If you haven’t been to a thrift store or garage sale lately, now’s a great time to explore one. Why? Many families de-clutter after Christmas, so they donate or consign items to local second-hand shops in the spring. As the weather improves, garage sales also start popping up like spring crocuses. If you’re a little [...]
For any small business owner, it can be a big decision to expand your office and buy new furniture and equipment—but it doesn’t have to be a big investment. Once you’ve decided you need office furniture—because your business is growing, you’ve recently rented office space, or you’re taking on new employees—it’s time to figure out [...]
For a small business, pricing products and services can be a difficult task. Figuring out your costs can be challenging, but you’ll also need to take into consideration profits, competition, value, and brand image, as well as how you want to position yourself in the marketplace. Pricing communicates quality, says Bryan Ziegler, director of the [...]
There’s a misconception that many small business owners have about loans made through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). They think that the government hands out money to struggling small businesses. It doesn’t. In fact, the SBA guarantees loans to small and mid-sized companies. Banks and other lending institutions make the loans themselves. SBA-backed loans [...]
There is a lot of bookkeeping that has to happen when you first start a business. This is important not only so you can run your business successfully but also so that when tax season rolls around—or worse, you get audited—you have pristine paperwork to present to the IRS. As tax professionals, we help a [...]
Starting your own small business can be intimidating. Who will buy your product or service? What prices should you set? When do you hire employees? How do you handle your taxes? How do you promote your business? There are often more pressing questions than immediate answers, and small business consultant Barry Moltz knows this. Moltz [...]
When you decide to share your life with someone, there’s a lot to get used to. However, there are few things that upset your life more than the disagreements that can come along with money management. Whether you decide to combine finances or keep things separate, it’s smart to come up with a shared household [...]
Your best friend faces an unexpected car repair and just needs some “floater money” until her next paycheck arrives. Your nephew is still building his credit and needs someone to co-sign his application for a new phone. Would you help either of them out? Both are seemingly innocent requests, but they can lead to big [...]
This article was written by guest blogger Miranda Marquit. Are you a participant in the last-minute dash to the post office every Tax Day? Does the sprint to get your tax return post-marked by midnight stress you out each year? If so, break the cycle. Jumpstart the tax filing process and avoid the long lines. [...]
Although more than half of all small businesses are home-based, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, you may find yourself outgrowing your home office at some point. Some small business owners decide they need more room to accommodate employees, equipment, and inventory. Others find it helpful to have a more professional place to meet with [...]
