Have you been told that you need Quickbooks for your business, but you’re not so sure if your side hustle or hobby warrants it? Maybe you've tried Quickbooks and it brought out the worst in you. Or maybe the monthly expense turned you away.
At the risk of undermining the very basis of my business, I’m here to tell you why you actually might NOT need Quickbooks and why a spreadsheet might be just what you need right now. Quickbooks is not necessary for everyone, and not everyone is ready for Quickbooks. I want to help you determine what's right for your business.
You Have to Start Somewhere
When I first started my business, I wanted to do everything perfectly. I researched endlessly to find the perfect gear, software, vendors and courses. But the reality is that my business was (and is) constantly evolving. Yes, I stumbled across the perfect solution in a few cases, but for the most part, my processes, mentors, and tech stack are completely different than they were when I first started.
What is my point? It's okay if you start out with one way of doing your bookkeeping and make a switch later. If you are just starting out, it may not be worth the time investment of learning Quickbooks Online. A spreadsheet is a great starting point. My husband and I have started 4 businesses and each time we started with a spreadsheet of some sort.
Spreadsheets are Perfect for a Hobby or Side Hustle
One of the first questions I ask when someone wants to know my recommendation for bookkeeping is, "what's your goal?" Is your photography business a hobby or side hustle? Do you plan to keep it that way in the near future? Setting up a simple spreadsheet might be just the thing for you. If a spreadsheet gets you to the tax finish line, go with it. You can always move to something like Quickbooks if your plans change down the road.
Time is on Your Side (If You Have it)
In my early days of entrepreneurship, I had time to devote to researching and developing systems. Not so much the case a few years into the business. If you are in a spot where you have more time than money, you may have time to keep a spreadsheet updated with manual data entry. It may even help you stay in touch with your numbers in a different way than software does. Chances are that as you grow, time will become a commodity, and you won't be able to afford NOT to use Quickbooks and even hire a bookkeeper to grow with you.
So there you have it. Though I would have loved to talk you into using Quickbooks or hiring a bookkeeper (like Tidy Books), your business might not be at that spot yet. If this is you, we have created a tool just for you with our Easy Expense Tracker in Google Sheets. Click below to see if the Easy Expense Tracker could be right for you.
