Bookkeeping for Home-Based Sellers (Cakes, Catering, Online)
Last updated: 5 October 2026 · 4-minute read
Short answerHome-based sellers need to record three things: sales (who bought, how much, paid or not), ingredient and material costs, and deposits or balances still unpaid. Keep business money separate from household money, and record every order in one place. That's enough to know your real profit each month.
Common problems for home-based sellers
- Orders arrive by WhatsApp, DMs and calls, so records end up scattered.
- A 50% deposit is received, but the balance is forgotten.
- Ingredients are bought together with household groceries, so the real cost is unclear.
- You feel busy every week, but aren't sure if you're making a profit.
A simple method in 4 steps
- One place for every order: record each order with customer name, amount and delivery date.
- Record deposits and balances separately: e.g. cake RM120, deposit RM60, balance RM60 (still owed).
- Record material costs every time you buy: even when bought with household items, separate the business amount.
- Review at month end: sales minus costs = profit. This also helps when filling in tax forms.
Example: a birthday cake order
| Date | Record | Customer balance |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct | Puan Aina orders a RM120 cake (owed) | RM120 |
| 1 Oct | Puan Aina pays a RM60 deposit | RM60 |
| 2 Oct | Cake ingredients RM38 (money out) | – |
| 5 Oct | Puan Aina pays the RM60 balance | RM0 ✓ |
Profit on this order: RM120 − RM38 = RM82 (before gas, electricity and your time).
How TambahTolak helps
In TambahTolak, every customer has their own ledger, so deposits and balances are always clear. You can record by voice, e.g. "Puan Aina paid a 60 ringgit deposit", set a reminder to collect the balance, and see money in and out each month. It works in Malay and English.
Try TambahTolak free for 30 days, with no credit card.
Try It FreeFrequently asked questions
What should a home-based seller record?
Sales (who bought, how much, paid or not), material costs, and any deposits or balances still unpaid.
How do I work out the profit on an order?
Sales minus material costs. For example, a RM120 cake with RM38 of ingredients gives RM82 profit, before gas, electricity and your time.