Adam@Home by Rob Harrell for August 19, 2024

nu-uh, that ain’t working anymore

Surprised he didn’t use his alphabet blocks for that!!!

His writing? What writing? He’s been sitting there swigging coffee and skootching the pooch for about 30 years now.

He didn’t “keep track of payments and stuff”, Laura. YOU did—even before you became a successful author!

Sounds like several of my accounting clients over the years.

But keeping track of bills and income is not that easy if one does not know how to do so. A course in basic financial record keeping should be required in high school.

Before we were married I was keeping husband’s records for him, since we have been married he pays no attention as I “know what I am doing” per him. Over the decades I brought up (without saying what if I was ill or died as he goes crazy if the possibility of same is questioned) the idea he should know where our bank is, where the checkbook is, etc. he refused to listen. I finally said to him “What if I was kidnapped and you had to pay the ransom to get me back – but you don’t know where our money is?” His reply"I would tell them that they have to put you on the phone to tell me where our money is". I would try to go over our tax return with him so he would know what he was signing – “you did the return, so I know everything is fine”.

Since he quit his job a couple of decades ago he started being with every day, all day (except when I went out to work and to my embroidery club meeting*) he now knows where we bank, etc. It takes me about 50% longer to do anything at the bank and he wants to know why we are doing whatever it is we are doing – unless we are getting singles for him to use for restaurant tips. I am glad he has finally taken an interest in it all. Though I am not sure if he could find our checkbook even now (desk drawer).

He did not even know where I shopped (food, etc) or why I shopped where. Now he finally knows all of this and why where we go where.

At least use a notebook, Adam.

Accounting “stuff”. Payments and “stuff”. And a paper bag “stuffed” with notes. Lots of "stuff discussed today! lol!

That’s better than some.

I’m pretty sure this is also how my mom does it. After taking over her affairs her tax guy said, “I mostly just wing it and pray.”

My wife used to do taxes and she hated “shoebox” clients. After she sorted everything out and drafted the tax forms, it was “I can’t own that much! What about? and? and?” 98% of the time, illegal deductions. “My $75,000 truck is for work” => client commutes to an office job, etc

Back in my day, it was called the “shoe box” accounting method.

If she only knew all this before marrying the jerk?

Now we can also write off business acumen as a talent.

This is why accountants charge so much. The dumb-ass clients take up 90% of their time.

Problem is most high schools don’t teach basic life skill courses (home economics). That is usually left to the parents, and some don’t take the time or just don’t know themselves.

To the accountant who has to deal with it all it’s the “O.h.d.a.m.n.” system