Down to Business

If you insist on being a dog walker, you should do it under the table. Seriously. The bookkeeping and taxes are a killer. I should know, it's April 15th and all the savings I had now belongs to the IRS.

It's not that Quickbooks is all that hard to navigate, it's not that I blow all my money on pre-cut organic liver treats, it's not even that I don't believe in taxes. It's just that I got into dog walking because I love the dog stuff.

If I wanted to crunch numbers, I would have been an accountant, or one of those shady bookkeepers that skims off the top because they work for someone like me who only wants to know if she has enough money to stop by the taco truck on the way home.

Profit Loss What? I'd rather scoop poop with my hands and a leaky bag when it's raining sideways and the neurotic German Shepard is barking in my ear than reconcile my checking account. I'd rather tromp through the blackberries at high noon in August chasing after a lost dog than record a receipt.

So that's my advice, first off, don't be a dog walker. Second, just be self-employed, don't be some highfalutin business owner keeping track of write-offs and quarterly estimates. Ask your customers for cash, give 20% to your favorite charity so you're not a complete tax evading jerk and spend your time shopping for more effective rain gear instead of wrestling with spreadsheets. Oh, and keep your day job.