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The benefits of invoicing are clear:
- You have a document showing products, items, or services that have been provided.
- It’s an easy way to explain payment terms.
- It also keeps all parties on the same page when it comes to billing and payment.
First, I show you a quick tutorial for how to use Freshbooks. Then, I explain how I taught my daughter the process. I’m kicking myself for not doing this sooner.
Here’s How to Use Freshbooks for beginners of all ages.
1. Go to FreshBooks.com. You can take a quick tour to see what it’s all about.
As a teacher, I thought the directions were super easy to follow.
2. Once you sign up and log in, you can start creating invoices right away.
3. Click the “Invoices” tab. Then press the green button marked “New Invoice”.
4. You will then be able to send your invoices. The invoice number and date will automatically appear. You can switch the date using the little calendar icon. Type in the information about the client you are invoicing. Then fill in the remaining fields.
5. Next you can add terms and a note before sending your invoice. You can also save it as a draft if you aren’t quite ready to send it.
6. After thirty days, you will receive this notice in your email. As long as you fit the Freshbooks’ criteria, you can continue to use the service for free. Be sure to bookmark the log in email so it’s easy to log in to for future use.
I explained this process to my 9 year old daughter. She would write random notes to me with what my husband and I owed her. Sometimes he would pay her. Sometimes I would.
It got a little confusing. We weren’t great at keeping track. At times we would forget to pay her or she would forget that we already paid her. I turned it into a teachable moment.
In an effort to stay organized and show her how this applies to the real world, I showed her how to invoice someone using Freshbooks. I explained how I use it for my clients and she could make her own version to use with mom and dad. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate lessons that go beyond the scope of just receiving an allowance.
