Learning Bookkeeping?

[Soen Eber]

I want to pick up some bookeeping knowledge on the side - not a full on accounting degree, not even a two year, just enough to make a few more bucks while working temp. Does anyone have any suggestions for courses, book series, and software that I can learn at my own pace that eventually leads to certification?

I want to do this on the cheap, so no huge pile of expensive textbooks or subscriptions. Thanks.

 

[WolfEyes]

Here ya go.

Certified Public Bookkeeper | Accounting.com

Bookkeeping certification can make you more employable while boosting your earning potential. Explore two popular certification pathways in this career guide.

www.accounting.com

Or you could get your associate degree by taking night classes at a community college. Yeah, I know, not really what you want.

Or you could purchase Accounting text books from a college bookstore along with any workbooks that go with.

I can help with QuickBooks since I used to do tech support for Inuit.


ETA: Accounting Textbooks - Open Textbook Library

Buy New & Used Accounting Textbooks | Save Up to 80%

Buy new & used Accounting Textbooks at Barnes & Noble®. Ship them straight to your home or dorm, or buy online and pick up in store!

www.barnesandnoble.com

 

[Veritable Quandry]

Keep your books in moderate humidity (about 45%) and away from direct sunlight. Use buffered archival materials for most modern books, but only use acid free for leather bound volumes.

 

[Casey Pelous]

Soen Eber , one alternative in the same field might be HR Block tax prep. They'll train you, and I think the training is free. Based on my one miserable experience with them you can be completely devoid of skill and still work for them. (I wouldn't have HR Block touch my garbage can, much less my taxes.)

I have no idea how they are to work for -- probably awful. But it might be an easy way to find out if the financial life is for you and maybe even make some contacts that turn into clients for your bookkeeping gig. I think pay starts around $19/hr and there's some upselling involved.

One of my nephews does tax prep every season and makes good money -- but he's a real CPA with a finance degree, etc., and he definitely does not work for HR Block. That means I also have no idea about what might be possible for you without "all them fancy papers and whatnot."

 

[WolfEyes]

H&R Block makes you pay for the training. It wasn't real expensive 20 years ago but that doesn't mean it isn't now and they do expect you to go to work for them.

ETA: Or maybe it was the materials we had to pay for that I'm remembering. My mom paid the fees because I couldn't at the time and I needed the work.

How to Become a Tax Preparer

Learn how to become a tax preparer with the experts at H&R Block. You can learn the essentials by completing the H&R Block Income Tax Course (ITC).

www.hrblock.com

.

 

[Kamilah Hauptmann]

A single community college class in one semester will get you the basic leg. The second semester for both legs. You will then be able to keep shit organized for any kind of small business for the real accountant to prep the taxes at year end way more easily. Source: have pursued accounting designation and stopped half way to do financial report prep on various industrial union health benefits plans.

 

[WolfEyes]

The Accounting 101 college textbook covers the first 2 semesters.

I never completed a degree either but I did spend 10 years working as bookkeeper for an underground utility contractor.