A thing that everybody forgets initially is not tracking money in your Michigan real estate business – I was talking to my CPA this April as I was doing my personal taxes and he said that out of couple of hundred business owner clients he has – I am the MOST ORGANIZED he has ever seen.

Nora who was sitting next to me just burst out laughing.

Actually I am not organized at all. But I am smart enough to know that I am not.

So I use software like QuickBooks Simple Startto make sure that it keeps me organized. I don’t write hand written checks. They are the ones you forgot to keep track of. Everything is printed off the printer so it is already in there.

Even when I have cash on me – all my business expenses are put on my business credit card (NOT personal credit cards - I dont have any! Personal philosphy of No Personal Debt) so I once I put them in Quick Books – it can do the dirty work for you.

Cost of this incredible life saving software - $80 at Costco and Sam's Club; a completely insane $39.99 at Amazon.com. I can’t believe why anybody would not want to use it at that price. It is literally free. It comes in variety of versions. Dont waste your money buying the high end version. For you and me the $39.99 version just works fine. QuickBooks Simple Start is literally designed for people who have no knowledge of accounting. Which pretty much describes most of us.

One more thing that new real estate investors forget – I use Quick Books not just to do my taxes right and make my CPA and IRS happy in April but also for myself. I need to know if I am doing well or not.