Been reflecting on how closely tracking expenses can highlight unpaid invoices.
Every time I review my spending, it nudges me to remember which clients are lagging.
It’s like connecting the dots between projects and payments owed.
I keep it straightforward. I write the client’s name and invoice number on each receipt for their job.
I place unpaid invoices on my desk. When I add a new receipt to a client’s stack, it reminds me they still owe money.
Once they pay, I store everything in a folder. Watching those unpaid piles grow motivates me to send reminders quicker.
I just keep receipts in a shoebox and chase people.
A simple spreadsheet works well. Have two columns for expenses and payments per job. If you notice expenses piling up without incoming payments, contact that client right away. This approach is more effective than complicated systems I have used.
This makes total sense. When you’re paying out of pocket, those unpaid invoices hit different.
I track it the opposite way:
- Mark expenses by client in my spreadsheet
- Flag reimbursable ones
- Cross reference with invoice status
Seeing those unreimbursed expenses definitely makes me follow up faster. Nothing like spending your own money on client projects to remember who owes what.
Also helps at tax time - you can see exactly what you’re still waiting to get paid back for.
Yeah, this happens to me constantly. I’ll enter receipts for materials and suddenly think “wait, didn’t I buy this for that project three weeks ago?”
What kills me is seeing cash flow get tight, then realizing I’ve got invoices sitting out there for 45+ days. Those expense entries are reminders that I’m basically lending money to clients.
I started putting client names right in my expense tracking. During weekly reviews, I can spot patterns fast. Five Home Depot receipts for the same client but no recent payments? Time for a follow-up email.
It’s not fancy but it works. Watching your own money go out definitely motivates you to collect what’s owed.