Tax Time

Thank you to everyone for your kind words in response to my last post.  So I have noticed people randomly posting pics of them doing their taxes, with pictures of course. When I see the pictures it makes me chuckle; all the pictures I have seen seem to be of two maybe three manila folders and a small stalk of receipts. Now I could be wrong maybe they just wanted to make the photos look nice, I don't know.  What I do know is their stacks look nothing like mine.  So I thought since I'm going to be keeping it real, I dragged myself out to take a picture of my receipt organizing system. Maybe it will help some other planners out there, who like me seem to acquire a LOT of receipts and aren't quite sure how to store them. 

We all know that receipt ink can disappear in a few days in the bottom of our purses; so my system is that I make a copy of the receipt and staple the original to it, enter it in quickbooks and put it in a folder. Each folder is divided up by month, makes it easier if I have to go look for something or do a price comp.  I rarely have to look through the "actual receipts" since my Quickbooks system allows me to be really accurate in the breakdown of purchases and what account they belong in. Now I know there are bookkeeping systems out there that you can scan your receipts into and don't need to save the papers; but my accountant doesn't recommend it for me.

You see I buy all different kinds of things that are for work, and my categories are so weird that my accountant  recommends I keep everything. So this is how I do it.  Of course these folders are only the receipts they are not the bank statement folders, employee tax documents, sales tax folders, insurance folders etc... you get the idea.  I love you all but really didn't feel like digging all that out :)

I hope this tip helps at least one person, it sure saves me.

Confused but Dedicated

Hi My name is Carolyn and I am a confusion addict who likes to make things more difficult for herself!! I admit I have a problem. Sometimes I think I'm making things easier for myself but actually make things more difficult for myself and those around me. I'm sure I'm not the only one with the problem but when your head is spining with all the ideas it can sure seem like it.  I diversified the business and added more things to control when I wasn't controlling even one social network well, and then I go and make more work for myself UGH!!!  So this will be my only blog, I'm going to talk about everything here, parties, crazy happenings, frustrations, celebrations and anything else that comes to mind.  Mind you I'm not going to use it to re-post others work just to gain a few fans, if I re-post work it will be because I respect the work and the source. 

I'm a small business owner in a crappy tough economy, I have suffered setbacks, increases in taxes, insurance costs, suffered the loss of my husbands income (4 yrs. ago and the silver lining is I got the best business partner I could ask for), became the sole provider for my family,  been subjected to a influx of new event planners cutting the market value of what I do as a planner, a public who seems to think that event planning should be priced for "everyone".

Through the past few months I have toyed with the idea of leaving the party planning world and only doing Christmas decorating.  Good friends have told me not to, that this will pass and others who understand my struggles have just been supportive of me.  I have decided I WON'T stop party planning, because I AM FABULOUS at it!!  So I will bide my time until there is more balance in the party planning world.  Please note I said "party planning" not "event styling".  I am an event stylist but I am so much more than that.  I am the one who is not only interested in the look and feel of the event but in the overall running of the event. I make it my teams priority to handle each guest and their needs as if they were the client.  I make it my priority that my client thoroughly enjoys their entire event.  When I'm on site I watch everything, know everything and handle everything. I know how to set up quickly and effeciently, I know that there are no do-overs in party planning, I know what it takes to create a full well rounded event, I know how much food is needed, I know how much drinks are needed, I know how many lbs. of ice are needed, I should I have been doing it for 16+ years.

So if you are looking for a great "Event Planner" than I'm your girl and if you are following me because I twisted your arm or you have respect for me even though I don't post much then I'm your girl.

Thank you for being here and I'm just going to move forward.