Here at Let's Learn Bookkeeping, we like to think that a person can go out into the world (whether as a bookkeeper or not!) and make a living without having to answer to faceless corporations as an employer.

A fellow student of our Quickbooks class, Paul Turner, owner of Laptop Repair in Burbank, feels the same way.  Below are some of Paul's thoughts about the opportunity that awaits so many unemployed people in our society today, one that should be seen as a golden opportunity:

"Here's the deal...with the economy in the crazy state it's in, there is big opportunity for people to work for themselves.  There is a huge amount of talent being let go from large forces and they need to start making a living.  They have mortgages, bills, and families, like everyone else.

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In honor of the New Year almost upon us, we thought it would be appropriate to show people that we can poke some fun at ourselves, even though our subject matter is so serious!  It is important to remember that a sense of humor is always welcome, especially at this joyous time of year! Without further ado, please find some funny zingers aimed at people in our profession!  Enjoy!

"Why did God invent economists?

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So accountants could have someone to laugh at."

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"What's the difference between an accountant and a lawyer?

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The accountant knows he is boring."

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"Why was the accountant so excited that he completed a jigsaw puzzle in only 59 weeks?

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Because on the box it said 8-12 Years."

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The accountant was visiting the Museum of Natural History and said to the person standing next to him, "That dinosaur is two billion years and ten months old."

"How did you get such exact information?"

"I was here ten months ago and the guide said the dinosaur was two billion years old."

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Please find plenty more of these jokes here.

Source: www.skp.com/au

Ever wonder what you and your company need to do at the end of the year when it comes to your bookkeeping?  Ever think to yourself, "Did this client pay already?" or "How much did I spend in terms of my budget this year?"  Before the new year rings in, here are a few pointers about what to do to wind your books down for this year and gear your company up for the next year.

These pointers have been provided by Cloe Sill, a fellow bookkeeper.

"It’s that time of year – time to clean up your numbers and make sure your books are ready for the end of the year reports and the upcoming tax season.  If you own a small business, or even if you’ll just be dealing with your own personal finances, the more organized you are at the end of year, the easier tax time will be for you.  Here are some basic tips for things you can do now to organize and prepare in the next month or so:

1. Review last year’s tax form and compare it this year’s expenses and income.  Note any extreme discrepancies and look into them."

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Source: Cloe Sill

Stumbled across this article, and I thought it seemed poignant.  The reason for this is because this question is posed to us more often than you think.  So, it only seems proper to post this article for anyone who may be unfamiliar with the responsibilities of a bookkeeper.

Here is an excerpt from the article: "What does a bookkeeper do? I've asked lots of people in Humboldt County this question over the years and rarely hear a truly satisfying answer.

When I ask bookkeepers what they do, they roll their eyes and say, “Everything!” Many accountants and business owners, on the other hand, quote their college accounting textbook. All the textbooks define bookkeeping as “the record-keeping function of accounting.” This seems to translate directly as “data entry,” or “paying bills.” Occasionally, “doing payroll” also makes the list.

This definition may have been accurate when a Victorian-era Bob Cratchett was scratching entries into Scrooge's huge ledger books with his quill pen, but it's not true anymore. The advent of personal computers and powerful accounting software means that bookkeepers can generate financial statements, analysis, and even graphs with a few keystrokes. The time of small business bookkeeping being mere data-entry is long gone (decades gone), but sometimes the popular perception of the job has not quite caught up yet."

To read the rest of the article, click here.

Source: Times-Standard Online