Category: Content

Surely you’ve read a lot about it. That before you have looked for options and solutions, to reduce your spending and save costs in your business. I humbly warn you: here you will not find only tips to save being autonomous. In this article I give you a methodology of business management, a way to understand the management of your activity on a day-to-day basis. A guide to meet to reduce self-employed expenses.

You know the importance of reducing your expenses to the maximum to obtain greater profitability. I do not discover anything new. But I do want to show you the different formulas you have on hand to control spending, and reduce it, paying attention to certain routines.

You must evaluate if these options are implementable in your activity so that it is more efficient contributing a greater benefit.

 

Do not forget any of the autonomous deductible expenses

This is basic for anyone who has a business. There are many expenses that you can deduct. What does “deduct” mean? Well, they are investments that reduce the net return of your activity, causing you to pay less taxes.

Remember that in order for an expense to be admitted as a deductible, it must meet certain requirements:

1. Being linked to the economic activity carried out by the self-employed, or as the Treasury says, who are “affected” by it.
2. Be conveniently justified by the corresponding invoices. Be registered by the self-employed person in their corresponding expense and investment books.
3. We talk about the expenses of salaries, social security fees, certain taxes, exploitation costs, services of independent professionals…
4. But beyond, there are also the vehicle, gasoline, clothing, mobile phone, diet … And if you work from home, you can deduct the expenses of supplies in proportion to the space allocated (and declared) to your business.

You cannot pass up the expenses that are deductible without an invoice. Another list that you should keep in mind among those that are: bank charges, expenses derived from commercial contracts … From the links to the articles linked in superior lines take a list with all of them and keep it in mind.

 

Attention to your own bonuses

You must check if you are among any of the beneficiary groups of bonuses and discounts on Social Security contributions.

They are applicable to certain groups of self-employed workers. And we do not just talk about the famous flat rate for those who start with the activity, or those who have two years without being registered as a self-employed worker.

Also of the extension that young people under 35 have if they are women, and 30 if they are men, of the same measure for another year. Of the exemption of payment of the quota during periods of maternity and paternity leave. 

They are just some examples, we tell you all in this article. Do not forget to check if you are in one of the benefited groups.

 

If you are going to hire do it to people “bonus”

A few days ago, we launched a post talking about how difficult it is for certain sectors (by race, sex, age or family situation) to find a job even having the aptitudes for a certain position. Above, you should see an opportunity in certain sectors of society since their hiring is rewarded:

 

1. a) Relatives: under the figure of self – employed collaborator you can hire a family member up to the second degree of consanguinity. You will be rewarded 100% of the fee if the contract is indefinite.
2. b) Under 30 years: if you hire a child under 30 enrolled as a job seeker with a contract to promote entrepreneurs you will receive 1,000 euros in the first year, 1,100 in the second and 1,200 euros in the third.
3. c) Greater than 45 years : if you hire indefinitely a person older than 45 years in a young entrepreneurship project, you will receive 1,300 euros per year for 3 years, which will be transformed into 1,500 € if you hire a woman in certain sectors.

 

These are just some examples, but if you access this link we have a detailed article on the subject where all the bonuses are specified according to the type of contract.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

By: Jennifer Brazer

Jennifer is the author of From Cubicle to Cloud and Founder/CEO of Complete Controller, a pioneering financial services firm that helps entrepreneurs break free of traditional constraints and scale their businesses to new heights.

Fact Checked By: Brittany McMillen

Beware of Accounting Scams: Protect Your Finances Now

Accounting scams involve deliberate manipulation of financial records or theft of funds through deceptive practices, including revenue inflation, expense concealment, and asset misrepresentation. These schemes devastate businesses of all sizes, with organizations losing an average of 5% of annual revenue to fraud—median losses hitting $145,000 per case in 2024, a staggering 24% increase from 2022.

I’ve spent over 20 years as CEO of Complete Controller watching brilliant entrepreneurs lose everything to preventable fraud. Last month, a client discovered their trusted bookkeeper had siphoned $200,000 through fake vendor payments—a scheme that operated for three years under their nose. The most heartbreaking part? Every red flag was visible, but they didn’t know what to look for. This guide arms you with the exact warning signs I teach my clients, plus a battle-tested 90-day prevention plan that has protected millions in assets across our portfolio.

What are accounting scams, and how can you protect yourself?

• Accounting scams are intentional deceptions to steal funds or distort financial health through phishing, fake invoicing, payroll fraud, and revenue manipulation
• Detection requires vigilance for unexplained transactions, sudden financial shifts, or employee resistance to audits
• Prevention combines technology (encryption/AI monitoring) with human oversight (segregated duties) and proactive verification
• Response demands immediate action: freeze accounts, initiate forensic audits, and report to authorities like the SEC or IRS
• Recovery typically costs 5x the stolen amount when factoring legal fees, forensic accounting, and reputation repair

The Evolving Threat Landscape: 2025 Scam Tactics

Modern accounting fraud has weaponized technology in terrifying ways. Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams alone caused $2.9 billion in losses during 2023, with deepfake CEO impersonations rising 62% year-over-year. One California accounting firm lost $450,000 when fraudsters used AI voice cloning to mimic their CFO authorizing wire transfers.

Ransomware attacks now specifically target financial data, encrypting entire accounting systems until cryptocurrency ransoms are paid. The 2024 Granite Construction scandal revealed how project managers manipulated cost reports to hide ransomware payouts from auditors and shareholders.

Shadow ledger schemes

Sophisticated fraudsters maintain parallel accounting systems that mirror legitimate books while concealing theft. These “shadow ledgers” contain thousands of false entries that balance perfectly on paper. Patisserie Valerie’s spectacular collapse exposed 4,000 fake ledger entries hiding $94 million in losses, ultimately destroying 900 jobs when the fraud unraveled.

Red Flags Every Business Must Recognize

Asset misappropriation accounts for 89% of all fraud cases, making vendor and payroll irregularities your primary concern. Watch for duplicate payments to similar vendor names—fraudsters often create lookalike companies like “Acme Solutions LLC” when the real vendor is “Acme Solutions Inc.”

Financial discrepancies that signal danger

• Revenue spikes without corresponding receivables increases
• Inventory shortages despite consistent purchasing patterns
• Cash flow inconsistencies (sales up 40% but bank deposits flat)
• Expense categories growing faster than business operations
• Journal entries posted at unusual times or by unauthorized personnel

Behavioral warning signs

Your team’s actions often reveal fraud before financial statements do. Employees who never take vacations, refuse to delegate tasks, or display sudden wealth inconsistent with their salary deserve scrutiny. The median fraudster operates for 12 months before detection—patterns emerge long before discovery.

Case Study: How Americanas SA Collapsed

Brazilian retail giant Americanas SA stunned markets in 2023 by revealing $4 billion in hidden debt. Executives manipulated supplier financing agreements, booking supplier payments as revenue while concealing liabilities through complex loopholes. When whistleblowers finally exposed the scheme, the company filed for bankruptcy within weeks, leaving 8,000 creditors and 30,000 employees devastated.

PwC, their auditor, faced intense scrutiny for missing manipulated documents across multiple audit cycles. The scandal highlights how even sophisticated oversight fails when management actively conceals fraud through “obscure financial practices” that technically comply with regulations while violating their spirit.

Your 90-Day Fraud Prevention Plan

1st Month: Risk assessment and technology implementation

Start by auditing all vendor and payroll files for ghost entities or duplicate payments. Small businesses with fewer than 100 employees suffer median fraud losses of $141,000—often through these basic schemes. Implement AI transaction monitoring tools that flag anomalies; platforms like Alloy reduce fraud by 93% through pattern recognition.

Train your entire team on phishing identification using real examples from your industry. Create a confidential tip hotline—43% of fraud gets detected through employee reports, making this your most effective detection tool.

2nd Month: Control enforcement

Segregate financial duties immediately. No single person should control payments, record-keeping, and reconciliations. Require dual approvals for all transactions exceeding $1,000 and mandate that finance staff take consecutive vacation days—continuous presence enables long-term concealment.

Install biometric login requirements for accounting software and establish automatic logout protocols. Review user permissions monthly, removing access for terminated employees within 24 hours.

3rd Month: Ongoing vigilance systems

Conduct surprise cash counts and inventory checks at irregular intervals. Review bank statements daily through encrypted connections, comparing transactions against source documents. Rotate audit firms every two years to prevent relationship complacency.

Document every control measure in writing, creating an audit trail that protects you legally while deterring potential fraudsters who recognize robust oversight.

When Scams Strike: Damage Control Steps

Speed determines survival when fraud hits. Immediately disconnect compromised systems and revoke all user access. Preserve transaction records in their original state—tampering destroys legal evidence. Engage your insurance carrier, legal counsel, and forensic accountants within 24 hours.

File reports with appropriate authorities using Form 14039 for identity theft cases. The SEC and FBI’s IC3 maintain specialized fraud units that can freeze stolen assets if notified quickly.

Final Thoughts

Accounting scams thrive in environments of misplaced trust and inadequate oversight. At Complete Controller, I’ve built our entire service model around “trust but verify” principles—embedding fraud checks into every process from invoice verification to payroll audits. Your business deserves the same protection.

The statistics paint a sobering picture: fraud losses are accelerating, tactics are evolving, and no business is immune. But armed with knowledge and the right controls, you can transform from potential victim to protected enterprise. Start implementing these strategies today—because fraud prevention costs pennies compared to fraud recovery. Ready to bulletproof your finances? Contact the experts at Complete Controller for a comprehensive fraud risk assessment tailored to your business.

Frequently Asked Questions About Accounting Scams

What’s the most common accounting scam today?

Business Email Compromise (BEC) dominates the fraud landscape, causing 71% of total fraud losses through fake payment requests and wire transfer schemes.

Can small businesses recover from accounting fraud?

Yes, but recovery costs average 5x the stolen amount when including forensic audits, legal fees, and reputation repair efforts.

How do I verify invoices are legitimate?

Match every invoice against purchase orders, goods receipts, and payment details—reject any lacking this triple verification.

Does cyber insurance cover accounting fraud losses?

Only if your policy explicitly includes “social engineering” coverage—review and update terms annually as standard policies often exclude fraud.

What’s the single most effective fraud prevention tactic?

Segregation of duties prevents any single employee from controlling payments, record-keeping, and reconciliations—blocking most fraud schemes.

Sources

• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners. “2024 Report to the Nations.” (2024). www.acfe.com/report-to-the-nations/2024
• FinCEN. “Suspicious Activity Report Analysis: Mail Theft-Related Check Fraud.” (2024). www.fincen.gov/reports/2024
• Alloy. “2025 State of Fraud Report.” Harris Poll. (2025). www.alloy.com/reports
• Kernutt Stokes. “4 Ways Accounting Practices Aid in Fraud Prevention.” (2024). www.kernuttstokes.com
• McDonald, Tod. “Hiding in Plain Sight: 5 Red Flags for Occupational Fraud.” CPA Practice Advisor. (2025). www.cpapracticeadvisor.com
• Thomson Reuters. “How to Spot Accounting Fraud.” (2023). www.thomsonreuters.com/fraud-detection
• U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. “Accounting and Auditing Enforcement Releases.” (2025). www.sec.gov/enforcement
• Centre for Fraud Studies. “Digest the Occupational Fraud Report 2024.” (September 20, 2024). www.fraudstudies.org
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center. “2023 Internet Crime Report.” (March 18, 2024). www.ic3.gov/reports
• Insurance Journal. “Americanas’ $4B Accounting Scandal Puts More Scrutiny on PwC’s Auditing.” (February 8, 2023). www.insurancejournal.com
• CPA.co.uk. “Patisserie Valerie’s Accounting Black Hole Grows.” (March 19, 2019). www.cpa.co.uk
• CISA. “Stop Ransomware Resource Center.” (2024). www.cisa.gov/stopransomware
• FBI. “Scams and Safety.” (2024). www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety
• SEC. “Report Suspected Securities Fraud or Violations.” (2024). www.sec.gov/fast-answers/answersfraudhtm.html

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing service to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud platform where their QuickBooks™️ file, critical financial documents, and back-office tools are hosted in an efficient SSO environment. Complete Controller’s team of certified US-based accounting professionals provide bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting, and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay. With flat-rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost-effective expert accounting solution for business, family-office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

The country is constantly going through ups and downs. Although much is said in crisis, there are opportunities in several segments, and real estate is one of them. With the downturn in the economy, after years of growth, what happens is a huge availability of real estate: that is, for those who have been scheduling to buy real estate, whether new or used real estate, the time is now.

Choosing forms of payment that are consistent with the family budget to reach the purchase of that good – which represents stability and security – is one of the important aspects around the subject. This, and many other points that will need to be decided by those who decide to take advantage of the time to buy new property are addressed here in this post.

Keep up the good work and know the top 5 steps to buy your new property!

 

 

1. Define how much you will spend

For those who are going to buy property in installments, a detailed analysis of the budget and the family income is essential. Taking into account all costs related to housing, when assuming installments of a property, is to ensure financial health to the business. Important to keep in mind also, when thinking about financing a property, that the maximum possible to commit to their installments is 30% of income.

Regardless of whether your purchase will be in cash or installment, it is important to do accounts. When you buy a property, in addition to the cost of the property itself, fees and taxes levied on the transaction. So having these costs clear, and counting them, will allow you to have the exact notion of how much you will use when buying property.

 

 

2. Choose the best one for you

Buying new property will allow you to make an advantageous acquisition under several aspects, one of them being the first resident, and receiving a brand new property. Buying new real estate is also ideal if you want to pay off most of the value, since there are lines of credit specially created for this type of acquisition.

Buying property in the plant is an excellent choice for those who are not in a hurry to move. For those who have time to wait for the delivery of a property, buying it at this stage of the venture will allow you to enjoy better prices than the real estate ready. The builders, even, offer possibilities of customization of the apartment or house, when bought in the plant. That is, you, in addition to better prices, may still have a property in your own way.

 

 

 

3. Decide on the most appropriate form of payment

In cash

If you’ve been making a financial reserve for some time, thinking of buying real estate, great! This is a form of payment full of advantages:

1. Greater bargaining power
2. No impairment of monthly income with installments
3. Possibility to take advantage of cash payment offers

 

 

 

Real estate consortium

Who wants to enjoy the advantages of pay cash you will find in the real estate consortium the right way to make your purchase. The consortium is an established way of buying in a planned way. By joining it, you will have the value of the desired property – total or entry – divided into monthly installments, and will purchase your apartment or house by means of a letter of credit.

Every month, those who have a real estate consortium have a chance to be contemplated, as the lottery draws happen in assemblies with this periodicity. After contemplation, the consumer will undergo credit analysis and may buy his new or used property, and also invest in the purchase of land, construction or renovation.

 

4. Look for the ideal property

Buying property requires a good deal of certainty about what you really want for yourself and your family. Because it is a heavy purchase in most people’s lives, it is necessary to do so with the utmost certainty of what is wanted from the present moment and about the future yearnings.

 

 

5. Find the Right Place

When it comes to living well, it is not enough to have the perfect property: it needs to be in the right place, and in line with your lifestyle. Therefore, to close the deal, check carefully if the property you are looking for is in a place that can meet your housing expectations.

If, for you, having schools nearby is crucial, before closing a deal, be sure to check out nearby education options. In order to avoid relying on the car all the time, having trades around the selected property is essential: bakeries, supermarkets, grocery stores, drugstores and free-trade fairs, when easily accessible, are amenities to consider.

 

 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

This topic has given a lot to think, all at some time in our lives we come to a time when we must think about what we want and what we can do to be financially free, comfortable and safe.

But what is financial freedom, and how is it related to our life plan? As an entrepreneur it is one more aspect that you should consider, since having a lot of money gives you wealth, which is measured with a greater number of zeros in our account. Economic freedom is achieved when our income is greater than our expenses.

It is common that we confuse the true meaning of financial freedom, continue reading and find out everything you need to know about the subject.

 

 

What is financial freedom?

It is understood as the ability to live free from worries in the monetary or money sense, some simply define it as the time you could live if you stop working.

For this reason, experts consider that it is directly related to the economic well-being we achieve.

In more clear words, we obtain financial freedom when we can cover our economic needs without having to do some kind of activity, so financial freedom is measured according to the free time we have, but not in the amount of our income. If we are able to cover our needs with more free time, we understand that we have broad financial freedom.

 

 

 

Steps to be financially free

1- Life plan

It relates a detailed analysis of how you want your life to be, when it is clear to you that you want to make the fight easier to do.

Simplify and facilitate your life, focus on what matters most to you, with this you not only avoid wasting money, but you focus on your goals and objectives.

On the other hand, you must be very positive and always think that you are able to achieve what you propose, and then strive to achieve your dreams; turn them into goals. Cancel the limitations related to success and money.

 

2- Save

It is an important element, because it will serve you in the different steps you are taking to get closer to financial freedom. Control your expenses, it is important since this control partly depends on the savings, the more money you spend to live, the harder it is for you to reach financial freedom.

Avoid indebtedness, debts are the opposite of saving and financial freedom. In the case that you acquire debts, try to be as low as possible, that you can pay easily and as soon as possible.

 

 

 

3- Search to perfect yourself

Extend your income, never achieve financial freedom while you depend on a job, always try to do your job well, so that your income increases by bonuses or get a better position, but do not forget that it is to achieve higher income without spending more time. Avoid getting stuck in a job.

 

 

4- Avoid being dazzled

Maintain your standard of living, although your income increases, it is very common for people to make the mistake of increasing their standard of living in the proportion that their income has increased. Usually people as they progress in their career and are earning more money, they are increasing their standard of living, but sometimes even the increase is excessive and end up in debt.

Invest your money with conscience, your money needs to multiply and if you do not invest as a result of inflation, each year your money will be worth less.

 

 

 

5- Generate passive income

Passive income is what you get consistently after having made your initial investment, without doing anything else.

For this you must have assets, and then you can live on the fruits of those assets, for example, buy a real or personal property to be rented, participate as a partner contributing capital to a company and you will have rights to a proportion of the benefits, create or invent something that will generate royalties for copyright, among others.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

As a starting point, it should be an amount that you feel comfortable and secure with. From there, there is a minimum recommendation for the emergency fund that goes from 3 to six months of your fixed expenses. In case of doubt, it will always be better to stay in the high range of the calculation.

To calculate your contingency cushion and generate a good emergency fund, the first thing will be to write down your essential fixed expenses. This may be a good time to reflect on how and on what you are spending the money and implement the envelope method to save that we explain in the following video.

Once you have calculated the fixed costs you have and expect to keep, you only have to multiply them by six. This way you will know how much you need an emergency fund that helps you to have a finance approves of bombs,

 

 

 

How long will it take to collect your reserve fund?

It is normal, to generate the savings you want take some time. If you need to know how much to set a temporary goal for, the calculation is easy. You only have to divide the money in the fund between the amounts you save each month.

As an example, let’s make numbers. Let’s imagine that you have an income of $1,000 per month and fixed non-renounceable expenses of $800. In this case, the amount of the emergency fund will be $4,800.

Let’s say you start saving 5% of your income or $50 a month. It will take 96 months to get the capital together. If you raise the rate to 10%, it will only take 48 months.

 

 

 

Where do I put the emergency money?

It’s easy for your first response at this point to be under the mattress. Avoid this temptation if you want to save automatically. It is better to have the emergency fund in an account or other financial products that, in addition, will help you avoid the temptation to use it unless it is necessary.

When placing that money do not lose sight of the three blocks of financial planning to those we linked before. In addition, the place where you leave that money must meet two specific conditions:

• Or as it is known in financial terms, liquidity. In other words, to be able to access money easily and almost immediately.
• Do not play with your emergency fund. Bet on risk-free products where you know you will not lose money.

One of the most common errors at this point is making the emergency fund profitable. In other words, seek to obtain a benefit for that money. Remember what your main goal for that emergency mattress is: that it is always available in a safe place because you may need it at any time.

 

In this sense, a remunerated account or a renewable short-term deposit will automatically be the best options.

 

And the profitability? To look for profitability and grow your money you already have the rest of your savings, as we will see below.

 

What to do when you have already created the emergency fund?

Keep pre-saving! The contingency fund for contingencies is only the first step towards financial freedom, the minimum safety net you need. Now that you have started saving, it will be easier to continue than to stop. If you lack motivation, what do you think about achieving a golden retirement or taking a sabbatical as objectives?

 

When to use the emergency fund?

When you really need it, when it really is an emergency and an undertaking. As an example, if the car breaks down you can go to it, as well as if the washing machine is broken. However, you should not do it if you know that you are going to change the car in a year or that you will shortly have to renew the appliances. That kind of expense, you can budget and you should do it.

 

 

 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

There is often a question raised between country and city, which one offers a cheaper yet better lifestyle. Here are some facts that will make it clear to comprehend.

 

Working opportunities:

Being in the city, it is much easier to find a work of one’s own choice. There are a lot of opportunities for even the tiniest skills one has. Yet, if there are more offers, there is more competition too. A lot of people are striving to fill the only job vacancy in a famous company in the city. However, there are lesser jobs in countries, but even if one gets the offers, the competition is less and it is much easier to grab the one and only job offered in a month or two.

 

Transport Abilities:

In countries, one has to walk through a mile with no chance of public transport around. However, in cities, anyone can get a bus after 15 minutes of losing one. In countries, the extra charges for a car have to be borne. Buying a car is not a hard thing to do, yet maintaining a car is not easy. Giving extra taxes for the car and paying for the fuel is much expensive than getting to the bus stop in five minutes from the apartment. Hence, cities are better for providing the transportation facilities.

 

Houses:

For renting a single story house with two rooms in a city, it is provoking for someone to pay $400. With that, it is much easier to rent a two story house in a village with better facilities for $300. Where one has the space for the pet, an extra yard for planting the orchards and much more. So, country beats the city when it comes to housing.

 

Incautious shopping:

In the city, even passing by the mall for window shopping and having money in hands, no one would really pass by a beautiful affordable dress for her or a decent watch in a relatively less price for him. Yet, forcefully, one will have to buy that for satisfying their wants, no matter if they will have to suffer the last week of the month with no money. However, in countries, no markets nearby, no incautious shopping! In countries, people have to go far off places to buy the ration for the house even in a month. So, there will be no passing by the mall, no attractive things to worry about, and hence, savings.

 

Festivals:

In cities, even extra sales for the city population means extra expenditure. Even in sales, expenses are much more. While in countries, festivals are held on a regular basis. These festivals are about different items on different occasions. Yet, they have a little less good quality, still, they are a better option for saving a $100 in just a single festival rather than paying an extra $100 for sales.

 

Must expense for Having a House in the City:

Having a house in a city is expensive, but maintaining the house requires much more expenditures. One has to pay for the trash collection, rapid transit or animal control. One has to pay the extra water bills, electricity’s extra usage will cause them to pay extra bills and there are much more to go. In countries, there are no such expenses. One has to do most of the work on their own. There are no special orders for keeping animals or cattle. One can have a cow for milk, for cheese and also one can earn by such means.

 

Schools:

In cities, getting an education is much more expensive. Paying extra charges for useless activities is not really comforting. Kids are provided with good education, but the same education can be provided to the kids in countries with lesser expenditures. One has to pay for transport as the schools are far off in cities. Yet, in countries, the schools are present nearby and have just as much extracurricular activities as required.

 

 

Of the above-mentioned factors, it is clear that city life has advantages related to the career, but when it comes to expenses, country life is more reasonable.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Why spend 12 or 14 hours at work when we can perform the same tasks in 7 or 8 hours? The unnecessary distractions reduce our ability to concentrate, make us less productive and force us to spend more time at the computer.

1. Do not check emails so often

It is not the first time that we say that email is the first and most important source of distractions that you have to deal with during your working day, but we have no choice but to insist on it.

At this point, it is worth mentioning a recent study developed by the University of Glasgow in which it is clear that many of the less productive workers tend to control their email up to 40 times per hour when it is reasonable to do it only three times up to date.

2. Forget about the phone

Sometimes, when we really need to maintain concentration at the highest level, we can opt directly to forget about the phone.

It is not about turning it off completely, but for example, we can restrict incoming calls except for certain numbers, activate the vibration mode, or directly leave it in another room, and then check the calls we received after a few hours.

3. Defend your workspace

For many, this can simply translate into closing the door of their office. However, when we work in open spaces (we do not have our own office) this defense must be done from the mental plane. A good solution is to use, for example, two different browsers.

The first one will only be used to perform tasks that are directly related to our work. We will open the second when we want to take a break, and spend a few minutes of disconnection. If our operating system allows it, we can also configure different “workspaces” for each of the areas we need.

4. Order your workspace

A messy table, not knowing where the objects we need are, a large number of unorganized papers are signs of a space that works against us. The goal of an orderly workspace is not that everything “looks nicer” but that we are more productive, and have more capacity to carry out tasks to fruition.

If every time we have to look for a document, we lose five minutes, can you imagine how much useless time we have let through the day?

5. Uses helmets

Some people need to isolate themselves from the world to be more focused. A good way is to use helmets, putting soft music that does not distract us. The idea is to use classical, jazz, or ambient music.

Music with lyrics is convenient, as we will easily lose concentration, spending more time thinking about the lyrics and the memories that remind us of our work. Some people choose to wear helmets without any music so that others have to think twice before interrupting them.

6. Everything you need has to be at hand

Before starting a task, make sure everything you need is at hand. Do you have all the necessary information/documentation? What programs are you going to use? Are you going to have to contact someone? In short, before starting your working day, it is no good that you do a little planning of everything you need.

7. Change your work schedule

If working on your own, or your job allows you to have a flexible work schedule, adapt it to your needs. The good idea is to start working early, to be able to leave early. If you start working at 7 a.m. for example, you will have two hours in which you will practically be “alone before the world” without interruptions of any kind. In this way, you can, for example, leave at 5:00 p.m. and better reconcile your work and family life.

If you work in your home, identify which is the schedule that best suits your work performance. Some people prefer to work at night, while others, as we have indicated before, need to get up very early to be able to perform at their best.

8. Resolve any questions before starting

Before starting to work on any project, you must have a very clear idea of ​​what you have to do. It is not enough to have a vague idea of ​​what is going to be required. Therefore, all the doubts, questions and questions that you need to clarify are better resolved before starting work.

It is true that during the course of your task new doubts may arise, but a specific doubt is not the same as being immersed in a sea of ​​questions, which we will end up unsolved by shame to ask again.

9. Disconnect from the Internet

After email, the Internet is the biggest source of distractions that you can find in your work environment. Browse, visit social networks, check your Twitter account, read the latest news or review your feeds is stealing time from what really matters: finish your work and have more free time.

If you are before a project or a task that you can solve without using the Internet, do not think twice: pull the thread and disconnect from the Network. Doing so you will be ending a great source of distractions.

10. Take a break before losing Concentration

It is unavoidable. After a while working, our mind starts to escape, to think about things much more pleasant and gradually, we lose concentration, until there is a point where we really do not know what we are working on. 

When we identify these moments, the best solution is not to insist on continuing to work. It is much more productive to stop working and take five minutes to disconnect. We can take a walk, have a tea or simply perform an exercise and breathing. In this way, in a few minutes, we will be ready to start again.

 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

If you want to become an owner, it is time to get aware of things around you. But be careful, when negotiating with your banker, do not focus on this single nominal rate, because the true cost of your credit will depend on the total effective rate. The latter includes all the costs of setting up your loan, use a magnifying glass to figure out things. Because they can allow you to realize substantial savings.

1. Lower the administrative costs

When you go to your bank advisor, he will do different simulations depending on your profile. If you are a simple customer (employee, having all your accounts domiciled at his agency, no health risk aggravated), your file will be very easy to assemble. In this case, negotiate with him a discount on the expenses of the file. If you go through a broker, the fees will have to be paid, but you will have nothing to settle at the bank. Again, negotiate a rebate if your record has required very few appointments.

2. Negotiate the cost of insurance

When you buy a home loan, you must at the same time take DIIT insurance (Death, Invalidity, Incapacity of Work). It allows the banker to ensure that the monthly payments will always be paid even if you are a victim of a serious disaster. You can take out a contract that is cheaper than your banks, but only if the insurance policy on assignment gives you identical guarantees.

3. Play on the ancillary services

You cannot bend your banker and still want to get better. Play on the ancillary services. Your advisor will be pleased to make you subscribe, in parallel to your home loan, home multi-risk insurance for your new home. In the same way, show your banker that you are ready to place your sponge in his establishment by looking at basic savings products. If your bank offers a bundle of interesting services with the bank card, inform your banker that you are interested. As you get benefits from a commercial gesture on your home loan!

4. Check the prepayment penalties

If you have to sell your home to another area or to buy bigger or smaller, you will need to prepay the bank. Legally, the latter amount to 3% of the remaining capital, capped at six months of interest, responsible for relations with banks. It is possible to cancel or reduce the amount if you resell your home for the purchase of another. Remember to change this point in your loan agreement before signing it; this may be useful in the future. Be aware, however, that a banker will charge you almost systematically if you renegotiate your mortgage in a competitor.

5. Think about the transferability of the loan

Check that your credit is transferable. This will save you money in the future by taking advantage of current rates of less than 3% on future purchases. If you buy a larger home in a few years, after reselling the first one to which your credit is attached, this mechanism will allow you to transfer the remainder of your credit for the purchase of the new property. So, you have to borrow the missing complement, at a rate probably higher than 3%. Attention, this operation remains however at the good will of the bank. But check that it is possible upstream, before signing the loan offer.

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

Restaurants, unlike other business models, have to adapt to the competition of concepts in a fluid and exhaustive way. Opening a restaurant or expanding a concept requires thinking something out of the ordinary, having extensive experience in the business and or getting a redistribution or capital increase. Restaurant owners can get money for the initial investment, for working capital or to expand capital from three primary sources: loans for small businesses or ventures, banks or credit unions, and investment groups.

 

What kind of restaurant financing is out there?

For a person who wants to start a new business, there are many different types of business loans obtainable for people who wants to finance a restaurant. In addition, when it comes down to it, the kind of restaurant financing a person gets actually will depend on the type of business lenders they are working or choose to work with. Keeping that in mind, here are the four basic types of restaurant financing options that a person can use for their business:

 

 

Loans for small businesses

The Small Business Office has programs for businesses that seek capital through approved “micro-lenders”. This US office, for example, provides financial support through micro-credits ranging from $2,500 to a maximum of $35,000, and an average of $13,000. These micro-credits generally have competitive interest rates and provide restaurants and other businesses with not only financial assistance, but also planning and marketing strategies, along with other resources for business management and training. The requirements to obtain one of these loans include a business profile (business history, operations plans, and managers), curricula of current owners and managers.

Private loans

Private loans can be obtained through banks or credit unions. By federal law, banks can grant larger loans than credit unions, which are restricted in the amounts to be lent. To secure these loans you will need guarantees, which vary from 10 percent to 25 percent of the value of the loan.

Analyze the figures

Whether you are just starting your business or you are already generating some profit, quantify the performance of your business and set performance goals is a good idea. Make sure you identify how much cash your company needs during the next 12 months. Finally, make sure you have software systems to track the performance of your business.

Investment group

Restaurants are the perfect investment for investment groups. The level of service, cuisine and the subject (called concept) have to demonstrate the capacity of the business to generate profits and endure over time. Some investment groups only provide financing if certain directives are followed in the administration of the business, and may even require that a member of the group work or be a manager in the restaurant, to ensure the proper use of funds and growth of the business.

Make plans for the future

For a person who wants to start a new business, there are many different types of business loans obtainable for people who wants to finance a restaurant. Make sure you prepare properly before asking for a loan from your bank. This will make it cheaper for you. CHEAPER! The future of your company may depend on your ability to access cheaper sources of capital. Therefore, you must be well prepared and informed: the last thing you want is for your competitors to be before you!

 

Working Capital Loans

An operational capital loan is one of the most feasible options for a restaurant owner who want to shelter their owed business expenditures. Such loans are not expected to buy long-term possessions, but it is just a short-term option to cover temporary needs.

 

 

 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.

If making the money last until the end of the month is already a big battle, imagine getting it so you can achieve some dreams! Want to buy a new car, get out of the rental or make that vacation trip without worrying about expenses? Well, know that it is possible, provided you have organization and discipline with your household budget.

Incidentally, it is worth telling you what budget is the money available to pay the bills. But that does not mean it has to be all the money you get, you see? You can allocate a portion of this income to other investments, being prepared for any emergency.

 

 

1. Identify the expenses

You know by heart how much you make over the course of the month, right? But how much do you spend? Do you know exactly how you use your income? Identifying what your expenses are should be the first measure to put the household budget up to date.

Start with the most obvious ones, such as energy, water, rent, and provision of the car. Then move on to the less notable ones, like the coffee from the bakery you get every morning, or the biweekly magazine you buy or take out with your friends on weekends. Whatever your routine, it is important to identify each expense.

 

2. Categorize your expenses

After finishing the expense list, group them into larger categories so you can see where your money is going. You can have categories called, for example, from:

• Household expenses;
• Food – for meals made outside the home;
• Fuel;
• Superfluous expenses.

Find out what are the fixed expenses, the ones you have every month, and the variable expenses, like the credit card bill, for example. In general, the variables are the ones that most consume your budget, because they are concentrated in the unnecessary expenses. But that does not mean you can not save on fixed expenses too, okay? We’ll talk about this later.

 

3. Start to control

The financial lack of control happens precisely because the tendency is to think that it is possible to keep everything organized only in memory. However, do a quick exercise now: look at the past week and try to think about how you spent your money. Harder than you’d imagined, right? So the best thing to do is choose a method of control.

You can do a manual control, in a notebook, writing down all your daily expenses. The only problem, in this case, is that relying on memory and committing to write it down every day can be a bit risky. After all, you certainly have other things to do. So how to solve?

A fairly viable alternative is to use spreadsheets to shed revenues and expenses. With them, you can create formulas and get balances, sums, and other results that will help you more easily identify your expenses through consumption charts, for example.

There is also the possibility of using an application to control the domestic budget. Nowadays, several companies offer services (both free and paid) for this purpose, with apps that can be accessed by the computer or the smartphone. And the best is that you can update your control in real time, reducing the chances of forgetting some release!

 

4. Involve the whole family

Are you really willing to start controlling your spending? Great! Only with this, a very important step has already been overcome. However, if your family does not enter into the same vibration, your whole disposition may not prevail. In this phase of control, therefore, it is necessary to involve the whole house!

Hold periodic family gatherings and seek the engagement of everyone. It is important that they participate in choosing the form of control and identification of expenses. It is also good that everyone has access to control, to follow their progress whenever they want. The key is to treat the subject with enthusiasm, making them understand that it is a good practice and not an obligation, a tactic that will lead to the achievement of important dreams and the achievement of a better quality of life.

 

5. Design your cash flow

The cash flow is nothing more than the control of the monthly receipts and exits, serving as a thermometer to know how many times you use your bank account. Based on fixed and variable expenses, you can predict how much you will spend month to month, as well as how much money you have to pay the bills.

If you still cannot save, you’ll know at least when you’ll be able to start, because cash flow signals leftover budget. From there, you can think about the dreams to be made and the planning for it!

 

6. Have financial goals

Goals are the reflection of your desire to organize and control the domestic budget more efficiently. They will help you identify where you can reduce spending and thus generate a greater capital accumulation so that you can pursue your goals.

 

 

7. Set collective goals as well

Since we are talking about involving the whole house, the family must also participate in this stage. Some people, especially children and adolescents, tend to feel distant from the practice of planning. And this can make your decisions take the opposite course of other family goals.

To engage everyone, therefore, make the family see itself as a team. All together should thus help reduce the bills of the house! In this scenario, when one fails, the other can help to remember. In this way, everyone absorbs healthy financial habits, taking this learning through life.

 

About Complete Controller® – America’s Bookkeeping Experts Complete Controller is the Nation’s Leader in virtual bookkeeping, providing services to businesses and households alike. Utilizing Complete Controller’s technology, clients gain access to a cloud-hosted desktop where their entire team and tax accountant may access the QuickBooks file, critical financial documents and back office tools in an efficient and secure environment. Complete Controller’s team of US based accounting professionals are certified QuickBooks™️ ProAdvisor’s providing bookkeeping, record storage, performance reporting and controller services including training, cash-flow management, budgeting and forecasting, process and controls advisement, and bill-pay services. With flat rate service plans, Complete Controller is the most cost effective expert accounting solution for business, family office, trusts, and households of any size or complexity.