Comments on: How Much Should You Charge? http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:26:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Gabrielle http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-44355 Gabrielle Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:26:45 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-44355 Carolina, Remember, "by the inch it's a cinch"! :-) If you've already been doing taxes, especially if some of those clients own businesses, that might be a great place to start. If they are your own clients, you could start very softly by suggesting ways they can improve their bookkeeping system. If they are your employer's clients (and it is okay with your boss), you could also let them know that you are starting your own freelance bookkeeping services and give them your card and ask them to pass it along to any other business owners they know who might need your help. If you are an employee right now, you might also start by offering to do bookkeeping for your employer's tax clients on a subcontracted basis. That means your boss is just expanding the services being provided to existing clients, you do the work, and you basically share in the revenue. Just some ideas that would be a gentle way to get started. Carolina,

Remember, “by the inch it’s a cinch”! :-)

If you’ve already been doing taxes, especially if some of those clients own businesses, that might be a great place to start. If they are your own clients, you could start very softly by suggesting ways they can improve their bookkeeping system. If they are your employer’s clients (and it is okay with your boss), you could also let them know that you are starting your own freelance bookkeeping services and give them your card and ask them to pass it along to any other business owners they know who might need your help. If you are an employee right now, you might also start by offering to do bookkeeping for your employer’s tax clients on a subcontracted basis. That means your boss is just expanding the services being provided to existing clients, you do the work, and you basically share in the revenue. Just some ideas that would be a gentle way to get started.

]]> By: Carolina http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-44132 Carolina Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:34:57 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-44132 I just came across this. Thank you so much! I've been doing taxes for 6 years now and want to do bookkeeping, too. I'm nervous about starting my own business but excited at the same time. Thank you so much for this great article! I just came across this. Thank you so much! I’ve been doing taxes for 6 years now and want to do bookkeeping, too. I’m nervous about starting my own business but excited at the same time. Thank you so much for this great article!

]]> By: Yvette http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-43257 Yvette Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:58:03 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-43257 Hello Gabrielle: Thank you for the information. I am so excited to begin my bookkeeping service. So, Quickbooks Accountant edition it is. If I have any other questions, I will definitely submit my question. Thanks, Yvette Hello Gabrielle:

Thank you for the information. I am so excited to begin my bookkeeping service. So, Quickbooks Accountant edition it is. If I have any other questions, I will definitely submit my question.

Thanks,

Yvette

]]> By: Gabrielle http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-41967 Gabrielle Wed, 28 Dec 2011 23:24:02 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-41967 Schequetta, By "more than one account" do you mean you are keeping the books for more than one business, but both businesses are owned by the same client? If that is the case, then it's up to you how you charge. YOU are the boss of your own business and how you want to charge for services. You might consider giving a package rate for both businesses, but that is completely up to you and somewhat depends on how profitable the client is for you. So bottom line, it's whatever you think is appropriate for the situation. It's your business - you make the rules! :-) Schequetta,

By “more than one account” do you mean you are keeping the books for more than one business, but both businesses are owned by the same client?

If that is the case, then it’s up to you how you charge. YOU are the boss of your own business and how you want to charge for services. You might consider giving a package rate for both businesses, but that is completely up to you and somewhat depends on how profitable the client is for you.

So bottom line, it’s whatever you think is appropriate for the situation. It’s your business – you make the rules! :-)

]]> By: Schequetta http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-41854 Schequetta Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:15:18 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-41854 what if you have a client with more than one account. should you give them a discount for the second account or keep the price as though it were a new client? what if you have a client with more than one account. should you give them a discount for the second account or keep the price as though it were a new client?

]]> By: Gabrielle http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-41841 Gabrielle Tue, 27 Dec 2011 14:28:00 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-41841 Hi Yvette, If your clients are in the USA primarily, then yes, you should be using QuickBooks. Your best bet is to use the Accountant edition, since that has all of the capabilities of the other versions of QuickBooks, plus specific features for accounting professionals. That way, you can serve any clients who are using QuickBooks (for the same version year or one year prior). Hi Yvette,

If your clients are in the USA primarily, then yes, you should be using QuickBooks. Your best bet is to use the Accountant edition, since that has all of the capabilities of the other versions of QuickBooks, plus specific features for accounting professionals. That way, you can serve any clients who are using QuickBooks (for the same version year or one year prior).

]]> By: Dahlia Yvette Savedra http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-41752 Dahlia Yvette Savedra Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:30:16 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-41752 Hi Gabrielle! I am barely learning of your blog and I hope that you can help me. I am in the process of starting my home-based bookkeeping service. What bookkeeping do you recommend I use? I have been advised to use Quickbooks, but since there are different types of Quickbooks software, I was wondering which one would be the best for me to use for my business. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank You Yvette Hi Gabrielle! I am barely learning of your blog and I hope that you can help me. I am in the process of starting my home-based bookkeeping service. What bookkeeping do you recommend I use? I have been advised to use Quickbooks, but since there are different types of Quickbooks software, I was wondering which one would be the best for me to use for my business. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank You

Yvette

]]> By: Gabrielle http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-38247 Gabrielle Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:08:18 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-38247 You are very welcome, Sara, and quite honestly, when clients SUGGEST that you raise your rates, it means that they feel that they are getting far more value than they are paying for. Also, since you say that they are paying more than any of your other clients, maybe it's time to raise your rates with your other clients, too! January 1 is a great time to raise your fees, but send out the warning shot now. I bet you can start off 2012 by making more money without adding to your workload or your client base! Congratulations!! :-) You are very welcome, Sara, and quite honestly, when clients SUGGEST that you raise your rates, it means that they feel that they are getting far more value than they are paying for. Also, since you say that they are paying more than any of your other clients, maybe it’s time to raise your rates with your other clients, too! January 1 is a great time to raise your fees, but send out the warning shot now. I bet you can start off 2012 by making more money without adding to your workload or your client base! Congratulations!! :-)

]]> By: sara http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-37830 sara Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:59:29 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-37830 Thanks, Gabrielle! I feel a little better about my choice now. I have been really wrestling with this increase. Last week the executive director of the organization actually suggested that I give myself a "bump up" in my fees for the coming year. Since that time I have been trying to decide if I should just go for the gold and add $5, or if that would be going overboard with the suggestion. I don't want to seem like I am abusing them, particularly since they are already paying me more than any of my other clients. I think I will take your advice and propose $5 with confidence. If the E.D. thinks it is too much, I'm sure he will let me know. I know the organization is very happy with my work so most likely they will not object. Thanks again for your advice and for all continuous wonderful insight. Thanks, Gabrielle! I feel a little better about my choice now. I have been really wrestling with this increase. Last week the executive director of the organization actually suggested that I give myself a “bump up” in my fees for the coming year. Since that time I have been trying to decide if I should just go for the gold and add $5, or if that would be going overboard with the suggestion. I don’t want to seem like I am abusing them, particularly since they are already paying me more than any of my other clients. I think I will take your advice and propose $5 with confidence. If the E.D. thinks it is too much, I’m sure he will let me know. I know the organization is very happy with my work so most likely they will not object. Thanks again for your advice and for all continuous wonderful insight.

]]> By: Gabrielle http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/comment-page-1/#comment-37827 Gabrielle Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:08:16 +0000 http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/rates/#comment-37827 Your timing to ask this question is good, JG! The revised <a href="http://longforsuccess.com/2011/10/31/intuits-average-billing-rates-survey-2011-details-for-quickbooks-proadvisors-accountants-and-bookkeepers/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">rates survey from Intuit for 2011</a> have been published. Stay tuned for an updated article on this topic as well. :-) Your timing to ask this question is good, JG! The revised rates survey from Intuit for 2011 have been published. Stay tuned for an updated article on this topic as well. :-)

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