This website is costing me money.

This website is costing me money.

Didn't find your answer?

I registered to this website with the intention of getting some money-saving tips and advice. However now I'm hooked on it and am putting off other work I should be doing. So rather than saving me money it's costing me.

Judging by the many hits each topic is receiving and the repeat posters who keep cropping up, am I the only one?

Replies (29)

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By carnmores
21st Mar 2014 13:41

silly
Its not costing you anything your indiscipline is your problem and i would also expect you to know the difference between spending money and not earning it and that's leaving aside what you have learnt at no cost

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Stepurhan
By stepurhan
21st Mar 2014 13:55

Several misunderstandings

This is not a money-saving tips website. It is a forum for professionals that occasionally helps business people if they know what they are doing.

No-one is forcing you to do anything. This website is no more responsible for you not making money than Candy Crush Saga. It is up to you to decide whether you want to work or not.

As carnmores said, it is not costing you anything to be on here. Money you don't earn is money you never had. Don't try claiming time on here as a deductible expense.

Repeat posters are usually those giving advice, not getting it. They are giving freely of their time to help others. They are not just passively reading like you, but actively using their knowledge.

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Replying to andy.partridge:
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By rich@home31
21st Mar 2014 14:08

A big thank-you to all the regular posters

I don't post on here as much as should but as a sole practitioner the wealth of knowledge available is invaluable to me. The time I spend on here reading helps me to gain knowledge that I in turn can pass on to my clients. In my eyes it saves me money by pointing me in the right direction to where I can find the information I need more quickly!!

 

 

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Replying to DJKL:
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By airgeadagam
21st Mar 2014 14:10

Indeed yes. In all seriousness I completely agree.

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Replying to andy.partridge:
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By andy.partridge
21st Mar 2014 14:28

But

stepurhan wrote:
Don't try claiming time on here as a deductible expense.

Do claim it as CPD
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Replying to Matrix:
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By MattG
21st Mar 2014 14:45

.

andy.partridge wrote:

stepurhan wrote:
Don't try claiming time on here as a deductible expense.

Do claim it as CPD

Indeed, the amount of time I spend reading on here more than covers the reading element of my ATT CPD, before I add on the various other sources. Presumably anybody contributing via articles and blogs can cover part of their non-reading as well.

 

I'd agree with B Roberts as well - OP was giving a rather tongue in cheek compliment. I'd say the same as well - I come on here to check something quick and get diverted by other items - all extra knowledge though and there are plenty of times when I've been working on a job and something I read on AWeb that seemed  unrelated at the time suddenly becomes relevant.

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By airgeadagam
21st Mar 2014 14:01

I know accountants are good at heart.

I loved your put-down: "don't try claiming time on here as a deductible expense" This has made me chortle...and it's Friday so OK for a bit of slacking off.

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By B Roberts
21st Mar 2014 14:40

Easy people .....
I took the OP's comment to be positive and in jest; let's welcome new members / contributors.

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By TerryD
21st Mar 2014 14:55

I know exactly what you mean! I'm an avid record collector, and I've taken to buying magazines with "free" CDs attached. That way, I reasoned, I can get a new CD of music I like for just the cost of a (albeit expensive) magazine....But then I play the "free" CD, and there are invariably 2 or 3 tracks that I like so much that I immediately go out and buy the whole CD from which they are taken........

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Stepurhan
By stepurhan
21st Mar 2014 15:16

Probably just feeling tetchy

It's all the people posting here lately that want to use this website as an alternative to paying an accountant a decent fee for proper advice. I guess that has just left me a bit tetchy of late.

Take this guy for example. Doesn't have a clue, but persists anyway. Only occasionally willing to pay for an hour of an accountant's time and assumes that hour will buy the accountant "a nice bar lunch". It's the sort of query that can leave you feeling jaded.

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Replying to lesley.barnes:
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By andy.partridge
21st Mar 2014 15:27

I'm with you, stepurhan

stepurhan wrote:

It's all the people posting here lately that want to use this website as an alternative to paying an accountant a decent fee for proper advice. I guess that has just left me a bit tetchy of late.

Take this guy for example. Doesn't have a clue, but persists anyway. Only occasionally willing to pay for an hour of an accountant's time and assumes that hour will buy the accountant "a nice bar lunch". It's the sort of query that can leave you feeling jaded.


I knew it wouldn't be too long before I agreed with you.
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Replying to lesley.barnes:
By mrme89
21st Mar 2014 15:35

.

stepurhan wrote:

It's all the people posting here lately that want to use this website as an alternative to paying an accountant a decent fee for proper advice. I guess that has just left me a bit tetchy of late.

Take this guy for example. Doesn't have a clue, but persists anyway. Only occasionally willing to pay for an hour of an accountant's time and assumes that hour will buy the accountant "a nice bar lunch". It's the sort of query that can leave you feeling jaded.

 

I'm with you on these types of posts too. They are becoming far too frequent on this site.

 

Anyway, I'm just off to treat myself to a pint and a nice bar lunch!

 

 

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Replying to lesley.barnes:
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By Tosie
21st Mar 2014 15:55

Difficult to believe that they are real.

I think a lot of these silly posts are from strange minded accountants who think it is funny to post stupid questions and get us all to try to help them.

Sadly with the online filing many people believe they are producing accurate accounts and do not need an accountant. Are we doing them a service by answering their questions ?

 

 

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Replying to Constantly Confused:
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By Cloudcounter
21st Mar 2014 18:32

Site being diluted

Tosie wrote:

Sadly with the online filing many people believe they are producing accurate accounts and do not need an accountant. Are we doing them a service by answering their questions ?

 

It's patently obvious that many of these posters haven't go a clue.and think that if the CT600 balances it must be right.  The concept of preparing accounts and transferring the figures to the CT600 is totally alien to them.  

Given the remote chances of getting the figures right, I see no point in wasting time when all that will do is perhaps get the figures less wrong.  It's up to other posters if they answer but the amount of crap that is being posted is diluting the usefulness of the site quite considerably.  If it was my site, I'd make it clear that it's for professionals only and delete the rest.

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Replying to Constantly Confused:
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By WongR
21st Mar 2014 19:07

A great website for accountants

Tosie wrote:

I think a lot of these silly posts are from strange minded accountants who think it is funny to post stupid questions and get us all to try to help them.

Sadly with the online filing many people believe they are producing accurate accounts and do not need an accountant. Are we doing them a service by answering their questions ?

 

I'm not so sure they are stupid questions.  But perhaps ill-thought out questions.  Accountants have many different backgrounds and there are many people who would call themselves accountants each with their different levels of expertise.  However I think I am able to spot the non-practitioners posts pretty quickly.  The truth is alot of the serial posters at the site have alot of knowledge and I'm sure have helped many many people seeking answers here so hats off to them.

 

But there is alot of truth in the matter that a simple query can become a very complicated one due to the way taxes interplay with each other and how accounting rules and tax rules differ and there being alot of procedural rules, forms to fill which only accountants will be familiar with.  For that reason this website should only supplement the services of an accountant, not replace it.

 

For me this website has often provided entertainment, insight and sometimes reminded me of areas I have not considered.  So thanks for your efforts everyone.  (and no I'm not a muggle).

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By User deleted
21st Mar 2014 15:26

@ stepurhan

I can see your point.... 

Of course, now that the OP has wasted so much time and money on here he'll no longer be able to afford to pay the accountant to buy the nice condescending bar lunch. 

I was feeling ever so relaxed after my nice afternoon amble with the pooch. Now I'm back to being p'd at the grasping nature of the human race....

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By jaxx789
21st Mar 2014 15:27

Nice choice

@stepurban

Given the posters name, a very apt choice to demonstrate your point

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By airgeadagam
21st Mar 2014 15:34

It was me. And it was just a wee joke. But I was pummeled into the ground and agreed to get an accountant. But I'll look for a friendly one. One who takes lots of holidays and comes home refreshed.

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By kealy
21st Mar 2014 15:34

Jeeeez

What is wrong with you guys.  I have been a member for years, and there have been many fantastic characters that have come and gone in that time, and obviously some great ones remain.  Many of you I considered to be friends I hadn't yet met.  Just recently there has been so much unneccessary unpleasentness I am just relieved that I never tried to join in.

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Replying to lionofludesch:
Stepurhan
By stepurhan
21st Mar 2014 17:19

The other irritating trend

kealy wrote:
What is wrong with you guys.  I have been a member for years, and there have been many fantastic characters that have come and gone in that time, and obviously some great ones remain.  Many of you I considered to be friends I hadn't yet met.  Just recently there has been so much unneccessary unpleasentness I am just relieved that I never tried to join in.
The other thing that has made me jaded of late is the people criticising others for getting tetchy at questioners, who have themselves made no attempt to engage. What I enjoy about this site is the give and take between professionals (since this, after all, a site for professionals, those treating it as a site for free accountancy tips are actually in the wrong place). I share my knowledge with my peers and benefit from the knowledge they share with me.

We can't all give equally, because we all have different levels of experience. However, there is a difference between having limited ability to share knowledge, and only making two posts in over six years of membership. Neither of them share any knowledge either. One is an "I had this problem too" and the other is this criticism. Perhaps tetchiness is justified when being berated by people who only take without giving back.

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By Edward Debris
21st Mar 2014 15:49

To the original poster.

Thank you - You just reminded me to go get work done so I can leave for the sunshine and sea air. I find myself losing whole evenings lurking this site.

Have a great weekend.

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By andy.partridge
21st Mar 2014 16:00

Pondering

Maybe we are more inclined to contribute to other accountants' problems because there is hope of it being reciprocated. A muggle can't reciprocate. The help can only be one-way traffic.

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By pawncob
21st Mar 2014 16:19

@andy.partridge

Are we back on the Wizardess kick? Muggles?

(At least you didn't call him a Pleb!)

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Replying to UTARIQ2012:
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By andy.partridge
21st Mar 2014 16:27

Tongue in cheek

pawncob wrote:

Are we back on the Wizardess kick? Muggles?

(At least you didn't call him a Pleb!)


Some accountants like to think their work is arcane. 
I know I do ;)
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By sylou
21st Mar 2014 17:09

Filtering new members

Perhaps instead of asking potential aweb members to type out the wiggly letters websites use to keep automated sign-ups out, they could ask a question on, say, capital allowances or double entry, to keep the non-accountants out? ;)

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By ShirleyM
21st Mar 2014 18:11

It bugs me, too, Stepurhan

We are supposed to be 'nice' even when being roundly criticised for trying to help. Some people don't really want help. They just want to be told they are right (even when they are wrong!). Some people expect help, but only in the manner they specify, and some people just like criticising what others do, while doing sod all themselves.

However, I disagree that this is a recent problem. I think this has always been a problem, but it comes in waves.

EDITED: to add more content and correct typos.

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By ShirleyM
21st Mar 2014 18:42

Maybe AWeb could make it a little clearer when people join, that this is a forum for professionals. It is a little galling when we get comments like this from non-professionals who are seeking free help and advice ....

But then where would the need be for a forum like this? If you know the answer perhaps you could write it down in a paragraph or two and save me a couple of hours travelling into town, and a few pounds engaging an accountant whom I otherwise don't really need.

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Replying to jasonholden:
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By airgeadagam
21st Mar 2014 19:21

Make it a little clearer

I must apologise for that comment. It was delivered in haste as a bit of banter and to tease out a response. At the time I didn't realise it was a forum for professionals only. Sometimes it's hard to interpret the real intent behind e-mails.

But I'm not a bad person. Over the years I've done a bit of voluntary work, about 15,000 hours-worth, which, if equated to a 35-hour and a 46-week-year works out at about 9 years-worth, without receiving a penny in return. And apart from that the old-folk who get their gardens done for buttons.

 

 

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By User deleted
21st Mar 2014 19:53

I don't expect ...

... to be spoon fed, but with so much information flying around if someone has recently found what I neeed and can save me hours of trawling I am pleased, and I will reciprocate.

The other use is the blonde moments we all have where as sole practitioners we just want someone to confirm we have read/understood something correctly.

But, as stated above, the site is not a money saving tips site, try here for that, primarily it is a peer to peer information exchange.  Secondarily it is a where you can let off steam to someone who understands your frustrations (which love them though we do, our spouses generally don't understand us - lol).

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