How do I track business expenses?
A simple expense tracking system for small business owners — what categories to use, where to keep records, and how to make tax time far less painful.
Direct answer
The simplest expense tracking system is: open a dedicated business bank account, run every business expense through it, capture receipts the moment they happen, and spend ten minutes a week categorizing transactions into five or six categories. That's the whole system.
Simple explanation
Receipts pile up, personal and business spending get mixed, and at tax time owners scramble to reconstruct months of activity. The fix isn't a fancier tool — it's a small weekly habit using a few simple categories.
The principle behind the habit
Most businesses fail financially not because they didn't earn enough, but because they spent everything the moment it came in. The businesses that build lasting financial health track their money closely in the early days — not to hoard it, but to know exactly what they can afford to reinvest. Discipline with money in year one creates options in year two and beyond.
Step-by-step
- 1
Open a dedicated business bank account and card
This single change solves half the problem. Run every business expense through it. No exceptions.
- 2
Pick one place to store receipts
A folder in your email, a shared cloud folder, or a dedicated app. The choice matters less than picking one and sticking to it.
- 3
Snap or forward every receipt the moment you get it
Don't let it sit in your wallet or inbox. The 10 seconds it takes now saves hours later.
- 4
Do a 10-minute weekly cleanup
Once a week, label each transaction with a simple category: software, supplies, travel, meals, services, other. Five or six categories is plenty.
- 5
Run a one-page monthly summary
Total each category. Look at the trend. Share the summary with your accountant or keep it for your own decisions.
Tools that help
A separate business checking account
Most banks offer free or low-cost business accounts.
Google Drive, Dropbox, or a receipt-scanning app
Pick whichever you'll actually use consistently.
A basic accounting tool (optional)
Tools like Wave, QuickBooks, or Xero make categorization faster but aren't required to start.
Summary
- •Separate business and personal money. This alone removes most of the chaos.
- •Capture receipts the moment they happen, in one consistent place.
- •Spend 10 minutes a week categorizing. Five or six categories is enough.
- •Produce a simple one-page monthly summary so you always know where money goes.