Open Source/Free or low cost accounting software recommendations

[malvolio]

You said



I just wondered if you meant

Good accountants are not free, as are good software packages such as FreeAgent, since they save you time and your time is money.

But if you did find an excellent accountant, who supplies FreeAgent, all for the princely sum of nothing then please send me their phone number

Free in that they save you more than they cost - if they are any good at their job...

Even ignoring my views on not spending my expensive free time doing the work badly, they will usually save you money by not screwing up tax returns and payment events and advising - even in general terms - how best to utilise that year's tax position.

It's only my opinion, no more no less, other people have different ones. OTOH, how much money are you "spending" on agencies when you could set up your own marketing effort and sell your services directly to the open market and organising your own credit agency to get paid...?

It's a business. Cheap and cost-effective are not the same thing.

[Fred Bloggs]

You said



I just wondered if you meant

Good accountants are not free, as are good software packages such as FreeAgent, since they save you time and your time is money.

But if you did find an excellent accountant, who supplies FreeAgent, all for the princely sum of nothing then please send me their phone number

My own experience is that if there's a mistake 99% of the time it's the accountants making the mistake. I simply got sick and tired of checking and double checking everything the accountants did. Left unchecked, the so called professionals would have cost me several thousand pounds over a decade or so. FreeAgent is a terrific tool because it largely automates the entire day to day process and doesn't leave things like tax returns and dividend declarations to the mercy of an over worked, totally stressed out, pi55ed off accounts clerk.

[pr1]

Free in that they save you more than they cost

So when you offer to help solve a client's issues you tell them you're doing it for free?

[ladymuck]

So when you offer to help solve a client's issues you tell them you're doing it for free?

If you save them more than you're charging, you're not charging enough

[malvolio]

So when you offer to help solve a client's issues you tell them you're doing it for free?

Semantics is not your strong point, is it... Nor accountancy come to that

"Free" is a good cue word to grab your attention.

Not "free" ,if only because people do not value things that are "free", and I have costs to recover.

"Free" if not doing what I advise costs you money, but after 2-3 years doing what I advise has saved you less than I charged for my services then my services were "free".

Not "free" if my £60k charges resulting in a £400k cash saving are looked at as costing you £60k rather than saving you £360k.

Which bit of "free is not the same as cost effective" are you having problems with?

[pr1]

Semantics is not your strong point, is it... Nor accountancy come to that

Not "free" if my £60k charges resulting in a £400k cash saving are looked at as costing you £60k rather than saving you £360k.

[malvolio]

You're perfectly correct. The actual saving was a shade over £420k.

Feel better now?