I have just started back to school for accounting (switching careers from teaching). I'm looking for odd jobs etc. that will agree with school and a friend has asked me to set up an expense spreadsheet for his business.

Here's what he said: "I need someone to set up an excel spreadsheet with categories for expenses. Then I need all of 2011 and 2012 receipts entered into it. It will probably take around 20 hours and I may need someone to update it quarterly." He will turn it in to his CPA before his IRS extension expires in September.

So I'm very new to business and this is a good experience moment. What do I charge? Would I base it on the amount of time he estimated? I'm in north Texas.

I have just started back to school for accounting (switching careers from teaching). I'm looking for odd jobs etc. that will agree with school and a friend has asked me to set up an expense spreadsheet for his business.

Here's what he said: "I need someone to set up an excel spreadsheet with categories for expenses. Then I need all of 2011 and 2012 receipts entered into it. It will probably take around 20 hours and I may need someone to update it quarterly." He will turn it in to his CPA before his IRS extension expires in September.

So I'm very new to business and this is a good experience moment. What do I charge? Would I base it on the amount of time he estimated? I'm in north Texas relevant.

Since you haven't been around accounting much there is inexpensive software called quickbooks that will do what you are trying to do in a more professional manner which is to your clients advantage.

Think about it, what would you earn a week for clerical work and what would what would you like to make an hour $25 an hour, $50 an hour?