Book Keeping

System
System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
edited 10:30AM in AAT student discussion
Hi<BR>Do any of you work for yourself doing book-keeping? Im thinking of setting myself up in this (as i will soon be made reduntant) and could do with some advice. Ive just done intermediate and will probably do technician in September but do i really need this level too? Also if any of you do this already are you doing it on Sage or excel? If its on excel do you have any templates you could email me please?<BR>Thanks<BR>Anne

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  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    I am also starting up as self employed and would be interested in any info and advice (and templates) as I dont actually have bookkeeping experience only what has been done in college.<BR><BR>I have just done intermediate and am hoping to do tech in sept for the tax units as I believe this will be very valuable.<BR><BR>Email address is jakiyates@supanet.com
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Hi<BR>How are you going about starting up in this?<BR>Anne
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Here is my email too if you have any queries gymanne42@f2s.com
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Hiya anyone reading this.<BR><BR>I'm a self-employed book-keeper who's just finished Intermediate. I use TAS Books, Sage and Excel, although I don't use Excel for the ledgers. Having said that, if you understand double-entry, you should be able to set up your own ledgers. After all, every job's different.<BR><BR>Do you need Technician? It depends on what you want to do. If you're content to be a book-keeper, then probably not. But, then, if you want to be a book-keeper, why did you do Intermediate?<BR><BR>One important point to bear in mind is that you really need Professional Indemnity Insurance. Also, read the AAT's guidelines at <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aat.org.uk/students/selfemploy_intro.cfm?id=31">http://www.aat.org.uk/students/selfemploy_intro.cfm?id=31</a&gt; and the linked <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.aat.org.uk/docs/members/Professional_standards_ethics.pdf">ethical guidlines</a>.<BR><BR>Other than that, just get talking to people, looking in the job opportunity areas, like the Jobcentre and newspapers. The agencies are not so good as they expect you to have experience, but it's worth talking to them, if only for the free advice!<BR><BR>Hope this helps.<BR><BR>Mike<BR>
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Hi there,<BR><BR>I am also very interested in setting up on my own but to be honest I wouldn't have a clue on how to go about it. I'm not sure I have the confidence to do it...but at the same time I know the more experience I have the more confidence I will gain. It worries me that people will ask me about things I don't have a clue about and I'll seem really stupid. If you do end up setting up on your own I'd love to hear about how you're getting on, and how you went about it. My e mail is: lauradowling33@yahoo.co.uk<BR><BR>Many thanks everyone.
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Hi,<BR>I have just completed my intermediate year and have been self-employed for 7 months now. I am fortunate in that my mum, who is CIMA qualified with 20 years experience decided to open her own practice. To start with I got all my work through her, but already I have 4 clients of my own, all local sole traders, and I do all their books and related tax calculations etc. I also now run a payroll bureau with ten clients, which although some of them have come to me through my mums practice, thay are all are officially my own payroll clients now.<BR>As a student I think the best thing to do is maybe try and form an affiliation with one or two local accounts practices. Many now have book keeping work for self-employed AAT students. I have a part time job in my local pub too, and have found all my own clients through working in the pub! I am very honest about my student status, and have found that small local business people have been supportive of my efforts to become qualified and self employed. Two of my clients are also new into self employment, and we have nice working relationships which involve learning on both sides.<BR>There are important things to remember, like if you are responsible for your own work, (ie you don't have a qualified Accountant to check your work), then you really need to take out indemnity insurance, and possibly even arrange some continuation of cover in the event that you are not able to work for any reason. I have arranged this for my payroll business, from another payroll bureau in my home city.<BR><BR>All in all, I would advise to get out and visit practicing Accountants, offer to do book keeping work for free for a local charity such as a play group or church, and then use this as evidence of your competence.<BR><BR>Don't take on any work that you are not comfortable completing - unless you have informed your client that you are doing something new to you. <BR><BR>And good luck - it is very hard work, but very rewarding too!<BR><BR>Sarah
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Thanks sarah and mike for sharing your experience.I am looking for a job at the moment, I would like to be self-employed after having some experience.Good luck to everyone!
  • System
    System Posts: 100,534 🤖 Admin 🤖
    Book Keeping

    Hi Sarah,<BR><BR>I am also thinking of going Self-Employed, to give me a rough idea, how much do you charge your clients if you don't mind me asking?.<BR><BR>I would love to get out of the office and go it alone, to spend more time with the family but need to know whether it would be worth my while.<BR><BR>Thanx<BR><BR>Jenni

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