If you can afford a computerized accounting system for your business, it's a good idea to get one; however, you can also make do with a basic spreadsheet program to help you keep track of costs and income. Whatever you do, keep it in order and make it easy enough for anyone to follow.
Most community colleges offer tax accounting courses for small businesses and individuals. While they may cost a few hundred dollars, they're invaluable for expanding your financial literacy, and tend to be easy to access, since community colleges are available all over.
Even if you have a good-quality accounting system in place for your personal or small business accounts, it's still a good idea to open up the books and do a quick check-up occasionally. Even if you don't find any errors, you'll get some ideas about what your cash flow looks like.
