LJM Bookkeeping Ltd

LJM Bookkeeping Ltd Supporting businesses with their financial requirements, taking the stress out of bookkeeping and pr

Lara Manton MICB

Supporting businesses with their financial requirements, taking the stress out of bookkeeping and producing real time accounts in order for you to make informed decisions. Streamlining your software via an 'Accounting Eco System' ensuring you have the right tools for your business as it grows | Xero Silver Partner | Receipt Bank Gold Partner | ICB Certified |Fully insured & cove

red under the Money Laundering Regulations. Let me help you with your books, so you can have more time to focus on running your business. Great bookkeeping means great reports & management accounts to give you a better of idea what's happening within your business & highlights any issues that need addressing. Services offered include:

* Creation of invoices
* Entering supplier bills & receipts
* Upkeep of sales & purchase ledgers
* Bank reconciliation
* Credit card reconciliation
* Credit control
* VAT returns
* Up-keep of fixed asset register
* Maintenance of computerised accounting systems
* Analysis of business expenditure
* Advice on accounting systems & procedures
* Set up of Xero or accounting systems to your needs
* Cash Flow Forecasting & Management Information Reporting
* All aspects of bookkeeping to Trial Balance for Ltd Companies
* Preparation of Final Accounts for Sole Traders: including Profit & Loss
* Liaising with your accountant in regards to final accounts & tax returns

Late payments are one of the biggest cash flow killers for service-based businesses and yet most people handle them reac...
03/09/2026

Late payments are one of the biggest cash flow killers for service-based businesses and yet most people handle them reactively, if at all.

Having a clear process changes that.

Something as simple as this can make a significant difference:
▪ A friendly reminder on the due date
▪ A follow-up three days later if unpaid
▪ A firmer message at seven days overdue
▪ A formal notice at fourteen days

Automate what you can. Many accounting platforms let you set up automatic payment reminders so you're not having to remember (or dread) sending them manually.

Late payers often aren't malicious, they're just busy. A timely, professional nudge is usually enough.

You said yes to one small thing. Then another. Then a third. And now, somehow, you’re doing twice the work for the same ...
01/09/2026

You said yes to one small thing. Then another. Then a third. And now, somehow, you’re doing twice the work for the same fee and wondering where your profit went.

If you run a service-based business, scope creep is one of the most common (and most quietly damaging) challenges you’ll face. It doesn’t usually arrive with a bang. It creeps in, one tiny request at a time, until you look up and realise your boundaries have completely dissolved.

Let’s talk about what it’s really costing you, and what you can do about it, in our latest blog:

https://www.ljmbookkeeping.co.uk/post/the-real-cost-of-scope-creep-in-your-service-based-business

Understand Your Key DeadlinesMissing a tax deadline doesn't just cost you money in penalties. It costs you time, stress,...
27/08/2026

Understand Your Key Deadlines
Missing a tax deadline doesn't just cost you money in penalties. It costs you time, stress, and sometimes your credibility.

For limited companies in the UK, here are the key ones to have in your diary:

▪ Corporation Tax: Due 9 months and 1 day after your accounting period ends
▪ Confirmation Statement: Annually, within 14 days of your review date
▪ Company Accounts: 9 months after your financial year end (for private companies)
▪ VAT Returns: Usually quarterly, 1 month and 7 days after the period ends
▪ Payroll (if applicable): PAYE the 22nd of the next tax month if you pay monthly
the 22nd after the end of the quarter if you pay quarterly

These deadlines don't move, but they do have a habit of sneaking up.

Put them in your calendar and if anything changes in your business structure, check whether your deadlines change too.

One unbilled hour a week.That doesn't sound like much, does it?But that's 50+ hours a year. More than a full working wee...
25/08/2026

One unbilled hour a week.

That doesn't sound like much, does it?

But that's 50+ hours a year. More than a full working week given away for free — every single year.

And if it's happening across multiple clients? That's not a small oversight. That's a structural problem quietly eating your margins.

If you're running a service-based limited company and you keep squeezing in extras "just this once", it might be time to look at what that's actually costing you.

Your profit and loss report isn't just something your accountant looks at once a year. It's one of the most powerful too...
20/08/2026

Your profit and loss report isn't just something your accountant looks at once a year. It's one of the most powerful tools you have for running your business well.

Reviewing it monthly tells you what's working, what's costing you more than you expected, and whether you're actually on track for the year. It turns finances from something reactive into something you can actually manage.

Look for patterns. Are there expenses that keep creeping up? Revenue lines that are dropping? Months where your margin narrows?

You don't have to be a numbers expert to get value from this report. You just have to look at it and ask questions when something doesn't look right.

Your bookkeeper can help you understand what you're seeing. But the habit of looking? That one's on you.

You know how it goes.A friend needs your service. They’re just getting started, money’s a bit tight, and they ask if you...
18/08/2026

You know how it goes.

A friend needs your service. They’re just getting started, money’s a bit tight, and they ask if you can do it for a bit less. You say yes, because of course you do, they’re your friend.

Then a referral comes in and the introducer quietly asks if you can do a little something for them too. Then a long-standing client mentions they’re going through a rough patch. Then someone in your network says they’d love to work with you but the rate is a stretch.

Before you know it, you’ve got a client list full of discounted work, a “just this once” that somehow became permanent, and a limited company that looks busy on paper but doesn’t quite add up in your bank account.
Sound familiar? It’s not a character flaw, it’s one of the most common margin-killers for service-based businesses.

In our latest blog we talk about what’s actually happening when you say yes.

https://www.ljmbookkeeping.co.uk/post/discounts-mates-rates-and-just-this-once-what-it-does-to-your-margins

Do you know exactly how much your business needs to bring in each month just to cover its costs?That number: your break-...
13/08/2026

Do you know exactly how much your business needs to bring in each month just to cover its costs?

That number: your break-even point, is one of the most useful figures in your business. It tells you how much revenue you need before you start making profit. It helps you price your services correctly. And it gives you a clear picture of how much cushion you have, or don't have.

To calculate it, add up all your fixed monthly costs (salaries, software, rent, subscriptions, insurance, etc.) and divide by your gross profit margin percentage.

If that number is higher than your average monthly revenue, you have a gap to close. If it's comfortably below, you have room to breathe or to grow.

Know your number. It changes the way you make decisions.

HMRC requires you to keep business records for at least 6 years. That's a lot of paper!The good news: you don't need any...
11/08/2026

HMRC requires you to keep business records for at least 6 years. That's a lot of paper!

The good news: you don't need any of it in physical form. Digital records are perfectly acceptable and significantly easier to manage.

Apps like Dext or Apron let you photograph receipts on your phone and attach them directly to transactions in your accounting software. No shoeboxes. No fading thermal paper. No frantic searching through bags the night before a meeting with your bookkeeper.

Making Tax Digital is already here for VAT-registered businesses, and it's coming for more. Getting your record-keeping digital now puts you ahead of the curve not scrambling to catch up.

"I just need more clients."It's the first thing most service business owners think when revenue feels stuck.But if your ...
06/08/2026

"I just need more clients."

It's the first thing most service business owners think when revenue feels stuck.
But if your diary is already full, more clients doesn't solve the problem. It multiplies it.

More clients = more time demanded More time demanded = less time per client Less time per client = lower quality or burnout

The real question isn't how do I find more clients — it's am I being paid what I'm worth by the ones I already have?

You’re busy. You’re invoicing clients, paying your bills, and there’s money in your bank account. So you’re doing fine… ...
04/08/2026

You’re busy. You’re invoicing clients, paying your bills, and there’s money in your bank account. So you’re doing fine… right?

Maybe. But “money in the bank” and “profitable business” aren’t always the same thing and that gap is where a lot of business owners quietly come unstuck.
The good news? You don’t need to be a numbers person to understand whether your business is actually profitable. You just need to know where to look.

First, Let’s Get Clear on What Profit Actually Means

https://www.ljmbookkeeping.co.uk/post/how-to-know-if-your-business-is-profitable-without-overcomplicating-it

Address

Peterborough
PE60BJ

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm

Telephone

+441733602492

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