Money management is a skill, and it is important to learn it so that your business is financially healthy. You need to get paid on time and in full and know how to manage your accounts. You should make sure that you understand basic bookkeeping, money management, credit, tax forms, bank statements, and more, and you need to consider the payment plans you offer your clients.
Bank Account
You will open a commercial bank account once you have registered your business. You should look for a bank that is small business-friendly, and make an appointment to get started. You will need to take your identification and papers for your new business. Then, you will deposit money into the account. You will want to learn what other products they offer, such as a debit account, a credit card merchant account, and more.
Bookkeeping Basics
You can either keep your books yourself or hire an accountant or bookkeeper. You can also do both and stay in touch with finances. There are great tools such as Quicken and Quickbooks that help make bookkeeping simple. You will use software where you can create invoices and track information on accounts payable and receivable. A bookkeeper can come in once a month to keep your books, or you can use an accountant for your taxes.
Getting Paid
You need to provide as many ways for customers to pay as possible. They are used to having a choice of cash, debit card, credit card, and electronic cash. They may want to use PayPal or Venmo, and you have to decide what you will accept. Look at your costs for each of these, and determine how you can reduce them. If you limit the options that customers have, you may not have as many sales.
Credit Card Merchant Account
If you plan to take credit cards, you will need a credit card merchant account. Your customers will want to pay with their credit cards, and if you do any business online, you have no other choice. You can find out what your bank has to offer, and there are also merchant account brokers and other companies that can help. If you choose not to take credit cards, you need to expect a reduction in profits because a large number of people no longer carry cash.