With the new year here, one resolution every small business person should keep is keeping track of your mileage. Wherever you go, if it’s for your business, you can get a deduction on those miles you travel. A simple way to organize would be to keep a spare checkbook register in the car. When you start your engine, hit the trip odometer button on your dashboard, then when you get back home record the destination, purpose, and miles in the register. At the end of the year, you’ll have an accurate record of where you’ve been, and how much you should deduct from your taxes.

As a side note, for those of us who have been bad about tracking mileage this past year, go on MapQuest and lookup the mileage from your office to places you go regularly. Then using your calendar and credit card receipts, you can piece together many of your regular business trips. Put those numbers in a spreadsheet and give it to your accountant.