The short answer: start a small business on paper: pick the idea, price the startup costs and set up a way to track every expense from day one. Small business ideas lists 30 ideas with startup costs.
- Funding: small business loans (types, costs, how to qualify) and small business grants.
- Tracking money: how to track business expenses, a free expense spreadsheet and what bookkeeping is.
- Taxes: the small business tax deduction checklist lists 30+ write-offs.
Our picks for small business
Spreadsheets
Business Income & Expense Tracker
Log sales, expenses and business miles - see your monthly profit, category totals for tax time and how much to set aside.
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Spreadsheets
Rental Property Tracker
Log rent and expenses once - see who has paid each month, cash flow per property and category totals for tax time.
$11.99Buy
Browse small business by topic
Ideas and how-tos (4)
- Small Business Ideas Start here30 small business ideas grouped by type, with startup cost level, skills and licenses to check, plus how to test an idea, plan, pr…
- General LedgerA general ledger holds every account and its balance. Learn how journals post to it, debits and credits, T accounts and how a tria…
- Free small business expense spreadsheetA free business expense template for Excel and Google Sheets, plus an online expense tracker: 19 categories, mileage, home office …
- What Is Bookkeeping?What is bookkeeping? How small businesses record income and expenses, single vs. double entry, the records to keep, how long to ke…
Guides (6)
- How to Track Business ExpensesHow to track business expenses in 8 steps: separate accounts, categories, receipts, a spreadsheet with formulas, monthly reconcili…
- How to start a small businessHow to start a small business in 10 steps: plan, startup budget, structure, name, registration, free EIN, licenses, bank account, …
- Small business expense reimbursement policyHow to set up a small business expense reimbursement policy: IRS accountable plan rules, what expense reports need, approvals, dea…
- Small business grantsSmall business grants: where to find federal, state and private grants, who qualifies, how to apply, how to spot scams and how gra…
- Small business loansHow small business loans work, from SBA 7(a) loans and microloans to lines of credit, what they cost, what lenders look for, and a…
- Small business tax deduction checklistA small business tax deduction checklist with 30+ write-offs, the records to keep, Schedule C lines, 2026 mileage rates and what y…
How to use this page
Invoices, estimates, purchase orders and business plans have their own page: business templates. Personal-tax topics are in the budgeting guides.