An integral part of maintaining a successful small business is the ability to keep an accurate tally of all the company's finances and the effectiveness of these expenses. One way businesses can accomplish this is by using a custom database software much like FileMaker 12 as a means to manage necessary business expenses such as payroll, accounting services and even travel expenses with a higher level of clarity.

In fact, according to a survey by Sun National Bank, 75 percent of small business owners cite rising gas prices as directly affecting their business. While business owners that require the use of a fleet of vehicles may not be able to control the price of gas, they can control many other expenses they may be spending too much on.

For example, online banking is an excellent way for small businesses to save. Rather than driving to a bank, owners can access their accounts from a computer. Furthermore, by maintaining their finances online or in a custom database software, owners will cut down on unnecessary workplace clutter by eliminating the need for paper financial records.

Another way small businesses can save is by utilizing televideo or video conferencing services that allow communication with clients or other important entities without having to spend on travel. In addition, by providing employees time to work from home, employers can not only stimulate workplace energy savings by requiring fewer employees to use electricity and other utilities, but also help boost employee morale.

While these practices are all excellent ways for small businesses to save on the little expenses that add up, without maintaining an accurate record of these savings in a custom database, business owners may never know exactly how much they're saving.