The deposit tracker I ignored for 6 months actually saved me $900

I kept a spreadsheet note about every upfront payment I got, but stopped updating it after a messy job in Denver. When one guy ghosted me, I checked the sheet and found he'd paid twice on two different invoices, same amount. Do you log your deposits in one place or just trust your bank app to catch duplicates?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_fisher3d ago

YOOO wait, he paid TWICE on TWO different invoices? That's not even a simple mistake, that's like a whole different level of chaos. I just stare at my bank app and hope for the best, but now I'm wondering how many double payments are sitting in my history that I never caught. Seriously, the fact that you found it by accident after six months blows my mind. I'd have probably just written that money off as a loss and moved on. You basically got paid twice for doing nothing, that's wild.

haydenhayes3d ago

basically got paid twice for doing nothing" is exactly why I gotta disagree with you on this one @abby_fisher. That money sitting in his account for six months isn't free money, it's a liability. If that client ever does a full audit or switches accountants, they're gonna find it and demand it back. Plus, the guy who paid twice probably had to eat a late fee or overdraft on his end, that's not harmless. I've seen a double payment wreck a small business's books before, it's not just a happy accident. You're lucky if you've never had to chase that stuff down, trust me.