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Study Links Drug Use to High Rates of Syphilis

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A connection between drug use and high syphilis rates in the United States was established by a recent report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sarah Kidd, lead author of the report, pointed out that two major health issues, namely addiction and syphilis, seemed to be colliding with each other.

The report displayed a connection between drug use and instances of syphilis in heterosexual men and women. As per the report, the usage of heroin, methamphetamine, and other injection drugs by the aforementioned group almost doubled from 2013 to 2017.

The report however, did not display a similar increase in drug abuse in gay men suffering from syphilis. According to the researchers, the results of the study indicated that risky sexual behaviors associated with drug abuse may be one of the key driving factors for this increase in syphilis among the heterosexual population.

People using drugs more likely to engage in unsafe sexual activities

According to experts, people abusing drugs are more likely to engage in unsafe sexual activities, thereby making them more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Syphilis significantly increased among heterosexuals especially during the ‘crack cocaine epidemic’ prevalent during the 1980s and 1990s. It was observed that during this particular time period, the usage of drugs was connected with the higher transmission rates of syphilis.

According to Patricia Kissinger, professor epidemiology at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, it is common tendency among people abusing drugs to indulge in unprotected sex, exchange sex in lieu of money or drugs, and have multiple sex partners. All these are considered as significant risk factors contributing to the spread of the disease.

Syphilis rates are setting new records

At the national level, the occurrences of syphilis jumped by around 73 percent at an overall level and 156 percent in case of women patients between 2013 and 2017. While syphilis had been almost eradicated, of late, the highest resurgence of the disease was reported in California, Louisiana, and Nevada. Syphilis can be treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated, it can cause organ damage and even death in some cases. In women, congenital syphilis typically occurs when a mother transmits the disease to her unborn baby, leading to cases of premature birth and newborn fatalities.

Analyzing the syphilis cases that occurred between 2013 and 2017, the researchers discovered that methamphetamine abuse was the biggest contributor. The report revealed that more than one-third of women and a quarter of heterosexual men suffering from syphilis were reported to be abusing methamphetamine within the last year. The California Department of Public Health reported that methamphetamine use by people suffering from syphilis, doubled in case of heterosexual men and women between 2013 and 2017.

Why is it difficult to treat sexually transmitted infections?

Owing to the overlapping instances of substance abuse and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), it becomes challenging to identify and treat people suffering from syphilis. That is because, typically, people using drugs are less likely to visit a doctor or report their sexual activities or partners.

Likewise, pregnant women may refrain from seeking prenatal care and get themselves tested for syphilis owing to concerns such as their gynecologists reporting their drug abuse. To combat this issue, the CDC urges to bring about more collaboration between programs treating substance abuse and programs addressing STIs.

Fresno County reported highest rate of congenital syphilis

According to the report, the highest rate of congenital syphilis was reported in Fresno County in California. The county’s community health division manager, Joe Prado, said that the California Health Department analyzed around 25 congenital syphilis cases in 2017 and more than two-thirds of these women were abusing drugs.

To address this issue, the country took proactive measures such as offering STD testing for patients getting admitted into inpatient drug treatment centers. Patients coming back for reports were provided incentives including gift cards. Apart from this, for patients undergoing drug treatment, the county offered a care package comprising of contraceptives and education materials about STIs.

Challenges faced

While it is significant to have an increased collaboration between STD clinics and drug treatment providers, it is not always that simple, since these two entities have not worked together previously. Usually both these units tend to focus only on their relevant specialties and often fail to screen people for associated ailments like syphilis or other forms of STIs or for drug abuse.

According to Jeffrey Kalusner, professor of medicine and public health at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in order to fight the rising rates of syphilis more resources are needed. He added that though policies can be implemented towards syphilis testing, these policies need to be accompanied with appropriate resources.

Seeking treatment for drug abuse

Drug abuse is often associated with the development of physical ailments like hepatitis C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), syphilis and other STDs. These infections can be severe and result in rapid deterioration of overall health. The best way to avoid the contraction of these diseases is to avoid taking drugs or if addicted, to seek addiction treatment help at the earliest.

The drug rehab centers of Hillside Mission offer comprehensive evidence-based treatment plans for substance abuse. Whether selecting an inpatient, outpatient, or a residential plan, the detox process at Hillside Mission is designed to minimize the patient’s discomfort and result in a shorter treatment cycle.

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Source by Susan Navarez

Views: 0

July 22, 2022
Marital Affairs And Your Karma
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Two people can be mutually attracted to one another, only if there was some relationship between them in some previous life. When you meet a person, to whom you were related in a previous life, the stored memories or the Runanubhandhana stir up your emotions and you may start “feeling” for the person. Every longstanding relationship leads to certain deep impressions. Any act when done repeatedly can become a habit. Every habit leaves an impression. These impressions are the Samskaras, which drive us to act again. But if we have no more debt (runa) with the other person, it just remains a fleeting thought, an impulse only.

Sometimes even though the karmic debt is discharged, the old Samskaras (impressions of past acts) can generate an irresistible inner urge to enter into a relationship. We eventually end up creating a fresh account, a further karmic debt that is not advisable. But if there is undischarged karmic debt, it results in a relationship naturally. When the karmic accounts are settled, once there is no more debt, the relationship ends. But if the Runanubhandhana is very strong, it results in a long-standing relationship like marriage.

This is the cause of every relationship, how it is born and how it ends. But nothing is permanent. No karmic debt can be everlasting. Eventually it has to end when the debt is discharged, when the account is balanced. In this impermanent world change is the law of life. Countless wombs have we passed through. Innumerable mothers, fathers, spouses and children have we been with. It is hard to interact with another being who has not been a parent, brother, sister, spouse, child, friend or associate in some other life. But when a karmic debt is over, the attachment might still be there. We still cling on. When rna (debt) is over, the relationship has to end, but anubandhana (bondage or attachment) might still make us cling to the person. Like the fan that turns for a while even after the power supply has been switched off, the attachment doesn’t die for some time. Once the runa is over, nothing can sustain the relationship. Hence any further remnants of attachment (anubandhana) are bound to produce only suffering and misery.

In some cases, one of the two people involved grows out of the relationship once the runa (debt) is discharged. But the other refuses to move on, due to the attachment (anubandhana). The second person suffers tremendously because any further attachment leads to misery and suffering only. Sometimes there is bitterness also after separation. This bitterness can sow the seeds for future karma! When the karmic debts are over, when a couple has to part ways, as far as possible, it should be done with the least negative feelings. They should part in an amicable way to avoid further seeds of new karma, which is easier said than done.

The karma that brings two people together into marriage can also be of many types.
1. Bitter enemies can be born as husband and wife, and always fight, criticize, deceive one another and make each other’s lives miserable.
2. Two people who have created negative karma between them come back as man and wife, and lead a life of suffering together, fighting with one another.
3. Two people who have created both positive and negative karma between them come back as man and wife, and have a mixed life causing both happiness and unhappiness to one another.
4. Two people who have created positive karma between them in previous lives come back as man and wife and lead a relatively happy life.
5. One who has taken a lot in some life has to give in the present life. In such a case, one of them will always be giving (money, love, care, etc.) and the other receiving.
6. Two souls who are evolving spiritually come as husband and wife, help each other in their evolution and benefit one another. This is the purpose of marriage.
7. A couple who has been husband and wife may come back as husband and wife again, if their Runanubhandhana is very strong. If the Runanubhandhana is very strong and their destinies (lives) are so strongly interlinked, usually both die almost at the same time. If one dies first, generally the other also dies within a few hours or days or weeks. The souls are so strongly identified with one another that towards the end of a successful married life, they behave as if they are one.
8. Sometimes (rarely) a very highly evolved being or soul, or spirit or even an avatar is born as two people to accomplish a mission. After the accomplishment of the mission, they merge back into one. Though very rare, such a divine couple can take birth at times. Such a high soul may be born as two separate individuals as husband and wife, brothers, guru and disciple, etc.
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Source by Diwakar Vashist

Views: 0
July 21, 2022
Yoonla – Digital Lifestyle Business – Is It Any Good? Quick Review

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This is a quick review of the Yoonla online digital lifestyle business created by Reno Van Boven. All of the information provided is from my personal experience of trying the business in which I aim to provide a honest perspective on Yoonla & in what this entails for you.

This article is not meant to get all technical & confusing for those reading or interested in becoming digital marketing professionals so I try to keep the wording as simple as possible.

There are 2 types of accounts:

1) Free- pretty easy to create (like creating an email or Facebook account but can’t make money… YET TILL YOU UPGRADE TO…

2) Elite- this is where you really start earning money. Once you followed the 7 steps of creating your elite account (all the hard part is done by Yoonla) & upgraded to elite; you are on your way to earning well. Mind you, you do have to upgrade to elite to get all the benefits of this program. You are wondering how much. It is only $50-$70 dollars to start earning commissions on a regular & consistent basis. But THIS IS WELL WORTH IT!

Once you upgraded to elite, you can get to earning by getting people to sign-up under you. There are 2 tiers of making money from Yoonla- let me briefly explain tier 1:

1) You get $4 for every free account that signs up under you from English speaking countries (UK, USA, New Zealand etc)

2) You get $2 from people in non-English countries (Spain, Brazil, China)

Tier 2 is where it gets all exciting… for every person who upgrades to the elite account under you (you the SPONSOR) you get $30 commission for each person.

The reason I enjoy this program is the fact that its WORLDWIDE… anyone can make money from this. Male or female, rich or poor. This program does not discriminate which is reason why I recommend people to upgrade as soon as possible. The price for starting the elite account will be recovered as soon as you get people to sign up under you.

All payments are done by PayPal so all the commissions will be sent to your PayPal account. And you get paid once a month. Consider this as a lump sum of money.

This business is a slow build- don’t expect to earn $10,000 in a month straight away like you hear in some videos or personal stories. 95% of the time they did not earn it like they say & if they did; they are only the few out of hundred thousands to do this. Simply, just because you started your business does not make you entitled to earn huge sums of money. In hearing some of Yoonla stories, most people do not make serious money till 5-6 months later on down the line.

This is where you have to put the hard work to get to this stage in the first place. If you’re interested in learning how do this as soon as possible, leave a comment.

Thank you for reading.

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Source by Zhane Kelly

Views: 0

July 21, 2022
The Power Of Pocket Money

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Kids have always loved the thrill of receiving their very own pocket money to spend however they like. From saving up to buy the toy they’ve had their eye on for weeks to the quick delight that comes from waving around a bubble sword or getting stuck into a new puzzle book, hours of fun can come from the simplest of things.

Halifax, which has conducted an annual pocket money survey since 1987, suggests the average amount kids receive is now £7.01. And in today’s financial climate, pocket money can be a good way to teach children to be careful with their cash and learn how to make it go further. Advance education about the importance of saving and an understanding of money has been shown to give children a head start when it comes to money management in later life.

But it’s not just the kids that are jumping onto the pocket money bandwagon.

Parents are also opting to turn away from bigger box items. After all, there’s nothing more frustrating than shelling out on an expensive toy only to see your child tire of it after half an hour. Especially when it takes so long to undo all the wasteful packaging!

The growing trend for pocket money toys means a wider variety for the smaller customer, and it’s a great way for parents to get the latest fad without breaking the bank.

One pocket money item that has seen incredible growth in sales is slime and putty. Venture onto YouTube and you’ll find millions of videos of kids playing with it. In fact, there are even global slime conventions throughout the world off the back of this massive craze and there is no sign of it slowing down. Global sales are still rising and the popularity of this realtively simple and inexpensive toy is still growing. With thousands of variations – magnetic slime, rainbow slime, glow in the dar slime and more this is the craze that should go for many months more.

Of course, certain toys are timeless and will never go out of fashion. Spinning tops, tumbling tower games, marble drops and classic board games have captured children’s imaginations throughout the years and continue to be just as popular today as they ever were.

Another range that has been adapted for the pocket money market is the educational toy. It’s no secret that play is a great way to help children learn and toys are continually evolving to support this trend with more and more unique playsets and experimental kits to keep them entertained.

So to summarise, think twice before thinking you need to shell out large sums of money to keep your kids happy. Sometimes a £1 pot of slime will bring just as many smiles.

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Source by Vicky Walmsley

Views: 0

July 21, 2022
Love Is Not
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Valentine’s week is focused on multiple ways of showing others that one cares for or is in love with them. Hearts, flowers, candy and trinkets are given as symbols of devotion but not all are done with the right motives or with healthy commitment.

We all think that we know what love is but then act in ways that do not match our words. Here are some of things to consider:

Love is not:
1. Giving someone everything that they want because by doing so you believe they will change for good. Frequently clients have told me that they felt giving money to wayward teens would encourage them to come home. Not! People usually do what they want and cannot be bribed or coerced into doing what others want.
2. Ignoring issues and crossing fingers that they will resolve themselves. Not talking means not dealing with things and past behaviors are usually a predictor of future behaviours. Wishing and hoping isn’t the same as resolving.
3. Accepting abusive behaviors. We teach people how to treat us. If you have been abused and you accept a hurried insincere apology you will likely become caught in a cycle of abuse followed by apology followed by abuse.
4. Time served. Just because you have been in relationship with someone for a period of time doesn’t mean that you are healthy, safe or secure.
5. Keeping secrets. The underlying foundation of trouble is built with dishonesty and hidden actions. If you need to keep something secret that means that deep down you already know that you are up to “no good”.
6. Blaming others rather than facing your own failings. Most people do not want to look in a mirror that shows their own flaws. Instead they point the finger and distract the conversation by focusing on another person.
7. Demanding information about private matters. When adult children want to know details about the will of their aging parents, they can present as entitled and inappropriate. An attitude of “what’s mine is mine and what’s yours is mine too” can destroy relationships!
8. Vengeance for past hurts or failures. Hurting others is not a good response for those who have been hurt. Focus on healing instead of on trying to get even.
9. Enabling. There is a show on television that shows individuals who weigh over 600 pounds. Those who purchase the food for the one who becomes immobile or bed-ridden end up having to care for the obese person. When you enable someone, both of you pay a price for this.
10. Playing games with emotions. Sweet talk, false promises and cheating can be very hurtful. Stop it!
When it comes to being a Valentine it is important not just to think about the other person. Instead examine when and how you show your love. Are your words and actions healthy or are you in an acting role that considers only your own selfish needs and wants?

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Source by Linda Hancock

Views: 0
July 21, 2022
Wisdom For Living-Consider The Poor
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Do you consider the poor? Is giving to the poor part of your budget? This is an important wisdom for living. It is a wisdom key which many believing Christians are neglecting to their own detriment. This post expounds on considering the poor as wisdom for living.

Blessed is he who considers the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed – Psalm 41:1-3 (NKJV).

The poor are important to God. While He waits for them to learn and overcome poverty, He also would want them to be well taken care of, because He cares for them. God will not come down in person to help the poor; He will need human beings to reach out to them. So, God is ready to bless anyone who will offer himself or herself as a channel of blessing to the poor.

Whoever considers the poor does so on behalf of the Almighty God and lends to Him, and He will repay back. Imagine when God is repaying back what He will give! You give with your little hand and God repays with His big hand! Awesome investment! Give to the poor and you will never know lack in your life.

Giving is living. Making giving your lifestyle is to live a purposeful life; putting smiles on the faces of many people and giving them a reason to live on is what life is all about. Among many other blessings that come your way, joy unspeakable and peace of mind become your portion. This cannot be quantified. Also, you tend to keep living even when you are gone.

In Psalm 41:1-3, the Lord stated the things He was going to do for whoever considers the poor.

These include:
- Deliverance in time of trouble.
- Preservation and long life.
- Blessings, which includes financial blessing.
- Protection from enemies.
- Healing and health
All the above will be yours if you will consider the poor as a lifestyle.

As a believing Christian, giving to the poor whatever you can: money, time, energy, food and clothing, expresses the love of Christ to them and will endear Christ to them, convicting them to surrender totally to Him. Indeed, it is a perfect way to win souls for Christ.

Truly, considering the poor is wisdom for living. It gives you the reason to live and continuously changes your level to higher places. It gives you what money can never purchase for you; it gets the living God to be for you, your defense, provider and keeper.

Job was a man who considered the poor and every ear that heard him blessed him and every eye that saw him approved of him. These were because he delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper. He was eye to the blind, feet to the lame and father to the poor; and God blessed him greatly and preserved all that belonged to him (Job 29:11-16, Job 1:10). This can also be your story.

In conclusion, are you in a state that needs to be changed or do you desire to change your level to a higher one? Consider the poor around you, reach out to them and the Lord will reach out to you too. Let God use you to bless the poor and He will cause men to bless you too.

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Source by Ngozi Nwoke

Views: 0
July 20, 2022
Mindset For Entrepreneurship

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When you're marketing things, mindset is at least 80% of the game. We could quibble about the number all day, but eventually we'd have to agree: mindset is a big part of marketing.

But what is really meant by this term?

Well, I mean the ways that you think, feel, and act in relation to things in the world. And in that case, mindset is a woefully inept term to describe this idea! However, it's the colloquial word for what I'm talking about. So, bear with me.

By mindset, I mean what most people would describe as your personality and the ways you mentally and physically interact with the world. Most people just think about the states and what it feels like, etc. I think this is really only half the issue. The other half is how that causes you to act. Our thinking, feeling, and behavioral systems are all interconnected into one system: the human being, ie you and me.

How does mindset affect Internet marketing?

Internet marketing is one of the few areas of life that is only limited by the amount of work you're willing to put in and the market's response to it. Which is pretty cool; however, this also means that you're your own worst enemy. Therefore, to succeed at Internet marketing, you've got to get your head right.

Until you "get your wits about you", it can be very difficult to make Internet marketing work for you. This is why I say that mindset is paramount to your success. You stand in your way far more than other marketers or issues do. "How are you blocking yourself?" is an important question to consider.

How do you do this? How do you "get your wits about you?"

The easiest way to get your thinking right is to get a coach or therapist to help you overcome all of your blocks one at a time in a way tailored specifically to you.

I think this is a great approach if you have the time and the money. Most people do not. A great second option is to look into training programs, audios, videos, courses, classes, eBooks, traditional books, etc.

Definitely, you want to go to a live event or find someone to work with one-on-one first, but if this is not an option, non-live programs can be amazingly helpful.

But regardless of how you approach this, it's all going to be the same basic process: focus on the end goal, make sure it's ideal for you, determine how to best get there, and then make a plan to get there (and overcome blocks as they arise).

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Source by Joshua Howard

Views: 0

July 20, 2022
How to Organize Your Medicine Cabinet

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Just like your own closet, medicine cabinets can be quite a mess sometimes, especially if you have lots of medicines stored.

These days, with the pharmaceutical industry booming, you can find a wide variety of medicines sold for different health conditions. Companies competing against one another while consumers are on the go for searching the best medicine brand to buy other there for their health problem.

You may be one of those people out there who is facing a dilemma when it comes to organizing medicines properly in the medicine cabinet. At times, when you have lots of medicines already stored, it becomes harder to find the medicine you are looking for when necessary. This could be due to a lot of different factors, such as inappropriate labeling, expired medicines piled up, and so on and so forth.

Yet despite of that, there are still ways to make your medicine cabinet organize and neat again. There is no need to spend money or hire someone to do it for you. It is very easy and you can do it in an instant. The following are some of the tips you can consider to organize your medicine cabinet well:

Color Code

Why not apply color coding method when handling your medicines? If there’s a lot in the family who is taking medicines, then try to classify each one of them according to color. You may want brands to be grouped separately or put a color on each medicine to separate them according to date and time of administration. It totally depends on you. You are the best person who knows how to color code your medicines best.

Medicine containers

A medicine cabinet can become so messy at times, especially if all the medicines aren’t placed well in separate containers.

You may want to organize your medicines according to their form by placing them in different containers. For example, all tablets will be placed in a different container and same goes with liquid medicines.

This way, it would be easier to find and pull out a medicine you need at the moment because you already know where you placed it.

These days, you can find various types of medicine containers available for sale. You can buy them in the department store or at your local drug store. You can do a DIY too if you like.

Label each container

Even though you place all your medicines in separate containers, it would still be hard to search for each if they are not labeled properly.

Don’t forget to label each container according to the categories you have made. Label each container correctly and clearly.

Labeling containers does not have to be hard and complicated. Just cut a small piece of paper, just appropriate to the size of the container, and then stick it on the front, then mark it with a pen. You can even be as creative as you would like and put some colors, stickers, and some cute decorations on the container or label to add more beauty to the space.

Clean your medicine cabinet

Make sure to clean your medicine cabinet every so often. You need to constantly check for expired or damaged medicines and throw them away right away. Of course, you also need to dispose each expired medicine properly according to the disposal instruction written on the label.

By cleaning your medicine cabinet, you need to wipe out dirt and dust. This will ensure that all your medicines remain to be in good condition.

Honestly, cleaning your medicine cabinet every so often would pose more benefits because doing so will prevent your cabinet from smelling bad, especially with expired medicines that not thrown away. Aside from that, this will keep the potency of your usable medicines.

Have enough space

While it is important to make use of the storage spaces available in your medicine cabinet, occupying the entire space without enough room for your hands to move inside would really be bothersome.

Make your medicine cabinet tidy and well organized by not stocking too many items inside, especially those that do not belong to this type of storage space. Even the way you place the containers should be taken into consideration so that they will not all look jumbled up.

If you think organizing your medicine cabinet is hard, you need to think again. Follow these simple tips and you would surely not regret it.

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Source by George Patt

Views: 0

July 20, 2022
The Benefits Of Multi-Level Marketing

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The best MLM companies are those who embrace the many benefits that multi-level marketing has to offer. Read on to learn more about the advantages that MLM marketing can provide and how MLM leads can change your financial prognosis.

1. Limited Risk Factor

When we start traditional businesses, we are confronted with the possibility of losing money almost immediately. There are a number of expenses to consider and we are not always prepared to deal with them. As a result, people tend to avoid starting their own business and are scared to become entrepreneurs. Startup costs tend to serve as a strong deterrent in these instances.

But with the best MLM companies, you are able to get started for just a few hundred dollars. MLM leads are also generated with relative ease, since MLM companies focus on selling products that are used by their prospective clients already. If you take the time to compare the level of financial investment involved in an MLM marketing plan with the investment needed to start a traditional business, you will find that the risk factor is significantly decreased.

2. Passive Income

MLM marketing offers people the opportunity to stop trading their time for money and allows them to begin earning a passive/residual income almost immediately. When you pay your Internet, cable, electric, gas or water bill each month, those companies are all able to enjoy a steady stream of passive income, without ever having to punch a clock. Thanks to MLM companies and MLM leads, you can also partake in this lifestyle.

All you need to do is put in the initial effort to draw in the customers and the rest will simply take care of itself. A lot of us are too used to the level of certainty that is derived from trading a predetermined amount of time for a predetermined amount of money and we avoid the lure of MLM marketing as a result. But selling products for the best MLM companies allows us to snatch a far greater piece of the income pie.

3. Low Overhead

If you decide to start a traditional business, your overhead costs can be cumbersome. There are employees to pay, space to rent and inventory costs to be considered. With MLM marketing, you can harness the awesome power of the Internet to keep your costs low and ensure that you remain within your budget.

MLM companies tend to get a bad rap, because people falsely believe that they will have to purchase a large amount of inventory during the early stages and recruit people to sell it on their behalf. Thanks to the Internet, this perception is no longer reality. When you do not have to keep up with a high monthly overhead, it is much easier to adapt to changing business climates.

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Source by Roby Mason

Views: 0

July 20, 2022
Small Business Owners: Accounting Is for Profit Planning, Not Just Tax Preparation
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One might be led to believe that profit is the main objective in a business but in reality it is the cash flowing in and out of a business which keeps the doors open. The concept of profit is somewhat narrow and only looks at expenses and income at a certain point in time. Cash flow, on the other hand, is more dynamic in the sense that it is concerned with the movement of money in and out of a business. It is concerned with the time at which the movement of the money takes place. Profits do not necessarily coincide with their associated cash inflows and outflows. The net result is that cash receipts often lag cash payments and while profits may be reported, the business may experience a short-term cash shortage. For this reason, it is essential to forecast cash flows as well as project likely profits. In these terms, it is important to know how to convert your accrual profit to your cash flow profit. You need to be able to maintain enough cash on hand to run the business, but not so much as to forfeit possible earnings from other uses.

Why accounting is needed

Help you to operate better as a business owner
1. Make timely decisions
  - Know when to hire a team of employees
  - Know how to price your products
  - Know how to label your expense items
  - Helps you to determine whether to expand or not
  - Helps with operations projected costs
2. Stop Fraud and Theft
  - Control the biggest problem is internal theft
  - Reconcile your books and inventory control of equipment
3. Raising Capital (help you to explain financials to stakeholders)
  - Loans
  - Investors
What are the Best Practices in Accounting for Small Businesses to address your common ‘pain points’?
1. Hire or consult with CPA or accountant
  1. What is the best way and how often to contact
  2. What experience do you have in my industry?
  3. Identify what is my break-even point?
  4. Can the accountant assess the overall value of my business
  5. Can you help me grow my business with profit planning techniques
  6. How can you help me to prepare for tax season
  7. What are some special considerations for my particular industry?
To succeed, your company must be profitable. All your business objectives boil down to this one simple fact. But turning a profit is easier said than done. In order to boost your bottom line, you need to know what’s going on financially at all times. You also need to be committed to tracking and understanding your KPIs.

What are the common Profitability Metrics to Track in Business — key performance indicators (KPI)

Whether you decide to hire an expert or do it yourself, there are some metrics that you should absolutely need to keep tabs on at all times:
- Outstanding Accounts Payable: Outstanding accounts payable (A/P) shows the balance of cash you currently owe to your suppliers.
- Average Cash Burn: Average cash burn is the rate at which your business’ cash balance is going down on average each month over a specified time period. A negative burn is a good sign because it indicates your business is generating cash and growing its cash reserves.
- Cash Runaway: If your business is operating at a loss, cash runway helps you estimate how many months you can continue before your business exhausts its cash reserves. Similar to your cash burn, a negative runway is a good sign that your business is growing its cash reserves.
- Gross Margin: Gross margin is a percentage that demonstrates the total revenue of your business after subtracting the costs associated with creating and selling your business’ products. It is a helpful metric to identify how your revenue compares to your costs, allowing you to make changes accordingly.
- Customer Acquisition Cost: By knowing how much you spend on average to acquire a new customer, you can tell exactly how many customers you need to generate a profit.
- Customer Lifetime Value: You need to know your LTV so that you can predict your future revenues and estimate the total number of customers you need to grow your profits.
- Break-Even Point:How much do I need to generate in sales for my company to make a profit?Knowing this number will show you what you need to do to turn a profit (e.g., acquire more customers, increase prices, or lower operating expenses).
- Net Profit: This is the single most important number you need to know for your business to be a financial success. If you aren’t making a profit, your company isn’t going to survive for long.
- Total revenues comparison with last year/last month. By tracking and comparing your total revenues over time, you’ll be able to make sound business decisions and set better financial goals.
- Average revenue per employee. It’s important to know this number so that you can set realistic productivity goals and recognize ways to streamline your business operations.
The following checklist lays out a recommended timeline to take care of the accounting functions that will keep you attuned to the operations of your business and streamline your tax preparation. The accuracy and timeliness of the numbers entered will affect the key performance indicators that drive business decisions that need to be made, on a daily, monthly and annual basis towards profits.

Daily Accounting Tasks
1. Review your daily Cash flow position so you don’t ‘grow broke’.
Since cash is the fuel for your business, you never want to be running near empty. Start your day by checking how much cash you have on hand.

Weekly Accounting Tasks

2. Record Transactions

Record each transaction (billing customers, receiving cash from customers, paying vendors, etc.) in the proper account daily or weekly, depending on volume. Although recording transactions manually or in Excel sheets is acceptable, it is probably easier to use accounting software like QuickBooks. The benefits and control far outweigh the cost.

3. Document and File Receipts

Keep copies of all invoices sent, all cash receipts (cash, check and credit card deposits) and all cash payments (cash, check, credit card statements, etc.).

Start a vendors file, sorted alphabetically, (Sears under “S”, CVS under “C,”etc.) for easy access. Create a payroll file sorted by payroll date and a bank statement file sorted by month. A common habit is to toss all paper receipts into a box and try to decipher them at tax time, but unless you have a small volume of transactions, it’s better to have separate files for assorted receipts kept organized as they come in. Many accounting software systems let you scan paper receipts and avoid physical files altogether

4. Review Unpaid Bills from Vendors

Every business should have an “unpaid vendors” folder. Keep a record of each of your vendors that includes billing dates, amounts due and payment due date. If vendors offer discounts for early payment, you may want to take advantage of that if you have the cash available.

5. Pay Vendors, Sign Checks

Track your accounts payable and have funds earmarked to pay your suppliers on time to avoid any late fees and maintain favorable relationships with them. If you are able to extend payment dates to net 60 or net 90, the better. Whether you make payments online or drop a check in the mail, keep copies of invoices sent and received using accounting software.

6. Prepare and Send Invoices

Be sure to include payment terms. Most invoices are due within 30 days, noted as “Net 30” at the bottom of your invoice. Without a due date, you will have more trouble forecasting revenue for the month. To make sure you get paid on time, always use an invoice form that contains the right details such as payment terms, itemized charges, and your payment address.

7. Review Projected Cash Flow

Managing your cash flow is critical, especially in the first year of your business. Forecasting how much cash you will need in the coming weeks/months will help you reserve enough money to pay bills, including your employees and suppliers. Plus, you can make more informed business decisions about how to spend it.

All you need is a simple statement showing your current cash position, expected cash receipts during the next week/month and expected cash payments during the next week/month.

8. Executive Dashboard (weekly review)

This dashboard gives you a ‘snapshot’ of your operations on a weekly basis.

It consist of Cash on Hand, Cash burn rate, Account Receivables, Accounts Payable, Items sold, Inventory on Hand, inventory turns, outstanding issues in the business, and gross profit margin, new sales wins, customer losses, customer service performance, on time delivery rate and product quality performance.

Monthly Accounting Tasks

9. Balance Your Business Checkbook

Just as you reconcile your personal checking account, you need to know that your cash business transaction entries are accurate each month and that you are working with the correct cash position. Reconciling your cash makes it easier to discover and correct any errors or omissions-by you or by the bank-in time to correct them.

10. Review Past-Due (“Aged”) Receivables

Be sure to include an “aging” column to separate “open invoices” with the number of days a bill is past due. This gives you a quick view of outstanding customer payments. The beginning of the month is a good time to send out overdue reminder statements to customers, clients and anyone else who owes you money.

At the end of your fiscal year, you will be looking at this account again to determine what receivables you will need to send to collections or write off for a deduction

11. Analyze Inventory Status

If you have inventory, set aside time to reorder products that sell quickly and identify others that are moving slowly and may have to be marked down or, ultimately, written off. By checking regularly (and comparing to prior months’ numbers), it’s easier to make adjustments so you are neither short nor overloaded.

12. Process or Review Payroll and Approve Tax Payments

While you have an established schedule to pay your employees (usually semi-monthly), you need to meet payroll tax requirements based on federal, state and local laws at different times, so be sure to withhold, report and deposit the applicable income tax, social security, Medicare and disability taxes to the appropriate agencies on the required dates.

Review the payroll summary before payments are disbursed to avoid having to make corrections during the next payroll period. A payroll service provider can do all this to save you time and ensure accuracy at a reasonable cost.

13. Review Actual Profit and Loss vs. Budget and vs. Prior Years

Each month, take the time to review your budgeted expenses and compare them to what you have actually spent. Are you spending above or below budget? Discuss the variances and take action as needed

Your profit and loss statement (also known as an income statement), both for the current month and year to date, tells you how much you earned and how much you spent. Measure it against your budget every month (or quarter). Comparing your actual numbers to your planned numbers highlights where you may be spending too much or not enough, so that you can make changes.

If you have not prepared a budget, compare your current year-to-date P&L with the same prior-period year-to-date P&L to identify variances and make adjustments.

14. Review Month-End Balance Sheet vs. Prior Period

By comparing your balance sheet at one date-June 30, 2015, for example-to a balance sheet from an earlier date (December 31, 2014), you get a picture of how you are managing assets and liabilities. The key is to look for what is significantly up and/or down and understand why. For example, if your accounts receivable are up, is it due to increased recent sales or because of slower payments from customers?

Quarterly Accounting Tasks

15. Prepare/Review Revised Annual P&L Estimate

It’s time to evaluate how much money you are actually making, whether your net assets are going up or down, the difference between revenues and expenses, what caused those changes, how you are spending profits, as well as identifying trouble spots, and making adjustments to improve sales and margins.

16. Review Quarterly Payroll Reports and Make Payments

You have been reviewing your semi-monthly payroll reports. However, the IRS and most states require quarterly payroll reports and any remaining quarterly payments. Again, it’s best if your payroll service provider completes these reports and files them. Your job is to review to make sure they appear reasonable.

17. Review Sales Tax and Make Quarterly Payments

If your company operates in a state that requires sales tax, make sure you comply to avoid serious penalties. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) can help you determine your state tax obligations.

18. Compute Estimated Income Tax and Make Payment

The IRS and states that have income taxes require you to pay estimated income taxes. Review your year-to-date P&L to see if you owe any estimated taxes for that quarter. Your tax accountant can assist if necessary.

Annual Accounting Tasks

19. Review Past-Due Receivables

Now it’s time to check significant past due receivables and decide whether you think customers will eventually pay, whether to send past due bills to a collection agency or whether to write them off for a deduction.

20. Review Your Inventory

Review your current inventory to determine the value of items not sold. Any write-down of inventory translates to a deduction on your year-end taxes. If you do not write down unsellable inventory, you are overstating your inventory balance and paying additional taxes that you don’t owe.

21. Fill out IRS Forms W-2 and 1099-MISC

The IRS has a January 31 deadline that requires you to report the annual earnings of your full-time employees (W-2s) and most independent contractors (1099s). This deadline includes mailing copies of the tax forms to the people who worked for you. Note: A 1099 form is not required for any contractors who earned less than $600. Consider saving time and avoiding errors with an e-filing service.

22. Review full-year financial reports for tax reporting
- Get organized
  - Collect and store important documents (use apps and calendars for help)
    
    Create email folders to store bank statement and receipts
    
    Store contracts and agreements
    
    Track miles and vehicle expenses
    
    Store all required documents for your business type.
  - Tax Preparation
    
    Tax preparation is a historical view and not a profit planning event
    
    Capture all relevant events
    
    Identify all deduction categories
    
    Capture all meals
    
    Meetings —-whatever was discussed/calendar
    
    Try not to go over industry average industry cost for meals.
At tax time, carefully review your company’s full-year financial reports before giving them to your accountant. Before you sign your return, be sure to review it for accuracy based on your full-year financial reports. Remember if IRS audits due to underpayment, they will deal with you not your accountant for any additional taxes, penalty and interest.

If you don’t have the bandwidth to do all this yourself, a great strategy is to partner with a monthly accounting service. Outsourcing your accounting to an expert will simplify your life and give you more time to focus on running your business operations.

A monthly accountant will provide you with a profit and loss sheet, balance statement, and accurate account reconciliation every month, ensuring that you have the financial information you need to make the best choices for your company.

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Source by Vinson Primas

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July 19, 2022