good bookkeeping. (and no, that doesn't describe me)

i am sooo not a bookkeeper.  or accountant.  despite the fact that a lot of my real job has to do with money and spreadsheets, i'm really an artist deep down.  which means i am numerically challenged.  (but don't tell my boss that)  i finally had some time to sit down and sift through the heartsy voucher information from two weeks ago - initially i had been keeping great records (yay me!) at what vouchers had been redeemed and what balances were left over, if any - but as orders came in and then the strike happened, well, let's just say i got a little derailed.  so i used the heartsy csv feature and imported my voucher information into an excel spreadsheet and cross referenced with my etsy account.

(for all you sellers thinking about running a heartsy feature - take it from me and keep on top of your vouchers from the get go.  then you'll save yourself the trouble of sitting down for a couple of hours digging through everything.  heartsy has a fabulous csv export feature.  use it.)

so far, there have been 39 out of 75 vouchers redeemed (or partially redeemed).  not bad, seeing as how over the past 12 days i've been able to get almost all orders made, tumbled and packed.  the only delay has been the canada post strike (which is now OVER and the mail gets moving on tuesday!  thank you, L, for the txt message updates).  not too shabby!  (and also means i have to go on a supply run for sterling but oh well.  like shopping for precious metal is a bad thing.)  and i feel organized.  at least for today.

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postal strike.

i'd be lying if i didn't admit that i'm a little worried about the possibility of a postal strike by canada post.  my little jewelry business depends on the mail systems as much as it does the copper and silver industries.  a not-so-wise boss once gave me this sage piece of advice - "you don't mess with people's livelihoods because they come out swinging" - and on both sides of this coin, it's the truth.  the postal workers are in a legal strike action position, so that they can fight for what they want/need, but yet there are millions of canadians who depend on the system in order to live.  even at social services, they did not mail people's cheques this month, and instead informed clients that they had to come and pick them up at the local offices. 

i agree that unions have created a more fair system within which businesses and corporations work.  however, it's hard when the little guy on the totem pole seems to lose out everytime.  i am reluctant to list anything new in my shop just in case i won't be able to ship it.  and seriously, no one wants to pay UPS or Purolator costs just for a pair of earrings.

(i do admit though - today we got home and there was a box of silver waiting for me.  no customs charge, or duty owing... hmmmm.  i wonder if this is also part of the strike action?  sweet - for ME!)

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