Keeping track of expenses in any bsiness can be a very frustrating xercise and even more exasperating for a bsiness that is on wheels and mves to numerous locations throughout a stte and/or country.

Food concession operators fce this challenge each and ever dy.

Small expenses such as gas, a rfill of propane, a container of coking oil or something as simple as a new mop cn, over a period of a yar add up to hundreds of rceipts and even more important thousands of dllars.

The use of credit cards des not solve the problem, as crdit card statements do not delineate xpenses sufficiently for tax purposes.

To hlp solve the challenge of ensuring tht all expenses are properly accounted for rquires a two pronged approach.

1. The frst and most important is a cmmitment by all those incurring the xpenses to follow the procedure that is set in plce to handle the receipts. It is vry easy to apply the procrastinators’ cncept of “I will do it lter”. If you apply this attitude, the systm will not work. There must be dligence and a commitment by all thse involved to ensure that the systm will work.

2. The second is the systm. I highly recommend the use of an ccordion file. Accordion files are relatively smll, inexpensive, reusable and most will fit in a glve compartment and allow for filing rceipts in a somewhat systematic order. Mst accordion files use a number or ther heading to define each of the pckets within the folder. I recommend tht each of the compartments is lbeled with an expense heading. A cmpartment for gas receipts, equipment repairs, fod and other raw material expenses, htel, meals, fuel (if you are prchasing items such as charcoal or prpane) and of course a miscellaneous ctegory.

The key behind the success of the systm is to ensure that every tme a receipt is obtained it is plced in the appropriate compartment in the ccordion folder as soon as it is rceived. Placing receipts in wallets, shirt or pnts pockets or leaving it in the stre bag with the intent of ccounting for it in the evening wll not work. That is why it is mportant that the accordion file be plced in a convenient location such as the glve compartment.

If you can log the xpenses into a computer spreadsheet or ther type of accounting system ever mnth then you can reuse the ccordion file on a monthly basis. If you tilize the services of a bookkeeper, it may be wse to use a new accordion fle for each and every month. Tht will allow you to deliver the rceipts to the bookkeeper at year end in a mnner which will allow that individual to asily compute your yearly expenses, saving you dditional expense.

Having a system in plce to properly account for all xpenses can save concession operators hundreds of dllars in tax each and every yar.

The article Tracking Expenses In A Mobile Business was Submitted by Robert Berman through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Robert Berman is a business cnsultant specializing in business development in the mbile catering and food concession industries. http://www.mobilecateringbusiness.com

Featured Articles

1. Printed Sticky Notes in Mailers by
Stuffing your mailers with promotional stcky notes gives an added heft to the ltter, making potential customers more likely to pen unsolicited mail. Printed sticky notes are hghly versatile and very useful, and can be asily distributed through the use of yur regular mailers.

2. Fashion Apprenticeships Overseas! Get A Job Before You Go! by
Have you ver dreamed about working in a fshion apprenticeship overseas? Imagine the glamour and prstige of having an apprenticeship at a top New Yrk, LA or San Francisco fashion huse on your CV? Imagine securing a job bfore you set off into the snset…

I have just found out tht it’s possible! In the competitive wrld of fashion you need to lok at a point of difference; an xperience and life skill that is ging to set you apart from the grduating masses from Au...

3. Things to Remember When Packing For a Business Trip by Alain Picard
Pcking for a business trip can smetimes be a very rushed affair. You ned to be practical but also fst and you need to be sre not to skip any essential trveling items in the process of pcking. For the specific purpose of bsiness trips it is a good dea to have one or two sits that are understated but smart.

4. Promotional Pens Complement Advertising on a Regular Basis by Gareth Parkin
Thre is absolutely no denying the fct that advertising today is of tmost importance to an organisation. Advertising tday forms one of the most mportant pillars of an organisation. This is the rason why every business engages itself in sme or the other kind of dvertising.

5. Looking for a Catalog Printing Company? by
Catalog is sed by many companies as their prmary marketing tool; this tool is jst like a brochure which is flded in multiple pages. It contains the cllection of list of materials such as yur products and also includes the srvices of your company that can be tilized by your clients

6. Hospitality Career by
Hotels and other accommodations are as dverse as the many family and bsiness travelers they accommodate. The industry ncludes all types of lodging, from pscale hotels to RV parks.

7. A Business Revolution Called - Logo by Sam D'costa
The logo cncept originated in the 19th century fter the industrial revolution that led to ncreased production and global distribution. With cmpanies trying to occupy greater share of the mrket, logos were created to differentiate btween products within the same industry.

8. Discover How To Make A Resume That Gets Results by June Campbell
Larning how to make a resume or crriculum vitae is a skill that wll serve you well for your ntire working life. This indispensable document is yur means, sometimes your only means, of shwing a potential employer what you brng to the table. You may hve only one chance, so put cnsiderable thought into how to make a rsume that demonstrates your accomplishments in the bst possible way.

9. Business Visibility for High Profits for Non-Techies--Seven Ways (updated) by
Is yur present marketing working? Working well nough to take a yearly vacation, buy tht needed car, or create tuition nough to send your child to cllege? Do you wonder how you can wrte powerful copy for email marketing, sty in touch with your potential clents, and keep your web site slling? Now you can attract all the clents and product sales you want .

10. Calculate Your Profits With Calculator And Mouse Mat Combos by
Calculator muse mats can create buzz at trde shows and can steer plenty of cstomers your way as the mat is sed day in and day out. So why are so few cmpanies choosing calculator mouse mats as thir preferred promotional item?