Why Accounting Matters for Internet Marketers + Top Tools

11 replies
I loved learning about all the best strategies and tactics to grow my business, but I wasn't learning how to manage your business. Last year at tax time, I owed a lot more than I thought because I wasn't managing my finances well. If you asked me how much money I had made, I could only give you a ball park… let's just say the IRS doesn't much care for ball park estimates.

Something had to change so I began looking at tools and solutions that were designed for an Internet marketer like me and I'm pleased to share my findings with all of you!

Outright.com - Accounting Solution
If you're like me you have multiple bank accounts, a PayPal account and a bunch of credit cards. Managing my business's finances was time consuming and I didn't always know my bottom line. Most other software solutions were clunky and almost just as time consuming. A friend who is a freelance blogger recommended that I check out Outright.com - an accounting solution designed specifically for Schedule C filers. I plugged in my bank account and credit cards and it tells me how my finances are doing in real-time. Not only that, but it calculates my estimated taxes and prepares my Schedule C for me. I am completely organized now and spend practically no time doing accounting.

Shoeboxed.com - Paperwork Solution
If you have a lot of receipts or other paperwork sitting in a shoebox somewhere, this is the tool for you. Simply send them your paperwork and they will digitize and categorize it before making it available to you in the cloud. It's flipping' sweet!

Freshbooks.com - Invoicing Solution
If you create invoices for clients this is the simplest way to manage your time and invoice your clients. If you want to expand and hire contractors to work for you, this is also a killer solution.

Most solutions out there are either too expensive, too robust or too complicated. These solutions are super simple and are just perfect for Internet marketers like us.

I think this is a very healthy discussion to have during tax season. What do you find to be the best tax and accounting solutions?
#accounting #internet #marketers #taxes #tools
  • Profile picture of the author Matt Morgan
    Marketers do need to do accounts for their online business, afterall it is business.

    Nice share of resources.
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    • Profile picture of the author ChrisHeggem
      Happy to share it. There isn't a worse feeling in the world than getting into tax trouble.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kaysa
      These are great solutions for too many paperwork, It's look like you have automatized almost all your work.

      Thanks for sharing.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisHeggem
    It does save me a lot of time. What accounting solutions do you use?
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  • Profile picture of the author Kysersoze
    Thanks for sharing your resources. I was looking for an online accounting option.
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  • Profile picture of the author Darrel Hawes
    I'm currently really liking Working Point:

    Small Business Accounting Software | WorkingPoint

    I only wish it could handle project accounting.

    In one of my businesses, I use Quickbooks Online and find that it does most of what I need.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisHeggem
    @Kysersoze Not a problem. This is an important thing for businesses to consider. What are you currently using?

    @Darrel Thanks for the suggestion. What do you mean by project accounting?
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  • Profile picture of the author RoyChan
    Being a CPA myself, I find:

    Small Business Accounting Software | WorkingPoint

    being a bit overcomplicated. Just simply use an excel to record your transactions, if you are just starting out to simplify life at the start.
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisHeggem
    I think the downside for a lot of the software is that it is overcomplicated and has more features than necessary. However, recording everything in excel can be time consuming. That's why solutions like Outright.com and Shoeboxed are more appealing to somebody like me.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Forgive my cynical nature, Chris, but why is the Outright.com link cloaked with bit.ly and none of the others are? Might you be trying to slide an affiliate link in under the radar?

    I mean, outright.com isn't much longer than the bit.ly link...
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  • Profile picture of the author ChrisHeggem
    I didn't even notice. I have a bit.ly side bar on my browser and I might have copied something from there when I started this thread. I don't participate in any affiliate programs so that is not the case. I changed it to avoid future skepticism. :-)
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