Where to begin?

Background



Alright i work as a help-desk technician as well as the assistant to a system administrator at a small accounting firm. This is full time around tax season but during the off season hours as scarce. Im about to finish school and will have extra time on my hands. I do general IT work for people around the office as well as friends and family and get paid in cash or checks made out to me. Recently the amount of people wanting services has gone up, I have bought and installed a computer/printer for someone(after expenses i made like $40), I installed a surveillance system for someone else(after expenses i made like $60), I made a website for someone(after expenses i made $120)



Questions

• Should I start my own business or just declare my income? What kind of license do i need?


• If i send a client an invoice how do i handle the check or cash?


• Should the checks be made payable to my business? Do i need a separate bank account for my business?


• How should i track my mileage expenses? Do i just record the miles it took to get there and back?


• What expenses do i record for tax purposes? If i bill the client for things i bought(such as a computer) do i still mark it as an expense?


• What if the name of my business is taken by someone else? (did'nt find one but the name could easily be used or mean something else)

Services



Currently i have provided these services:

• Website design


• Adobe after effects editing


• Home installations(computers, printers, cameras, televisions, router setup, etc..)


• Teaching of computer skills (mostly for elderly)


• Speeding up junky PC's


• Backup of files


• Troubleshooting hardware problems


• Application support


• video game training(yes i have been paid to teach people how to be better at video games)

Based on this list I would like some opinions on if I should try to take what I do to another level or keep my services as a cheap alternative to geek squad.