Make $40,000 per year bookkeeping from home. If you love numbers and helping business owners and want to earn money from home, then this is a side hustle that will work for you!
Want to earn money from home but don’t have the experience to make it work? I’ve found something that I think can help you to make that dream a reality!
Ben is the founder of Bookkeeper Business Academy and was kind enough to share his success story with me today. If you are looking for a way to earn a full-time income from home and enjoy numbers and order, I highly recommend checking out the FREE class about bookkeeping that he offers.
Either way, enjoy Ben’s interview about how to make $40,000 per year from home as a bookkeeper without any prior experience.
Meet Ben, Founder Of Bookkeeper Business Academy
I am a CPA – bean counter – by trade. For 14 years, I owned my own accounting firm. I loved helping business owners with their financial, accounting, and tax needs.
However, I quickly discovered that all of the business owners’ needs – finance, accounting, and tax – are based on solid bookkeeping. And you know what? Finding great bookkeepers to provide this service was near impossible.
Regular bookkeepers are a dime a dozen, but great bookkeepers – who truly have the business owner’s best interest at heart – were so hard to find.
What is bookkeeping from home?
In simple terms, bookkeeping is the recording, storing, and retrieving of financial records for a company. Every business is required to keep accurate financial records. The responsibilities of a bookkeeper can vary depending on the complexity and size of a business.
Generally, a bookkeeper is responsible for recording daily financial transactions (money going in and out of a business), properly categorizing those transactions, and then preparing monthly financial reports for the business owner.
Related post: 30+ Real Ways To Earn Money From Home
What does it mean to become a bookkeeper? What does a typical day look like?
I wouldn’t say that “anyone” can become a bookkeeper. You definitely need certain skills, but they are not what you may think, and most can be taught. In my free course, you’ll find out the 7 character traits of a great bookkeeper, but surprisingly, “math skills” are NOT one of them!
Two Bookkeeping Skills That Can’t Be Taught
There are two skills that will make a huge difference for you as a bookkeeper. These cannot be taught – you either have them, or you don’t.
#1 – An Eye For Details
The accounting/bookkeeping software does all the math for you, but you need that eye for detail to be able to spot when something isn’t right.
#2 – A Caring Personality
Believe it or not, bookkeeping is, first and foremost, a relationship business. Great bookkeepers truly care about their clients and the success of their client’s businesses. If you possess those two traits, then you can become a great bookkeeper if you get the right training.
Related post: How To Make $20 An Hour Teaching English From Home
How much do bookkeepers make?
This is one of the most common questions I get asked. It really is 100% dependent upon how much effort, time, and care one puts into starting and growing their own virtual bookkeeping business.
Bookkeeping is NOT a get-rich-quick scheme. I half-jokingly say, “It’s a work-your-tail-off, rewarding, lifetime profession.”
I teach my students to have goals, one of which is income. Some students want part-time/supplemental income, while some want to replace a full-time income. Either case is not only a possibility; it’s also simple.
Some students wish to earn $10,000 per year, which is around 3-4 clients. Other students wish to earn $40,000 per year, which is around 12-16 clients. In either scenario, this is doable within one year IF they work the blueprint we give them.
But, I want to emphasize that earnings are 100% dependent upon how much effort, time, and care the new bookkeeper invests into their business. There is a short-term sacrifice that you make for a lifetime of benefit as a professional bookkeeper.
How To Start Bookkeeping From Home
I asked Ben for some advice about how to become a bookkeeper from home. He had some fantastic steps anyone can take to make this dream a reality!
1. Make Sure It Is Right For You
First things first: they need to make sure that bookkeeping is the right business for them before they venture down this road. My free introductory class is meant to shed lots of light on the professional and business side of bookkeeping.
Before investing a single dime or minute in pursuit of a bookkeeping business, one needs to make certain this is the right move.
2. Get The Proper Training
After the student has made the determination that bookkeeping is a great fit, they need to get training. And, not just bookkeeping Xs and Os training; they need training on how to set up, market, and grow their virtual bookkeeping business.
Our comprehensive course, Bookkeeper Business Blueprint, provides students with a turn-key solution to learning bookkeeping Xs and Os as well as the business and marketing side of the profession.
3. Market Your Small Business
Next, it’s up to the student to get to work doing the specific tasks we teach them. Bookkeeping should be marketed in a very specific manner. You can’t just hang a sign that says you’re a bookkeeper and expect a line of clients to form. You have to seek these clients. But, you never sell…you only educate your prospective clients.
Related post: 7 Survey Sites That Are Actually Worth It
Biggest Positive And Negatives About Being A Bookkeeper From Home
How much time do you have? 🙂 In all seriousness: there are so many positive aspects of being a bookkeeper AND running your own business.
Best Things About Being A Bookkeeper
For starters, you are truly helping business owners. You become their go-to person, and that feels awesome. Second, there is never a dull moment in bookkeeping. There are exciting challenges you face daily. If you like learning and developing a craft, as I do, then bookkeeping might be right up your alley.
Another positive is that you are a professional. Just like an accountant, attorney, or consultant, your client sees you as someone whom they respect and rely upon. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to be in a highly respected profession.
The ability to work from home (or anywhere you choose) is great. You get to determine when you work, where you work, and with whom you work. And, of course, everyone wants to be their own boss! You get to be at all your kids’ events. You don’t have to ask for a day off…you just go!
Biggest Downsides To Bookkeeping From Home
As for negatives…sometimes it can be mentally challenging work. For me, this was a positive. For others, they see this as a downside.
Also, as you progress with your bookkeeping business, you will get busy; I mean super-busy (if you want). You have to make sure you set up an efficient bookkeeping business to prevent you from going nuts-o!
Related post: Make Money From Home Freelance Writing
How Much It Costs To Start Working From Home As A Bookkeeper
In the second class of my free course, I go into the exact tools and their costs in great detail. Spoiler alert – it’s one of the cheapest businesses to start. You can start it for as low as about $300 for total boot-strapping to about $700. The ongoing costs range from about $265-$600 a month.
Remember, you don’t need EVERYTHING all at once. Start with the basics and add the extras as you need them. For example, I recommend a good scanner, but in the beginning, you may only be scanning a few documents per month, so any cheap scanner will do. If you find your scanning needs increasing as your business grows, THEN you buy a nice one.
Best Tips And Tricks For Bookkeeping From Home
Do your homework BEFORE you make a go at a bookkeeping business. Make certain it’s a business worth your time and financial investment.
After you’ve done your due diligence, commit to being a success. No turning back! Leave yourself no other option but to be a hit with your business.
The Best Class To Take To Become a Bookkeeper From Home
If you meet the 7 criteria outlined in the first class of my free course, then bookkeeping is for you! The course is split about 50/50 between learning the bookkeeping skills and learning the business and marketing skills.
We want you to be getting your business started while you are still learning the bookkeeping skills so that once you’ve got the skills down, you are ready for your first client!
One of my favorite aspects of the course is our amazing private Facebook community. We currently have over 2,500 members, all helping and encouraging each other. No question ever goes unanswered, and you are never alone in your journey.
Grab the free course and see if bookkeeping is right for you here!
Bookkeeping From Home: Is It For You?
There you have it! Ben shared some seriously amazing insights about the world of working from home as a bookkeeper. With the right drive and hard work, you could make $40,000 per year working from home doing what you love – working with people and numbers.
If you are curious about bookkeeping from home, I hope this article answers all of your questions.
Above all, whenever you try to start a business at home, you need support. Surround yourself with experienced people who can mentor you. You are going to run into a lot of situations and will probably have a lot of questions. That’s ok! You just need to know who to talk to so you get advice and encouragement that will help you grow your business!
You can do it!
Other Ways To Make Money From Home:
- Earn Free Gift Cards Watching Videos
- Make Money Taking Surveys
- Review Websites, Get Paid
- Secret Shopping From Home
- 5 Side Hustles That Pay For My Groceries (and More!)
- Earn A Full-Time Income from Etsy
- 30+ Real Ways To Earn Money From Home
- How I Earn Money As A Stay-At-Home Mom
- 6 Easy Ways To Make Money From Home
Wow! I’m studying to be a financial accountant and finishing my AAS as an Accounting Specialist this year, so I’m already a bit familiar with bookkeeping… had no idea you could pick this up as a side job for such a nice income. 🙂 I might have to look into this! Thanks for posting.