Hi all, looking for some type of easy to use template for my laptop, to keep track of where I've been and how much I'm spending per week/month/year so I can easily keep an eye on my budget. All ideas most welcome, stay safe out there.
ps my web search so far has only turned up holidays with airfares etc.
Stewart said
09:27 PM Mar 17, 2021
Hi Trip in van have good spread sheet for recording costs. Cheers Stewart
https://www.tripinavan.com.au/products/discounts/tripinavanbudgetspreadsheet
gdayjr said
07:34 AM Mar 18, 2021
Make your own with Microsoft Xcel, or whatever spread sheet program you have.
Very easy to use program, hundreds of ways to enter and sort data.
i would imagine someone has a link to a comercial version.
We have given a lot of thought to a travel spreadsheet. I guess that we should record our expenses etc etc.
But at the end of the day, our view is that we have to spend $$$ and would we ever review the sheet at a later date.
As an aside I know how to use excel as I record all our financials, Tax returns, and annual budgets on the same.
After all, I guess that it comes down to why you want to record all the information from one's trip.
Like I said from our point of view, we just want to be out and about enjoying what this great country has to offer.
Enjoy your spreadsheet recording efforts.
Jay&Dee
bgt said
11:43 AM Mar 18, 2021
A simple spreadsheet will do the job. Everyone of us has a different criteria. So our inputs may be way of the mark. We all have different ideas on what is 'reasonable'. Some folks cant get by on a $1000 a week. Other do it on $300 a week. It's really how long is a piece of string question. And how you record it can be just as variable. I look at my bank balance to see if it's higher or lower ever few weeks. If it's lower then I just cut out one or two bakeries!!
I use OpenOffice as a spread sheet. Cheap/free. And does everything the big boys do.
oldbloke said
11:44 AM Mar 18, 2021
I had ideas of keeping records on a spread sheet. There is a smarter way.
Just down load xlxs version of your monthly bank account for the period your away. Most of the costs will be obvious. Then just a tidy up is needed.
Cupie said
03:46 PM Mar 18, 2021
About 20 years ago I took the time to develop a rather complex XL spreadsheet complete with formulae that calculated all sorts of things related to trip expenditure.
Its' usefulness was dependent on populating all the various fields religiously as we went.
At the end of our first abbreviated 'round the block' when I closed off the spreadsheet I could tell you all sorts of things from the 'average' daily costs (mean, medium & mode values of course LOL) to the trip v progressive fuel use & its price & cost ... on & on it went.
I'm sure that you'll be interested to know (LOL) that when we started on 27/6/2000 the Brisbane price was 76.1c/L & when we got home on 29/11 it was 80c/L. The dearest price was 131.9 c/L at Ballandonia on 28/10 and over the 21207km the Patrol with 112499KM on the clock was drinking it at the rate of 20.03L/100K. The average price at the pump was 97.84c/L.
I suppose that apart from nostalgia, the real value was to assist in estimating rough fuel costs for future trips & more importantly the progressive fuel usage that showed sudden changes from normal. I could reflect on unusual conditions like headwind or those mythical tail winds, rough terrain, ranges & heavy right foot. If I couldn't attribute a reason for any variation then the performance of the rig came into question. Oh yes, another useful planning input was that on average, including short stops or 'drive arounds' in small towns & morning tea et al, I travel about 70 km each hour. Which is about 10 km less than my preferred speed of 80 - 85 km/hr.
so there you go.
BTW I don't keep the spreadsheets these days. I check my fuel usage by watching the km per each 1/4 tank of fuel used. No fancy fuel usage readings on the poor old analogue GQ Patrol.
edit .. Of course the other major cost is CP fees. We don't free camp. Somewhere there is a set of Spread Sheets for that too. Our other expenses stay close to the same as if we are at home. I probably drink cheaper wine but more of it when on the road. It's a weight thing you understand LOL. Bottles are too heavy & more fragile.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 18th of March 2021 03:51:25 PM
oldbloke said
04:13 PM Mar 18, 2021
bgt wrote:
A simple spreadsheet will do the job. Everyone of us has a different criteria. So our inputs may be way of the mark. We all have different ideas on what is 'reasonable'. Some folks cant get by on a $1000 a week. Other do it on $300 a week. It's really how long is a piece of string question. And how you record it can be just as variable. I look at my bank balance to see if it's higher or lower ever few weeks. If it's lower then I just cut out one or two bakeries!!
I use OpenOffice as a spread sheet. Cheap/free. And does everything the big boys do.
Lol. Yeh, write down the balance in a note book every week to keep tabs.
Everyone will say same. Fuel and CPs are the biggest costs
Whenarewethere said
04:29 PM Mar 18, 2021
I just write on the back of the receipt the car's trip data & when we get home, eventually chuck it on a spreadsheet. More out of interest than anything. We basically know what we spent a week so there is no point boring ourselves to tears with accounting.
That's it, you've all hammered some sense in to me, I've already got a spiral bound diary and lead pencil cheers
Gaylehere said
10:25 PM Mar 18, 2021
I don't do anything computer based. I just have a A4 exercise book in which I write a bit on what we've done each day (this is dated), where we are staying the night (if not in a CP will put down a few notes like - toilet type : flushing, drop, showers, BBQ facilities, picnic table, bins etc. for future reference if we go back that way again and have five headings underneath being for spending that day. Headings are:- Fuel, Accommodation, Food, Entertainment and Other. I'm not always exact to the dollar for the food one as if I buy something not food whilst grocery shopping it still goes under food. At the end of each week I add up the totals for the week and at the end of the trip I do a grand total for each heading. This is just for us to give us some idea of our spending. We don't work to a budget and just take it as it goes, but we are not big spenders mostly, but we do something special most trips (eg. took a helicopter flight over the Bungles Bungles - bus tours were all booked out and seeing the Bungles Bungles was something I really wanted to do and our vehicle wasn't suitable for the roads). Sometimes it's nice to look back and say - this time last year we were at ........... . Whatever you do, don't make it a chore. Cheers.
PS We're not trip planners either. We have a leave date we work towards, a date we have to be home by, a general direction we want to go and the rest falls in place as we go.
-- Edited by Gaylehere on Thursday 18th of March 2021 10:33:30 PM
Hi all, looking for some type of easy to use template for my laptop, to keep track of where I've been and how much I'm spending per week/month/year so I can easily keep an eye on my budget. All ideas most welcome, stay safe out there.
ps my web search so far has only turned up holidays with airfares etc.
Make your own with Microsoft Xcel, or whatever spread sheet program you have.
Very easy to use program, hundreds of ways to enter and sort data.
i would imagine someone has a link to a comercial version.
Or Open Office.
Or write things down in a diary.
This is what I use
But at the end of the day, our view is that we have to spend $$$ and would we ever review the sheet at a later date.
As an aside I know how to use excel as I record all our financials, Tax returns, and annual budgets on the same.
After all, I guess that it comes down to why you want to record all the information from one's trip.
Like I said from our point of view, we just want to be out and about enjoying what this great country has to offer.
Enjoy your spreadsheet recording efforts.
Jay&Dee
I use OpenOffice as a spread sheet. Cheap/free. And does everything the big boys do.
Just down load xlxs version of your monthly bank account for the period your away. Most of the costs will be obvious. Then just a tidy up is needed.
About 20 years ago I took the time to develop a rather complex XL spreadsheet complete with formulae that calculated all sorts of things related to trip expenditure.
Its' usefulness was dependent on populating all the various fields religiously as we went.
At the end of our first abbreviated 'round the block' when I closed off the spreadsheet I could tell you all sorts of things from the 'average' daily costs (mean, medium & mode values of course LOL) to the trip v progressive fuel use & its price & cost ... on & on it went.
I'm sure that you'll be interested to know (LOL) that when we started on 27/6/2000 the Brisbane price was 76.1c/L & when we got home on 29/11 it was 80c/L. The dearest price was 131.9 c/L at Ballandonia on 28/10 and over the 21207km the Patrol with 112499KM on the clock was drinking it at the rate of 20.03L/100K. The average price at the pump was 97.84c/L.
I suppose that apart from nostalgia, the real value was to assist in estimating rough fuel costs for future trips & more importantly the progressive fuel usage that showed sudden changes from normal. I could reflect on unusual conditions like headwind or those mythical tail winds, rough terrain, ranges & heavy right foot. If I couldn't attribute a reason for any variation then the performance of the rig came into question. Oh yes, another useful planning input was that on average, including short stops or 'drive arounds' in small towns & morning tea et al, I travel about 70 km each hour. Which is about 10 km less than my preferred speed of 80 - 85 km/hr.
so there you go.
BTW I don't keep the spreadsheets these days. I check my fuel usage by watching the km per each 1/4 tank of fuel used. No fancy fuel usage readings on the poor old analogue GQ Patrol.
edit .. Of course the other major cost is CP fees. We don't free camp. Somewhere there is a set of Spread Sheets for that too. Our other expenses stay close to the same as if we are at home. I probably drink cheaper wine but more of it when on the road. It's a weight thing you understand LOL. Bottles are too heavy & more fragile.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 18th of March 2021 03:51:25 PM
Lol. Yeh, write down the balance in a note book every week to keep tabs.
Everyone will say same. Fuel and CPs are the biggest costs
I just write on the back of the receipt the car's trip data & when we get home, eventually chuck it on a spreadsheet. More out of interest than anything. We basically know what we spent a week so there is no point boring ourselves to tears with accounting.
I don't do anything computer based. I just have a A4 exercise book in which I write a bit on what we've done each day (this is dated), where we are staying the night (if not in a CP will put down a few notes like - toilet type : flushing, drop, showers, BBQ facilities, picnic table, bins etc. for future reference if we go back that way again and have five headings underneath being for spending that day. Headings are:- Fuel, Accommodation, Food, Entertainment and Other. I'm not always exact to the dollar for the food one as if I buy something not food whilst grocery shopping it still goes under food. At the end of each week I add up the totals for the week and at the end of the trip I do a grand total for each heading. This is just for us to give us some idea of our spending. We don't work to a budget and just take it as it goes, but we are not big spenders mostly, but we do something special most trips (eg. took a helicopter flight over the Bungles Bungles - bus tours were all booked out and seeing the Bungles Bungles was something I really wanted to do and our vehicle wasn't suitable for the roads). Sometimes it's nice to look back and say - this time last year we were at ........... . Whatever you do, don't make it a chore. Cheers.
PS We're not trip planners either. We have a leave date we work towards, a date we have to be home by, a general direction we want to go and the rest falls in place as we go.
-- Edited by Gaylehere on Thursday 18th of March 2021 10:33:30 PM