There are numerous ways to bill for your travel time. Here are some strategies other business professionals are using:
- “Don’t charge for airfare, lodging, rental cars or meals UNLESS it’s an unusual engagement where you will be on-site for days or weeks at a time.” –Greg Brooks of West Third Group
- “Submit an expense report to [your client] for mileage per trip. It is one of the conditions of the rate per consultation.” –Kevin Johnson of KEVIECO LLC
- “Work [out] the details during the pre contract negotiations…adding costs after they are closed can become an embarrassing issue.” –Andy Hamer of New Mindset Business Consultants
- “Do not charge for local – commuting travel, build it into your rates. Do not charge for commuting mileage either, but keep track for tax purposes. However, for out of town travel (travel in excess of two hours) you must negotiate that up front.” – Kathleen Schneibel (Entrepreneurial Accountant)
There are other ways to bill your travel time; however, the answers above are only a few suggestions by business professionals.
If you would like to see the discussion which sparked this blog post click here
If you have another strategy that I didn’t add above leave a comment and tell everyone how you bill for travel time… lets help each other out.
-Ashton Byrne, Marketing Coordinator at Quino Solutions Inc.
Yet, what does the HST mean for you and your vehicle expenses. It won’t effect your mileage deduction, the 52cents that you deduct per km is a flat rate; therefore, the HST shouldn’t have an effect on your mileage logging. But, there will still be an addition HST charge when servicing or fuelling your vehicle.
Fortunately, companies will be eligible to claim back 12% of tax spent. Unfortunately, consumers will have to “eat up” the additional 7% (12% HST – 5% GST).
What do you think about the HST? Leave your opinion below. Post a comment and tell the rest of Quino’s readers how you feel…
- Ashton Byrne, Marketing Coordinator for Quino Solutions Inc.
*Note: the information above was gathered from the BC government and the Vancouver Board of Trade. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the HST, please contact the BC government for answers.
Does anyone remember Chicken Little? I think he was the chicken who felt the first Canadian snow fall of the season and mistaken it for the sky falling… After all what would you think. The poor chick is born 2 or 3 months earlier in the middle of summer…along comes fall… The first change of weather in September and you get a big dump of snow… Process this with a bird size brain and there you go… The sky must be falling.
NO… The GPS satellites will stay in the sky!
It has been reported that some of the GPS satellites in the sky are reaching their end of life. However, reports from the US government have mentioned that there are more satellites in the sky than ever before.
24 satellites are required in orbit in order to maintain accuracy acceptable to commercial and military needs. There are currently 34 so although we may experience degradation over the short term the system will remain functional.
Here is a link to an article on the subject which was posted May 21, when I first posted this blog.
http://news.idg.no/cw/art.cfm?id=650277B6-1A64-67EA-E43C4F57008DA7A1
The need for GPS is paramount. The people of the world need GPS technology including the US government, Airlines and other aircraft industries, ship navigation, oil and gas, mining, sporting industries. The list goes on and on. The really neat thing is that this system is so important that the European Union has developed a new system just to compete called the Galileo system. So do not worry the sky will not fall…and yes you will find your way home, find that important fishing hole, and record that all important extra mile for your tax reimbursement.
-Chris Pinter, President of Quino Solutions Inc.
An article published by eHow.com opened my eyes. “How to Keep Vehicle Mileage Tax Records” was posted 2 or 3 years ago, it opened my eyes to how complicated it can be to track your mileage with a pen and paper.
Nowadays everything is moving to digital. Why? It is easier and faster to work digitally than using any technologies of the past.
Again, throw out your log books. They aren’t worth the stress anymore. Quino Solutions’ MileTracer tracks your mileage automatically; you buy the MileTracer you buy into efficiency. According to eHow.com there are 25 steps to tracking your mileage manually:
Step 1: Get a notebook and a pen with a pocket clip. Clip pen to notebook.
Step 2: Designate a readily accessible spot in your vehicle for the notebook and pen.
Step 3: Write in the notebook the odometer reading of your vehicle every January 1 ‘ or the odometer reading on the date you begin using the vehicle for business.
Step 4: Label a file folder, “Vehicle Expenses,” and write on the folder the current year.
Step 5: Designate a handy place to keep the file folder. The glove compartment is a possible location.
Step 1: Write down the date, the number of miles driven and the business purpose for each business errand or trip, in one section of notebook.
Step 2: Continue to add each trip to the list.
… And the steps go on and on and on
How does that compare to Quino Solutions MileTracer? It takes only 4 steps to track your mileage with Quino Solutions’ MileTracer.
Step 1: Leave device in vehicle
Step 2: Plug device into PC via USB
Step 3: Filter your information
Step 4: Export to excel and add any other vehicle expenses
It is 6 times more efficient to track your mileage with the MileTracer then it is to use a pen and paper. How about that for efficiency?
- Ashton Byrne, Marketing Coordinator for Quino Solutions
Vancouver, September 11, 2009 – Quino Solutions Inc. is happy to announce the release of the MileTracer. The MileTracer enables the user to automatically record mileage for mileage reimbursement and/or tax deductions. The MileTracer is targeted at independent sales people, contractors, installers, and self employed professionals.
“Our innovative approach to mileage recording is designed to save time and money and provide our clients with an audit proof mileage log” -Chris Pinter, CEO of Quino Solutions Inc.
Get rid of that log book! Quino Solutions Inc. developed the software and hardware which will replace the log book that we all despise on a daily basis. The hardware is designed as a plug-in-and-forget solution for worry free mileage recording and reporting. Access the stored data from the device by simply connecting it to your PC via USB. The software interface makes navigation and customization of the data easy.
Get this!
Quino Solutions Inc. is the leader in mileage logging expense tools and covert tracking devices used around the world. The company’s core competency resides in the development of leading edge, low-power wireless technology. The company is privately held and currently expanding its investor base. For more information about Quino Solutions, visit the Quino website at http://www.quino.ca.
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The MileTracer hardware was designed to blend into your vehicle’s interior. It features an internal magnet and can be mounted on any metallic surface.
The optional USB cigarette-lighter power adapter allows for worry-free mileage logging.
The GPS Ranger PRO records where your vehicle has been. It runs on 2 AA batteries and is a 100% waterproof. Experience our best in class battery performance, durability and overall quality!
If you are still not keeping an accurate mileage log we urge you to start now. The IRS and Canada Revenue are increasing audits significantly.
The Ranger’s Log is an easy-to-use software that works with the GPS Ranger. Simply connect the hardware to a PC via USB. And the route history will unfold in front of your eyes!
Quino Solutions Inc. is a Vancouver, Canada based high-technology company.
We offer GPS Tracking as well as Mileage Logging solutions.
