Boring (Finances)

Summary

The author is tackling the daunting task of organizing their 2022 finances using an outdated version of QuickBooks, aiming to complete the job before the end of February 2023.

Abstract

The author of the article is addressing the challenge of managing their 2022 finances, a task they had initially planned to start in 2022 but procrastinated on. They have begun the process by gathering statements and regaining access to necessary financial websites. The author describes their current setup, which includes using an older desktop version of QuickBooks from 2019, despite the availability of a more expensive online version. They are working diligently, aiming for four hours a day, with the goal of finishing the financial organization by the end of February. The author also mentions the difficulty of dealing with personal finances compared to doing the same task for clients in the past. Ultimately, they rely on a tax professional to handle their taxes.

Opinions

The author expresses a preference for their outdated desktop version of QuickBooks over the online version, due to the high cost of the latter.
They acknowledge the tedious nature of the task, especially when it involves personal finances.
The author admits that their eyesight is not what it used to be, making daytime work more efficient.
There is a hint of frustration when discussing the complexity of sorting finances, particularly when errors occur.
The author values the expertise of their tax lady, emphasizing the difficulty of managing their own finances versus doing it professionally for others.
They contemplate creating an Excel spreadsheet for future financial management, suggesting a potential side business.

But I’ve Got To Do It

The Dreaded Tax Man — Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash

I’m talking about our 2022 finances. Using an outdated version of QuickBooks. I was supposed to start this back in 2022, but I did not. I just thought about it off and on. So, over the last few weeks, I’ve been printing statements and regaining access to the websites I need to get the job done. It’s 2023, and I need to get a move on.

In good form, I can probably get a month’s worth of statements done in five or six hours. I’m not there yet, so this is a really slow crawl right now. I want to be done before February is over.

Here’s how I’ve arranged my study: I have my laptop to my left with the 2021 file with our QuickBooks loaded up. This is where I go when I don’t recognize a vendor or can’t remember what I did with the account number and the split. The split is whether this is a business-related expense or a personal expense. That sorry little tweak is what puts you up there with the pros who will gladly spend $500 a year to have the online version of QuickBooks.

I’m sticking with my outdated desktop 2019 version. At least for this year. Maybe next year, I can devise an awesome Excel spreadsheet. Test that out for 2023, and then sell it somewhere for some extra dough. It’s a thought. People shouldn’t have to spend that much money just to sort their own finances.

In front of me is my desktop computer with the 2022 finances for QuickBooks loaded. My cat, Daisy Mae, sits comfortably between my keyboard and the laptop.

I need the bed made so I can use that to spread all the receipts and other paperwork out.

The work is done better during the day, just because my eyesight sucks. I am shooting for four hours a day, but yesterday it ran into something more like six hours. I knew it was time to stop when I repeatedly put two transactions into the totally wrong accounts and then got confused trying to straighten it out. A simple error should have been a simple solution. It wasn’t. I wanted a drink. Instead, after I’d fixed it, I shoved all the paperwork on the bed over onto Dennis’ side and took a two-hour nap.

I don’t do our taxes. Neither does my husband. We leave all of that in the capable hands of our tax lady.

It’s funny. A few years ago, this is what I did for a living. It’s not hard when it is somebody else’s money, but for me, when we are dealing with our money? It is damn hard.

Boring (Finances)

But I’ve Got To Do It

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