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Small biz MoneySaving

Archives for March 2012

confused about how to proceed
hi there, i am not sure if anyone can help with this, but fingers crossed! for the last few years i have been an ebay seller, registered as a sole trader with inland revenue. now i am going to stop selling on ebay as i am about to start a different business and i wont have time to do both projects. my mother in law would…
Book-keeping question
What is the difference between an accountant and a book keeper? ie when do you need an accountant and when will a book keeper do instead? Is it legal to do it all yourself? Is it easy? TY! :)
Can't even afford to liquidate myLtd business... :(
What do you do when there are no assets in your business and you can't even afford to liquidate? I ceased trading in December as soon as I realised I had no more money to plow into my business. Lost one house, couldn't afford to eat or do Christmas for my kids, nearly lost the house that I live in with my kids. It was an…
Small Biz set up in uk advice
Hi, I would like to pay my taxes in the uk and stamp. I reside in Spain would like to strat up as self employed and register my business in the uk. I would be dealing with suppliers in the UK & Europe. can I d o this? and if so is it complicated?
So, I’ve bought my old business back!
Hey guys, Just to give you an insight into my latest challenge, we’ve bought back a back street cab firm a family member owned from 2002-2009 as our next investment project! It’s trading under a different name to what it once was (it was liquidated about a year after it was disposed of) and there are quite a few money…
Public Liability Insurance?
Any recommendations for good value PL insurance suitable for a sole trader painter& decorator? Mine's coming up for renewal and I can't decide whether to go for a cheaper, unheard of insurer (there are lots) or to stick with Lloyds TSB and pay through the nose. In the end, I need one that will pay out if I ever need them…
Small business owed money - chasing debtor
Hello! My husband and I have a small business, limited company, we are joint owners, both Directors and I am the Secretary. While I was on maternity leave, husband sent artwork to a gallery; gallery sold some pieces, and confirmed this on email July 2010. It was not confirmed to us until an email in May 2011 how much we…
Office Live Small Business to be discontinued...help
I have received the email below to say this service is being discontinued, has anyone else received this email? i was a bit dubious that it was real. i will loose my website if this happens which it took me a long to construct and i love that its free. Office Live Small Business will be discontinued on 30 April 2012…
Fundraising and branding merchandise
Im volunteering for a charity and we need to get some merchandising material for an emergency campaign we have started. Can anyone recommend any places good price and quick turn over for Silicon bands and or printed ribbons. Any other ideas to spread awareness most welcome.
NI - Small earnings exemption - should i apply?
Hi all, hope someone might be able to advise me. I work full time, and earn a decent wage. In my spare time, i run a small business, of which i take home less that the small earnings threshold meaning i am entitled to apply for NI class 2 exemption. I have applied, and been granted, this previously, and is now due for…
Set-up fees for new clients - bookkeeping
Hi all For those of you in bookkeeping/accounting, Do you charge a set-up fee with new clients? I have a new client with a couple of month backlog of paperwork but also need to set up the books (chart of accounts etc...) for processing - currently working in excel. Do you charge for this or do you absorb the costs? I have…
Self-employed - what address to use?
Hi, I hope I am putting this in the right place! I am setting up as self-employed as a freelance photographer, but my tenancy says I cannot run a business from my home address. I won't actually be doing photography or meeting clients at home, but I will be editing images etc here and my (small amount of) equipment will be…
Anyone know of a charity who provides website services as part of their fundraising?
I have a small business and need a website, I have one at the moment that's just one page of very basic information and need a new one with just a few pages of basic information and perhaps something like a guestbook or comments page. No shopping cart or anything complicated like that. I have rung a local volunteer centre…
Husband and wife small business accounts separate?
OK, I have a question. My husband is hoping to start as a self employed domestic cleaner soon and I'm hoping to start selling the broken costume jewellery I have been mending at craft fairs soon. Do we need to keep 2 separate account books or can we keep them in the same one?
Running a gastropub
Hi there, my boyfriend (who is a head chef) and his friend (who is a bar manager) and me (worked in a few bars but not for a while) are looking to take over the lease of a pub. I would do all the admin side and work in the bar whilst the other two will do their bit. Does anyone have any pointers/tips? Is it best to get a…
Idiots guide to managing small business paperwork
Can anyone point me to some sort of guide that will help me manage paperwork? Up till recently I had everything in one file, more or less, but now it's outgrown that. I now have 2 files but their contents seem to overlap each other. For example I have some bank details, including background info, in one but statements seem…
Starting a business when still employed - tax
Hi guys, I'm not sure if this has been brought up before so please accept apologies if so. Basically this is my situation. I'm currently employed full-time earning 21k. I'm looking to start a business on the side to supplement my income. The business will be providing contractors to customers on an as and when basis…
Tax efficient second earnings.
** SORRY FOR THE CROSS POSTING, I originally posted this in the employment section but it got no response so I thought I might have better luck here... ** Hi there, I'm after a bit of advice from any tax / money savings experts, firstly let me describe my situation. I currently work full time and pay tax PAYE (I'm just in…
Anyone still advertise via yellow pages?
Was just wondering if you still do this and how economical or useful is it? Have had an advert in for 3 days now, covering a geographic area of 350,000 people, and haven't got so much as a call. This is for gardening, and my advert is in the top 4 on the page for most gardening search criteria. Does it take time?
Fund raising Questions!!
Hi all, I'm unsure if i'm in the right section, and this is my first thread, so apologies if i've done it wrong!! Anyway.. I'm wondering what the laws and regulations are on doing money raising events for one child with a disability. My friend as a child with Cerebral palsy, he's three years old, and is unable to walk or…

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MSE News

Ofgem proposes new 'no standing charge' Price Cap – but Martin Lewis warns vulnerable customers need to be opted in or it won't work
Ofgem has today launched detailed proposals for a major shake up to its Energy Price Cap that dictates the price over 80% of homes in England, Scotland and Wales pay for their energy bills.
Lloyds, Halifax and Bank of Scotland to cut overdraft rates for millions but hike them for others – here's what's happening and full help
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Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
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Martin Lewis: At last a chance to fix Council Tax flaws impacting millions – debt collection, difficulty challenging your band, discounts and more
Major flaws in the Council Tax system in England could finally be fixed in future, as the Government has launched a wide-ranging consultation to review hideous debt collection practices, the difficulty of challenging your band, the overly complex and horribly-named Severe Mental Impairment discount and more. MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis, who has long campaigned on these issues, shares his response and analysis.
Energy complaints to be dealt with more quickly and Energy Ombudsman to get new powers under Government plans
If you have a complaint about your energy firm, it may be resolved more quickly in future, as the Government has announced a raft of proposals to strengthen consumer protections in the energy market. The planned changes include giving the Energy Ombudsman new powers to force firms to comply with its decisions – but it's still very early days. Here's what we know so far.
Warm Home Discount expansion confirmed with millions more eligible for the £150 top-up this winter – here's what we know
Around 2.7 million more households, including 900,000 families with children, will become eligible for the £150 Warm Home Discount this winter, as the Government has confirmed it will remove the existing 'hard to heat' eligibility criteria. The extension has only been confirmed for winter 2025/26, with further changes possible for future years.
Base rate held at 4.25% – here's what it means and when it might be cut next
The Bank of England has held the base rate at 4.25%. Below we explain why, when it might be cut, plus what it means for your mortgage and savings.
Applied for South West Trains 'boundary fares' compensation? Act now to claim it
If you applied for compensation from South West Trains before the deadline in January 2025, you now need to provide your bank details to the claim administrator so it can be paid to you. Here's what you need to know.
Winter Fuel Payments to be reinstated for millions – Martin Lewis explains how it'll work, what it means and if it's an improvement
All State Pensioners in England and Wales will receive a Winter Fuel Payment this winter, though those who earn over £35,000 will see it clawed back through the tax system. It means nine million pensioners will get the £200 or £300 top-up. Here MoneySavingExpert.com founder Martin Lewis shares his instant response and analysis, and we include answers to your key questions.

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Small biz MoneySaving

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