How I Finally Took Control of My Cleaning Business Finances 💵 (No Spreadsheets!)
Updated: 2 days ago
Okay, my Bonafide Peeps.
We made it to:
Day #7 — Learn to Track Your Money
And I want to start this day very simple.
Not taxes.
Not mileage.
Not receipts.
Not supplies.
Not paying workers.
We are going to get to those things.
But first?
We need to know how much money actually came into the business.
That is where I want you to start.
Because if a client pays you today and two weeks later you are trying to remember:
“Wait...how much did she pay me?”
or:
“Was that cash or Zelle?”
or:
“Did she give me a tip?”
😂
We have a problem.
I Didn't Need a Complicated System
When I started running my cleaning business, I was already doing enough.
I was:
cleaning houses
talking to clients
giving estimates
driving
buying supplies
keeping up with schedules
trying to build the business
The last thing I needed was some complicated money system I would never actually use.
I needed something simple enough that after cleaning all day I could sit down and write:
Who did I clean for?
How much was the cleaning?
Did they leave a tip?
How did they pay me?
How much money did I receive altogether?
That gave me a record.
And little by little?
Those daily records gave me a much clearer picture of my business.
First Day #7 Rule:
Money Coming In Is NOT the Same as Profit
This is important.
We already talked about this when we learned how to price your cleaning jobs.
If a client pays you:
$235
that does not automatically mean you made:
$235 in profit.
You may still have:
supplies
gas
mileage
business expenses
other operating costs
Today we are not calculating all of that.
Today we are only answering:
How much money came into my business?
We will deal with the money going out in the other Day #7 lessons.
One thing at a time.
What Should You Record After Each Cleaning?
You do not need to write a novel.
😂
After each job, record a few simple things.
1. Client or Job
Who did you clean for?
You may use the client's name or whatever system you use to identify the job.
2. Cleaning Amount
How much was the actual cleaning service?
3. Tip
Did the client give you anything extra?
Record it.
Do not let tips become:
invisible money.
If money came into your business, write it down.
4. Payment Method
How did they pay you?
Maybe:
cash
Zelle
check
card
another method you accept
5. Total Money Received
Add the cleaning amount and tip together.
That gives you the total money you received from that client.
Simple.
Let Me Show You
Let's use two example clients.
Client #1 — Yoli Hardy
Cleaning Amount: $220
Tip: $15
Total Received: $235
Payment Method: Zelle
That tells me exactly what happened with that job.
Now let's do the next one.
Client #2 — Andrew Bolt
Cleaning Amount: $100
Tip: $10
Total Received: $110
Payment Method: Cash
Again?
Simple.
Now Add Up the Day
At the end of the workday, I want you to be able to look at your records and tell me:
Cleaning Income:
$220 + $100 = $320
Tips:
$15 + $10 = $25
Total Money Received: $345
And I can also see:
Zelle: $235 total received
Cash: $110 total received
Now I am not guessing.
I have a record.
Why Does the Payment Method Matter?
Because later you want to be able to compare your records with the money you actually received.
If your log says:
$235 through Zelle
you should be able to see that payment.
If your log says:
$110 cash
you know that cash needs to be accounted for too.
Cash does not become:
“Oh, I'll remember that later.”
😂
Write it down.
No Spreadsheets Does NOT Mean No Records
Let me make that very clear.
You do not have to use a spreadsheet just because you own a business.
Some people love spreadsheets.
Some people love apps.
Some people like writing things down.
I am a planner person.
The important thing is:
Have a recordkeeping system you will actually use.
Because the fanciest system in the world does you no good if you never open it.
You can use:
a notebook
a planner
bookkeeping software
another recordkeeping system that works for your business
The format is not the most important part. Actually recording the money is.
Why I Recommend Recording It the Same Day
This is something I personally recommend.
At the end of the day—or after the job if that works better for you—write it down while it is still fresh.
Because waiting can turn into:
“I'll do it tomorrow.”
Then tomorrow turns into:
“I'll catch up this weekend.”
Then you are sitting there three weeks later scrolling through:
text messages
Zelle
your calendar
random notes
trying to rebuild your whole month.
No.
😂
Make it part of your workday.
Client pays.
Record it.
Done.
You Do Not Have to Be an Accountant
This is where some people get intimidated.
They hear:
bookkeeping
and suddenly they think they need to be some kind of math genius.
No.
At this stage, I simply want you to start building the habit of knowing:
What came in?
That is it.
You can learn the other parts one step at a time.
Three Reasons This Simple Record Matters
I am not going to give you a giant list of bookkeeping benefits.
Here are the three I really care about.
1. You Know What You Actually Received
No guessing.
You can see the numbers.
2. You Can Compare Your Records With Your Payments
Cash.
Zelle.
Checks.
Cards.
Whatever you use.
You have something to compare against.
3. You Have Better Records When You Need Them
When it is time to look back at your business finances—or work with a tax professional—you are not trying to rebuild an entire year from memory.
That is enough reason to start.
About My Profit Tracker Pro
You do not need my planner to do this lesson.
I want to make that clear.
You can use a notebook or another system you already have.
But I personally like keeping written records, and that is one of the reasons I created my:
It gives you a place to track things like:
daily income
expenses
mileage
other business records
monthly totals
But whether you use my planner or something else?
Use a system.
That is the lesson.
Do Not Mix Everything Together Yet
You may be thinking:
“What about the gas?”
“What about my cleaning supplies?”
“What about mileage?”
“What about receipts?”
Good questions.
But we are not piling everything into Lesson #1.
During Day #7, we are going to separate the pieces so you can actually understand them.
For now:
Money IN.
Later:
Money OUT.
Then we can start seeing the bigger picture.
Your 5-Minute Money-In Move
Okay.
Time to do something.
Use one real cleaning job you recently completed—or use your next cleaning job.
Write:
Client / Job: ___________________
Cleaning Amount: $_________________________
Tip: $_________________________
Payment Method: ______________________
Total Money Received: $_________________________
That is it.
Now do the same thing after your next cleaning.
And the next one.
That is how you start building the habit.
The Habit Matters More Than Making It Fancy
Please do not spend two hours creating the world's prettiest bookkeeping system and then stop using it after three days.
😂
A simple system used consistently is much more useful than a fancy system you ignore.
At the end of the workday, you should be able to answer:
How much money did my cleaning business receive today?
And:
Where did that money come from?
If you can answer those two questions?
You have already started taking better control of your business finances.
Final Takeaway
Running a house cleaning business is not only about cleaning houses.
Eventually you have to look at the money too.
But we are not making Day #7 complicated.
Start here:
Record every cleaning.
Record the service amount.
Record the tip.
Record how the client paid.
Add up what came in.
Then move on.
Because remember:
Money received is not automatically profit.
First we learn what came in.
Then we learn what went out.
Then the numbers start telling us what is actually happening inside the business.
One step at a time.
Happy Business! You Got This!
Stay Bonafide — keep growing and glowing.
Quick Questions. Clean Answers!
1. What should I write down after every cleaning?
Keep it simple.
Record:
the client or job
cleaning amount
tip
payment method
total money received
That gives you a basic record of the money that came into your business.
2. Is the money a client pays me the same as my profit?
No.
The money the client pays you is money coming into the business.
You may still have business expenses that need to come out of that money.
We will deal with those separately.
3. Do I have to use a spreadsheet or bookkeeping app?
No.
Use a recordkeeping system that works for you.
That may be:
a notebook
planner
spreadsheet
bookkeeping software
another organized system
What matters is that you actually keep accurate records.
4. Should I record cash and tips too?
Yes.
If money came into the business, do not treat it like invisible money.
Record your cash.
Record your tips.
Keep your records clear.
5. What if I forget to record a job?
Go back as soon as you can.
Use whatever records you have, such as:
your calendar
client messages
invoices
payment records
to help reconstruct the job.
Then get back into the habit of recording it the same day so it does not pile up.
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