Jun 08

All companies that are in the position of billing their customers and waiting to be paid have a similiar problem. Making sure their customers pay the bill. And sometimes getting them to pay the bill can be harder than getting the job done for them was. On top of everything else you need to balance the objective of getting paid with maintaining your customer relationships.

Accounts receivable are money owed to your company by other companies who have purchased goods or services from you on credit. Realistically maintaining low accounts receivable is a difficult task, and yet plays such a vital role in the overall success of your company. And successfully managing your accounts receivable can be a great boon to your company while the reverse will probably be true if you neglect them.

There is a great deal to know about collecting overdue accounts. And there really is no right or wrong way to go about it. Because regardless of how big or small your organization may be there is one factor that is more important than anyhing else you might hear. Consistency is number one. Because if your not consistent then the money won’t always flow in regularly.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , , ,

May 27

Starting a new business is not a child’s play. You have to take a lot of decisions which obviously do involve potential amount of risk. You obviously do not want to take the burden of paying monthly repayment installment for a long duration time. And if this is case the case with you and you are planning for taking a business loan from market then go for short term business loans.

In a nutshell:

Short term business loans enable people to secure cash from market to start a new business or just to boost up the existing one and the help is provided to him for a short duration of time. Repayment tenure in this case normally lies in between 2 to 5 years. And you have to pay the whole money back in this period. In case of any default in the repayment the first thing happened to you will be your credit rating going down and high penalty charged against you. So stick to regular monthly repayment.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , ,

May 27

Small business credit cards have grown in popularity over the years. With the fluctuating interest rates, it is always wise to know which ones you can trust and stick with. There are many benefits due to the increasing number of small business credit card competitors. These new opportunities are great, to begin with, but they are still debts, that is why every consumer should contemplate over applications with great care.

About 2/3 of small businesses use credit cards on their expenditures (and out of this number, only 40% use their business credit cards solely). Remember that small business credit cards could really come in handy for your type of business and it is always wiser to choose these above your personal cards.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , ,

May 27

In this article we are going to take a look at exposing the credit report secrets of the super rich. If you are anything like me, you are fascinated by the financial machinations of those who have A LOT more than the average person, and even more importantly, how they manage to maintain it all. So read on as I expose some of the things I have learned that have helped ME leapfrog many common obstacles on the totem pole of tremendous success, and hopefully you get the very same boost! Ready? Great, let’s do it! Continue reading »

written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , ,

May 21

Small business owners generally fall into two categories. There are the business owners that let their accounting tasks, invoicing, and payables pile up on their desk - or even in a shoe box, until they’re forced to face the music. Usually this happens around tax time.

The other sides of the coin are the business owner that are amazingly organized and know where every penny of their money is going. What do these business owners have that the rest of us don’t? More time? A PhD in accounting? Nope, chances are they have a system. To put it more simply, they’re organized. If you’re in the crowd of business owners that let it all pile up, there are a few things we can learn from the more organized folks. If we take just a few of the steps organized business owners take, not only will we save several days of excruciating paperwork, we will have a firmer grasp on our money.
Here are some recommendations for good bookkeeping practices:

#1: Record income and expenses on a regular basis. If you have a budget, recording this information is as easy as taking a few minutes each week or about an hour a month and recording your income and expenses on your budget. Your budget will have expense categories that reflect your business and which are broken into subcategories that make it easy for you to record. For the less organized, a simple system is to keep a file for your week’s receipts and payments. Using this method all you have to do is pull out your paperwork at the end of the week, add it up, record it, and you’re good to go. Literally 10-15 minutes of your time.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , , , , ,

May 11

When starting out in business it is usually a prerequisite to open a business account to mange your finances. Unfortunately for many it is uncertain what kind of services your account will need to provide. Here are some of the most common issues that concern small business managers when they are opening an account.

The first issue is the amount of interest your account should provide. More advisable is instead of looking for high interest rates to study the charges that will be applicable to your business account. High interest usually means greater penalties for going into your overdraft, as a young business you may be in and out of the red so try to avoid high interest accounts. If you do however want to pursue high interest rates it is best to look online as internet banks often offer great rates to attract customers.

You may be asking yourself if you will actually need a business account; naturally business is always dependent upon money and ensuring your money is well kept should be a major concern. A business account will help you identify all of your transaction processes and ensure you have clarity. A dedicated account will also provide you with accountability so creditors and the tax man can easily understand your business dealings during audits. It can also give your business some credibility as the bank will usually have to approve your model before managing you finances. That said, it is not crucial to hold a business account. If you are operating as a sole trader there is no need for you to open one, your personal account will suffice.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , , , ,

May 11

When it comes to small business banking, this can be a confusing issue for those just starting out. Some banks will use this situation to get the most out of those customers and independent advice on small business banking is always a good idea.

One of these issues regarding the finances of small businesses is the problem of staff. Offering staff enough incentive to stay with the smaller firm and not succumb to the added bonuses and attractions of a larger corporate firm is a hurdle to be overcome.

Small business banking dictates that large salaries and perks are not possible. However, there are some things that can be done. There are schemes that are currently running where small business managers can offer their staff the chance of private healthcare plans. These are discounted to the company and also have the added advantage of reducing time employees take off work sick. This is a bonus to small business banking as no money is lost through sick employees or having to find temporary staff and pay their wages too.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , ,

May 11

You may be a small time entrepreneur just starting or a business or an executive with years of trading experience, either way you need to recognise the importance of efficient business banking. Your choice of account is a fundamental element in your business banking strategy and something that could seriously affect the progress of your business, be it large or small. Here are few advisory tips to help the small business owner to make the right banking choices and give your business the best chance of success.

If you are starting out as a limited company you will need to open a business account. While this may seem a chore, it is surprising how having a specialist business banking strategy can aid the clarity of your finances. On the other hand if you are operating as a sole trader you small business will not have to have its own account, you will be able to combine your personal and business finances. Finding a banking solution that accommodates both the needs of your small business and your personal life can be difficult, often, even as a sole trader it can be beneficial to have a dual banking strategy.

Another element of your business banking strategy should be the inclusion of a small business team in your account package. The advice that can be offered by these professionals can be invaluable and can help your business achieve success. While this type of banking solution may cost a little extra if you are not up to date with the latest financial developments, the effects can be catastrophic.

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , ,

May 11

One of the first things you must do when starting a new business is open a bank account for your business. You will have to consider several things including transaction and borrowing costs, what facilities the bank offers, and the type of relationship you want with a bank. A business account is essential if you are setting up a Limited Company or Partnership. While you can use your own personal account if your business is a sole proprietorship, it is advisable that you have a separate business account to manage your business finances.

Now that you are aware that you have to open a bank account, how do you go about it? Can you use the same bank that you use for your personal accounts? Of course, you can! But they may not offer the best deal for your business. The considerations for opening a business account are quite different from a personal account - you could be missing out on lower charges and higher interest on a credit balance. Over a long period, you could be depriving your business of a significant amount of money. Before you sign up with anyone, look around and understand what’s available out there.

We’ve put together the 5 most important factors to consider before choosing a bank account:

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written by Alex Bhaswara \\ tags: , , ,