Quickbooks or ALTERNATIVE? Zoho, Billy, Xero, Wave?

[Joe Kim]

Hi!   it's tax season.  Every year I dread this time.   I'm terrible at bookkeeping and still struggling.   Every new year resolution is the same....need to do better bookkeeping.

here is my dilemma,   Everyone says, time>money.   sure that's true but If I was not doing some of these "menial" tasks, I may be surfing the web, watching youtube videos, watching netflix?   So time lost doing some menial tasks does NOT always mean opportunity to do HIGHER level work.   It may just mean less wasteful time.

Getting to my point.   I want to start quickbooks to help get organized (for LAST year 2017) and get it ready for my CPA.   how to get started?

I have a online book-keeper lined up who will charge me $30/hr (cheap!) to get started on quickbooks.   I looked up other bookkeepers including my own CPA who charges upwards of $60-75/hr.

But honestly real estate business (even ones like Airbnb with lots of tenants) and especially long-term buy/hold type business do not have that many transactions (only in spurts).    

If I could get started on a simple to use  alternative to Quickbooks, then i can do my bookkeeping once a month maybe for 1-2 hours?   Watch less netflix?  

Any ideas or help on which alternative is the easiest to use and still work well for CPAs?