are probably just leading you along. If you ask a simple question, and the reply is something along the lines of “It’s just between you and the deadline,” then there’s a pretty good chance that they have no intention of paying you extra. And if they start putting words in your mouth, then you need to act fast.
Naturally, some projects or arrangements account for any overtime. Some do not. Some work arrangements are just loosely strung together with something that works. If you are a salaried, exempt-class employee, you’re out of luck here. But if you are a freelancer, with a loose verbal agreement, don’t work late, or on the weekends, without premium compensation. If overtime isn’t covered in any written agreement, then don’t fall for that trap. Negotiate compensation or don’t do it.
If you have to walk away, walk away. I think it’s better to walk away then to get walked over by a stingy boss or client. Remember, there’s always more work out there. Don’t settle for crap. Remember that it’s your paycheck and your career.
Oh, and one other thing, if the job is making your stress levels and blood pressure skyrocket, you probably need to get out, and get out fast. No job is worth dying over… not even a little dying, day by day. Find something that works for you, not for your boss or client.
Having a Bad Day? Focus on Your Goal
We all have bad days, for any number of reasons. I was having a bad day this morning. Things were just going rough. No worries, though, because after I caught myself wallowing in my bad day, I focused on my goal and the stress just went away.
Whenever you feel stressed about your job, or your business, or even the balance of your checking account, just focus on your goal. Put an image in your head of your perfect day and focus on it. Stop what you’re doing and center yourself on that mental image. Focus on your goal — on where you’re going — and the stress will just melt away.
Bad days happen. Don’t let them ruin your day. When you catch yourself having a bad day, take a moment to center yourself and you’ll be fine.
Cube Escape Episode 2: What is Your Calling?
In this episode, I discuss the concept of vocation. I wrote about this in my last post. I ask the following question:
- What is your calling?
You get to learn about my calling, and get some practical advice for figuring out what your calling might be. Download the link, listen to it here, or head over to iTunes and subscribe.
What is Your Vocation?
Today, most people think of a vocation as what they do for money. I think that time and a century or so of misguided work environments has diluted that word. Many people interpret the question “What is your vocation?” as “What is your job?” I think we, as a whole, need to take another look at that word.
The word vocation comes from old Latin vocatio or vocacio, which means a call, summons, or calling. Quick reference here.
These days, it seems that whenever someone thinks of one’s “calling,” they are referring to a spiritual calling of some nature. While that definition does apply, a calling can be anything. And it doesn’t have to come from some higher power, either. A calling typically comes from within you.
What is your calling? What is it that you are calling yourself to do? Sit on the couch? Sure, that’s nice and relaxing, but it will get boring after a few weeks. You’ll have to do something or you’ll waste away to nothing. Do you know what your calling is? I just recently figured mine out, but I’m not going to share it here. You’ll have to listen to my next podcast for that.
To figure out your calling, you may have to do some deep digging into yourself. You might have to think back to your teenage years to learn what you did that made you happy. I heard someone once ask what you would be doing if no one was paying you. What would you be doing? If you have no idea what your calling is, start with this question and then dig deeper: “What would I be doing if no one was paying me?”
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