Your receipts are talking, but are you listening?

When it comes to running a small business, receipts might not be the most exciting topic. But they tell a story.

And if you aren’t listening, you could be missing out on some important details.

If you are anything like most business owners, your receipts are:

• Stuffed in a drawer,

• Crammed in your glovebox,

• Sitting in your inbox marked “unread”

• Lost

  
  

But here’s the thing: keeping your receipts organised saves you time, money and stress. And you’ll be your accountant’s favourite client!

Why receipts matter

Receipts aren’t just scraps of paper or email confirmations. They are proof of your business expenses.

Without them you could:

• Miss out on tax deductions

• Struggle with bookkeeping

• Make things difficult for your accountant

  
  

How to stay on top of them

Here are a few simple habits to build:

1. Store your receipts in one place.

   Use a folder in google drive, on your pc (I prefer google drive because it’s stored in the cloud so you will not lose them due to pc issues), or a labelled email folder. Whatever you choose, keep it consistent

2. Take photos straight away

   This is such a good habit to build. If you lose the paper receipts – you have a digital copy. Email this picture to yourself straight away or upload it to your google drive so you don’t have to dig out the picture later.

3. Create a naming system

   I always use date + name of the store/client for my naming system. If it has an invoice number, I’ll tack that on too. This helps match the receipt to the transactions on your bank statements

4. Block time each week or at minimum each month to review and sort your receipts

   Don’t wait till tax season is here. I personally love spending a whole week or more sorting through statements and receipts, but I know most normal people don’t. Save yourself this drama.

   
   

Better yet... Let me do it for you!

I offer a monthly bookkeeping package that include receipt sorting, digital storage, and matching them to your expenses. All you have to do is send your receipts to me or your email and share your bank statements. All for a flat fee. Interested? Send me an email at annelies@yorkshireva.com or check out my services here.