trip cost excel template

Travel Budget Worksheet

Are you planning a major trip? Will you be able to stay within your budget? Rather than just spending without a plan and then dealing with the debt for the next few years, use our travel budget template to list your travel expenses. It will help you estimate your total travel costs and see if you will be able to take your trip without going over budget.

License : Private Use (not for distribution or resale)

Authors: Jon Wittwer and Jim Wittwer

Description

This travel budget template makes it easy to enter your travel expenses for your next trip. The top section allows you to set a total budget, and as you enter your travel costs you can quickly see where the money is going, how much extra you'll have, or how much you'll need to add to your budget.

The worksheet is set up to let you enter a quantity and unit cost for each item. For example, for lodging you can enter the number of nights you will be staying and the cost per night. If you will be driving rather than flying, you can enter the total miles and the cost per mile. Remember to include both fuel and wear as part of the cost (see the link below for what the IRS uses as the standard mileage rate - $0.56/mile in 2014).

Additional Resources

• Be sure to check out our Travel Itinerary and Packing List templates.
• IRS Publication showing Standard Mileage Rates at irs.gov - You might consider using the standard mileage rate if you are estimating the cost of driving.
• Tips for Creating a Budget for Travel at wikihow.com - This article is actually a really good resource to help you remember what to consider when budgeting for a trip.

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The Travel Quandary

The Ultimate Trip Planner Template – Easy To Use Excel Format!

You’re about to embark on your next adventure – hooray! 

Travel planning comes naturally to some who thrive on the challenge to find the best deal on a tour, stay at the coolest hotel or dine at the hottest new restaurant. These travellers are always at the airport on time, check opening hours of attractions before leaving home and have packing down to a fine art form. On the other end of the scale, there are travellers who prefer to go with the flow, do things spontaneously and are happy to rock up to a new destination and “wing it”.

According to the World Tourism Organization (UNTWO), 1.4 billion people travelled internationally in 2018. And apparently, there are over 750 million users of Microsoft Excel worldwide. There’s a high chance that you’ll fall into both of these categories (we don’t know the exact number but it would make for a pretty neat Venn diagram). And if you also classify yourself as an “unprepared” and/or “unorganised” traveller, our trip planner template is designed to help YOU.

Microsoft Excel is not only used by accountants and finance people. Microsoft Excel has become the ultimate planning and analysis tool, recognised and used worldwide which is why we’ve chosen it to create our trip planner template. We hope you find it useful and welcome your feedback and recommendations!

FREE TRIP PLANNER TEMPLATE! MICROSOFT EXCEL & GOOGLE DOCS

Why use a spreadsheet to plan your trip.

• Identify gaps in your itinerary (closures, public holidays, mandatory reservations)
• Save money (better budget decisions, better choices on trip)
• To get you excited! You’re going on a holiday! Hooray!

Download your free trip planner template here

Note: For Google Docs template, download the .zip file and upload the spreadsheet to your Google Drive. Once uploaded, open with Google Sheets.

Using this spreadsheet

The Ultimate Trip Planner Template is built into a spreadsheet which is divided into six sections. We’ve built this trip planner to include 16 days of travel but you can adjust the length of the trip by adding or removing columns in the spreadsheet.

Once you’ve confirmed your travel plans, add them here. This is where you can record all your reservations – flight details, accommodation, car rental, equipment rental, tour reservations etc. Listing them on one tab means you can quickly jump in and find those important details when you need them.

2. Planning

Researching airlines, hotels, Airbnbs, car hire, tour operators and travel insurance policies can be exhausting. You’ll probably go through a phase where you’ll have so many tabs open on your browser, it’ll make you want to pull your hair out! If you also need to compare prices and dates with your travel companions, it can become downright overwhelming.

When you find a potential option you like, add it to the “Planning” tab. When your research is condensed into a neat summary, it will be a simple exercise of reviewing all possible suppliers, key dates and prices and then after a process of elimination, you will be left with the most suitable option.

A budget is by no means set in stone. Our budget tab is designed to help with your travel planning decisions. We feel that it is important to understand the costs of a holiday before making any hasty decisions. And we consider it even more important that you don’t spend beyond your means!

We don’t want to sound like party-poopers but the last thing you want is to get ripped off and/or find yourself stuck abroad without any money. By understanding where you plan to spend the bulk of your hard-earned money on your holiday, you can plan where you’ll allow yourself to splurge and other areas where you may need to tighten the purse strings.

For example, we give ourselves extra budget for food and coffee experiences as this is an aspect we love about travelling. We tend to book budget/basic accommodation on the road depending on the destination and available options, as all we need is a bed, access to a (preferably) hot shower in a secure room.

A good chunk of your budget will already be paid or known in advance before you’ve even left home (i.e. flights, some ground transport, accommodation, tours (if applicable) etc), so this should also help when allocating your budget to food, shopping and extras. There will also be times where you need to be strict and say “no” if your gut feeling and bank account tell you that you cannot afford a certain something. Be conservative but also be kind to yourself – you are treating yourself to a holiday after all and you’ll have to spend money to fully enjoy the experience!

4. Itinerary

We spend a lot of time planning our travel itineraries on a day by day basis and even breaking it down to each hour of each day. Some people call us crazy but when we are short on time and have an extensive list of things to see/do/eat/shop etc, we prefer to be organised.

Laying out our trip day by day also helps us to block out periods of time for travel or to take note of when restaurants and attractions are closed. Of course, plans can and will change. Rain may force you indoors (museums, galleries, shopping) or an unknown public holiday may disrupt your planned travel day.

We recommend using this tab to roughly outline your plans and drop in the activities and places you simply cannot miss. You can move activities to different days if your original plan doesn’t work out. If you want, record your daily expenses at the bottom and you can track how your actual spending goes against your budget.

5. Packing List

For those who begrudge packing, it tends to be the case that you will end up wearing 20% of your packed belongings during 80% of your trip. Or if you’ve left packing until the last minute and thrown items higgledy-piggledy into your suitcase, you’ll arrive at your accommodation to realise you’ve forgotten your favourite undies or packed the wrong shoes.

Packing lists work. Once you’ve considered the weather and climate at your destination, your baggage allowance plus the duration of your trip, you can plan what you need and limit unnecessary purchases on the other side.

We’ve compiled a pretty epic packing list covering practically every type of adventure and possibly everything that you may need. Feel free to adjust accordingly to your requirements.

6. Checklist

This is the final step before you walk out your front door to embark on a brand new adventure. Before you go, use this tab to ensure you’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s. And then you’re off!

Bon voyage!

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Give us your feedback of the Trip Planner Template below!

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CONTINUE PLANNING YOUR TRAVELS

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28 thoughts on “the ultimate trip planner template – easy to use excel format”.

HOLY COW I cannot believe I found EVERYTHING I needed all in one for FREE. I feel like I have ROBBED someone! My partner and I never grew up in households where family vacations were had, so we have no idea what were doing. Thank you kindly to The Travel Quandary. If I can donate, share your page, volunteer, etc. let me know how I can repay <3

SO HELPFUL ! THANK YOU SO MUCH !

How you extend the dates! I am going for a month

This template is so great! Planning a trip to New Zealand and will be traveling around a lot – this is super helpful!

NICE!! MUCHAS GRACIAS VERY COOL!!! Alina

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and your files!

Thanks so much for the template. This is a very good start for a traveller like me. Easy to use!

Amazing template! Exactly what I needed. Thank you!

Thank you for the great tool! I was wondering if theres a way to enter an end date as well to the itenerary?

Hi there! I was wrapped to see that the template is created by some Aussies! and local ones as well. I’m from Melbourne! Template is a charm! Just what I’ve been looking for ages! Planning our Europe trip for 2023 that got cancelled in 2020! (We all know why!!) Will let you know how it goes and will definitely check out your website! Thanks,

Hi Rosanna, we’re so glad to hear that you’ve found this template useful! Very jealous that you’re planning an escapade to Europe. No doubt it will be amazing! Safe travels 🙂

Thankyou for your post on THE ULTIMATE TRIP PLANNER TEMPLATE on excel. It is very usefull. I have been using this template to plan my trips for a while now and it has saved me a lot of time. I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a travel planner.

Didn’t work. At least, not on my version of excel.

something about “delimited” something or another.

Hi Piotr, We’re sorry to hear this. What version of excel are you using? Are you on a Mac or PC? If you wish, we can email you an Excel copy of the template.

So so sooo helpful! I’m happy to find this great itinerary template! Thank you so much.

Thanks Tahira! We’re so glad that you found it helpful. Enjoy your travels! 🙂

Hi Tahira, we’re thrilled you found this template helpful. Enjoy your travels!

I needed this so much, easy and simply. Thank you for a great spreadsheet.

Thanks Nga! Happy travel planning!

Hi Nga, we’re so glad you loved this spreadsheet. Hope you had an amazing travel adventure!

Thank you , soooo much ! I appreciate you putting this together and sharing it

Hi Priscilla! So glad that you found this planning template useful! We hope you enjoy your trip!

I am so excited to find this. (Thank you, Pinterest!) I will be leaving in a month on an eight day train trip and this is exactly what I needed to get all my ducks in a row. Thank you so much!

HiTeresa! We’re so glad to hear this and so exciting for you. Enjoy your trip!

This is great! Found this as i was looking for a newer travel planner and this is very helpful and user friendly!

We’re so glad to hear this! Happy travel planning!

great tool. never used a planner before and it has most every item to consider… add a route sheet for those who driving to, during and back from their vacations…

Glad you like it and thanks for the feedback. We’ll look into adding a new tab for routes.

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How to Create a Trip Planning Spreadsheet [5 Free Templates]

• Last updated April 25, 2023

Travel planning can get exhausting, especially when you have no clear starting point. You can make this (at least) tolerable by creating a trip planning spreadsheet. Here, you can keep your itinerary, transportation details, budget allocation, and similar aspects.

In this article, we’ll discuss how you can create a trip planning spreadsheet using Google Sheets and why it’s so useful. We’ll also provide five different templates you can readily use for your travel planning.

Table of Contents

How to Create a Trip Planning Spreadsheet on Google Sheets

Step 1: make multiple tabs on your spreadsheet.

To keep your travel planner tidy, you should first create several tabs inside your spreadsheet. This allows you to categorize the kinds of information you’re going to deal with. For example, you can separate your flight details from your budget planning.

Follow the instructions below to do this.

• Launch your browser, then go to https://sheets.google.com/ .
• Click “ Blank ” under the “ Start a new spreadsheet ” section.

• Hover over the name of the current worksheet (usually named “ Sheet1 ”), click on the drop-down arrow, then select “Rename.”

• Type your preferred worksheet name, then press  “Enter”  or “Return”  on your keyboard.
• To add another worksheet, click on the  “Add Sheet”  icon (plus + symbol) at the bottom-left corner of your screen.

• Repeat steps 1 to 4 to rename the worksheet.

Common Tabs to Add

You can create many kinds of worksheets depending on your specific requirements. Here are some common tabs you’d typically see in a trip planning spreadsheet:

• Itinerary: Include the basic details of the places you plan to be in, like dinner reservations, conferences you need to attend, tourist attractions, etc.
• Transportation: Keep your flight schedule, the routes you plan to take, your commute options (car rental, bus, etc.), and similar information.
• Accommodation: List the names and locations of your lodgings. You can also include whether or not you’ve made a reservation already, the room prices, and more.
• Food: Plan where you can get your meals, the restaurants you want to visit, and the average costs of eating out.
• Budget: Track your day-to-day expenses and see how much money you’re left with.
• Packing List: Don’t leave anything essential at home before embarking on your trip — passports, IDs, cash, and similar things.
• Activities:  List the things that you can do at your destination, like bar hopping, nightlife activities, concerts, and so on.

Step 2: Add Column Headers

After creating multiple tabs, you can further categorize your details using column headers. These are found at the top of your worksheet, describing what kind of values are present in a column’s cells.

To add column headers, simply follow these steps.

• Click on the first cell (cell A1) in the upper-left corner of your worksheet.
• Enter your preferred column header, such as “Location”  (as used in our example).
• Repeat the previous step for other cells in the same row. (We used the headers “Date,” “Time,” “Transportation,” “Costs,”  and  “Status”  in our example below).

• Once done, select all the column headers you’ve added, then click “Bold”  in the toolbar.

• Alternatively, you can make them bold by pressing “Ctrl” + “B” (or “Cmd” + “B”  for Mac) on your keyboard.

Common Column Headers

The column headers we’ve used in the demonstration above are applicable to the Itinerary tab. Keep in mind that you can virtually use any word or phrase for your column headers, though. Below are some options you can consider.

For the Accommodation tab

• Nearby shops and attractions
• Room prices

For the Transportation tab

• Travel date and times
• Flight details, such as flight schedule and flight number
• Car rental company, including name, address, and contact number

For the Budget tab

• Daily budget
• Total budget
• Total amount spent
• Amount remaining
• Expense description

After adding your column headers, you can start filling out the fields with your information.

Step 3: Personalize Your Travel Planning Spreadsheet

All that’s left for you to do is add a touch of creativity to your vacation spreadsheet. Here are some ways you can do this.

Use Conditional Formatting

The term “conditional formatting” simply refers to a change in a cell’s appearance when certain requirements are met. Below is an example where we change a cell’s color to green when it contains the word  “Done.”

• Right-click on a cell, then select “View more cell actions” > “Conditional formatting.”

• On the side panel that appears, click the drop-down list under the “Format cells if…”  menu.

• Select  “Text is exactly”  from the options.

• Type  “Done”  in the “Value or formula”  field.
• Click on the “Done”  button to save your changes.

• Drag the cell’s contents to copy the conditional formatting rules to other cells.

Use Alternating Colors

If you’re dealing with a lot of details, you can also use alternating colors, making it easier for you to read. Here’s how to enable different cell colors on your spreadsheet.

• Select the cells you want to display in alternating colors.
• On the menu bar, select “Format” > “Alternating colors.”

• Choose your preferred color, then click the  “Done”  button to save your changes.

When to Use a Trip Planner Template

You can use spreadsheets every time you’re planning a trip — there’s no reason you shouldn’t! They are handy regardless of whether you’re traveling to a nearby town or going on an overseas vacation.

How about trip planner templates? Well, if you don’t have the time to create a spreadsheet from scratch, using a template would be excellent. These are some helpful pre-made planners that are ready for you to fill out.

Free Google Sheets Trip Planner Templates

1. daily itinerary planner spreadsheet.

Especially when traveling to faraway places, going into detail about the activities you plan to do daily is a good practice. You can share this daily itinerary with the people you went on a trip with, letting them know where to find you in case of grave situations.

Template Features

• Categorize your itinerary into multiple days (which are color-coded for organization)
• Describe your activities in a separate section and indicate the time and location where you’ll do them
• List the diners or restaurants where you can eat near the location of your activity
• Schedule your day properly by indicating the end time for each activity

Access Template

2. Travel Budget Template

Allocating your travel budget ahead of time lets you set boundaries when it comes to spending. This lets you know what costs you need to put first, too. Such money allocation is rarely followed, though (with impulsive purchases and unplanned expenses), making it important to have an expense planner and tracker throughout your trip.

• Categorize your expenses per location according to the transportation you used, your accommodation, food you ate, and activities you did
• Pick from a drop-down list of common transportation methods (e.g., bus, car rental, ferry, etc.)
• Enter your total and daily budget allocation, as well as their converted counterparts in your destination’s local currency
• Automatically calculate your daily expenses, including the total amount spent and your remaining budget for the day
• Calculate your total expenses throughout the trip, as well as the amount remaining from your budget

3. Travel Checklist Template

Successful and non-stressful trips can’t go without good preparation. For example, you’d want to ensure that your passport hasn’t expired yet before strutting over to your flight. A travel checklist spreadsheet would be handy in this case.

• Set a completion status for each of your to-dos
• Categorize your to-do list into  “Travel prep,” “Home prep,” “Transportation,”  and “Money/documents”
• Add notes to each item on the list
• Set a due date for your to-dos
• Determine the number of days remaining for you to accomplish the things listed with an automatic counter included
• Automatically count the number of tasks that are not yet done and those already finished

4. Destination Planner Spreadsheet

Researching your destination should always be part of your planning. For example, you want to know the available hotels and accommodations that you can opt for in your target location. This lets you find the ones with the lowest prices, the most convenient in terms of route, and more.

Knowing the current climate and the community there would be essential too. This allows you to anticipate what things to bring, what activities you can possibly do, and similar aspects.

• Enter your destination’s information, such as its current season, whether it’s rural or urban, and more
• List the tourist spots that you can visit in your destination, including their name, specific location, and transportation route
• Detail the activities that you want to do, together with their category, description, duration, and estimated expenses
• Find and compile a list of all available accommodations in your target location, as well as their name, address, price range, and pros/cons

5. Packing List Template

Before your trip, it is helpful to make a packing list of everything you’ll need — bathing essentials, clothing, money, documents, and more. Then, right before leaving your home, you can do a quick check to see if you’ve already placed every item on your list inside your luggage. You can do both with a packing list spreadsheet.

• Enter the details of your target destination, such as its usual weather, temperature, clothing restrictions, and more
• Add notes about your packing list
• Categorize your items by location, like the beach, conference, office, and other places
• Classify your things by type, such as clothing, money, documents, electronics, etc.
• Mark the items “Ready” once you have prepared them inside your luggage

Why Use Our Templates?

Below are some reasons you’d want to use the travel spreadsheet templates we have here at Spreadsheet Point :

Formulas and Drop-down Lists

We added several drop-down lists for common topics to make things easier for you. For instance, we included a drop-down where you can select common transportation types like buses, ferries, airplanes, car rentals, and more.

Easy Sharing and Collaboration

All of our templates are built on Google Sheets — you can easily collaborate with your friends in planning your trip with the  “Share”  button.

Color-Coded Categories

We displayed each category in unique colors and shades to keep them tidy.

Other Trips on Planning Your Travel

In addition to the travel planning templates we’ve discussed, here are a few bonus tips you can apply to prepare for your trip:

• Pick a location that your current finances can accommodate.
• Don’t bring things that won’t fit inside your backpack to avoid paying for extra luggage costs.
• When selecting a hotel or apartment, choose one that’s near major transportation lines.
• Weigh whether taking a bus would be more cost-effective than taking a flight.
• Always get travel insurance before embarking on your trip — it won’t shield you from accidents, but it will keep you from having an empty bank account.

Enjoy Your Trip with Everything Prepared

A lot of unknowns await you at your destination — unexpected expenses, spontaneous activities, booking problems, and more. With a trip planning spreadsheet, you can minimize these by anticipating the things on your journey. Feel free to use the templates we’ve included here to plan a successful trip today.

You can also access more of these useful templates on our Gumroad  profile. Don’t forget to use the code “ SSP ” to get 50% off all templates!

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• vacation 10
• Travel budget

Cut Your Trip Costs In Half With This Excel Template

• 1.1 Why Use an Excel Template?
• 1.2 Getting Started with the Template
• 1.3 Estimating Your Trip Costs
• 1.4 Tracking Your Expenses
• 1.5 Monitoring Your Budget
• 1.6 Planning for Future Trips
• 1.7 Sharing the Template
• 1.8 Conclusion

Traveling on a Budget? Use This Excel Template to Plan Your Trip Costs

Are you dreaming of your next adventure but worried about breaking the bank? Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered. With our easy-to-use Excel template, you can plan and track your trip costs like a pro. Whether you’re jetting off to a tropical paradise or exploring a new city, this tool will help you stay within your budget and make the most of your travel experience.

Why Use an Excel Template?

Excel templates are a game-changer when it comes to planning and organizing your trip costs. They provide a structured way to track your expenses, compare prices, and ensure you don’t overspend. With our Excel template, you can easily input your estimated costs for accommodation, transportation, meals, activities, and more. The template will then calculate your total expenses and give you a clear picture of how much you need to save or adjust your plans.

Getting Started with the Template

Getting started with our Excel template is as easy as 1-2-3. Simply download the template from our website and open it in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. The template is pre-formatted with categories for different expense types, making it incredibly user-friendly. You can customize the template to fit your specific needs by adding or deleting categories, or even create subcategories for more detailed tracking.

Estimating Your Trip Costs

Before you start filling in the template, it’s important to estimate your trip costs as accurately as possible. Research the destination you’re visiting and gather information on accommodation prices, transportation options, food costs, and any activities or attractions you plan to indulge in. This will give you a baseline to work with and ensure your budget is realistic.

Tracking Your Expenses

Once you’re on your trip, use the template to track your expenses. Simply input the amount spent for each category, and the template will automatically update your total expenses. This will help you stay on top of your spending and avoid any nasty surprises when you return home.

Monitoring Your Budget

One of the best features of our Excel template is the ability to monitor your budget in real-time. As you input your expenses, the template will calculate the remaining budget for each category, giving you a clear visual representation of where you stand. This will help you make informed decisions on whether to splurge or save on certain aspects of your trip.

Planning for Future Trips

Our Excel template is not just a one-time tool. It can be used for all your future trips, allowing you to compare costs and make adjustments based on your previous experiences. By analyzing your spending patterns, you’ll become a pro at budgeting for travel and ensure you get the most out of every adventure.

Sharing the Template

We believe in the power of sharing, so feel free to pass on our Excel template to your fellow travelers. By helping others plan their trip costs efficiently, you’ll be contributing to a community of savvy travelers who make the most of their budgets. Together, we can create a world where everyone can explore and experience the wonders of travel without breaking the bank.

Don’t let the fear of overspending hold you back from your dream trip. With our Excel template, you can take control of your travel budget and make every dollar count. Start planning your next adventure today and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ve got your trip costs under control. Happy travels!

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How to Make a Travel Budget in 2023 [Free Template]

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Table of Contents

Can you afford to travel, the 2 approaches to travel budgets, travel budget template worksheet, travel budget considerations, websites to help research travel costs, the best apps for travel budgets and expense tracking, saving for your vacation, final thoughts.

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Creating a travel budget isn’t all about boring spreadsheets and searching for low budget bargains — a finely-crafted budget it is designed to maximize your total travel experience.

Let’s start out easy here. You may have dreams of globetrotting and living your best life in distant lands, but can you actually afford it?

The amount you have to spend on your trip will need to be proportionate to the place you are visiting. By that, we mean that some destinations can be done on the cheap, while others will be a bit more of an investment.

Where you want to stay, what you intend to do when you get there, and physically how far away you will be from home can all have a considerable bearing on how deep your pockets will need to be.

Before you book yourself silly, really break down the potential costs of your dream trip and tally it up with the amount of money you will realistically have to fund it.

Bottom Line: Sometimes, it may be better to put your plans on hold until you have saved up enough cash to really experience a place, rather than rushing to get there and missing out on some of the best bits.

Whether you are a plan-well-in-advance sort of traveler or more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of person, there are different ways to approach setting out your budget based on what works best for you.

Plan Your Adventure Well in Advance

The most traditional way to book a vacation is to think of somewhere you want to go, plan your vacation dates, and decide how long you want to stay. This kind of advanced planning is the usual go-to for most travelers, as it allows you to book time off of work or plan trips around school semesters, and gives you the opportunity to firm up plans before you leave.

Knowing when and where you are going also has another key advantage — it gives you plenty of time to save up all the cash you will need to really enjoy your time there. Booking in advance also means you get your choice of cheaper accommodation at better rates.

Book months in advance and you can research your planned itinerary and potential expenditure, and maybe even save enough extra for upgrades of luxuries to make your adventure truly special. This kind of planning is a great incentive for saving hard.

Travel Based on Your Bank Balance

If, on the other hand, you want to take your cash and get the hell out of dodge, you can work backward to identify the most amount of fun you can have for your money. If you are feeling lucky, and you know how much you are willing to spend, the world really is your oyster.

The awesome power of the internet has made impulse traveling even easier, as you can simply hit up any number of booking sites to find an exciting destination, as well as suitable flights, accommodation, and excursions in just a few clicks.

Another great way to make your budget go further is to think outside the box. Visiting popular destinations out of season, taking shorter vacation times, or even looking at places away from the main tourist trail can all make your money go further.

A trip to the legendary Yosemite National Park during April or May, for example, is a great way to experience some of the most iconic open spaces in America before the schools let out, or hit the beaches of Miami or the Florida Keys during September and October when tourists shy away from the increased risk of stormy weather.

You can also look at alternatives to the more traditional resort destinations to get more bang for your buck. Consider a trip to Reno instead of Las Vegas, hit the slopes in Winter Park instead of the sky-high prices in Vail, or take in the history of Williamsburg and avoid the price tags of New York or Los Angeles on your next city break.

To help you plan and keep track of your travel budget we have created a free, handy Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

📋  Click to Download Our Travel Budget Template >  📋

When planning your travel budget, there are lots of different things to consider. Break down your budget into subsections to make it easier to plan and stick to:

Passport and Visas

One of the most essential elements of your travel plan will revolve around the legal and local requirements for travel to and from your destination. You must research any visa requirements and restrictions before you fly, and be sure to have all the documentation you need before you leave.

Most countries will have their own individual and very specific entry requirements, and there may be restrictions on how much local currency you can bring with you, as well as how long you can stay.

As a very rough guide, some examples of the requirements for U.S. citizens could include:

• Travel to Europe — If you are traveling to or through any of the main 26 European countries, you must know the requirements of the Schengen Agreement, which eliminates borders and assumes that travelers will be able to enjoy up to 3-months of visa-free travel. This will change in January 2021 with the introduction of the ETIAS .
• Travel to Australia — You must have a valid U.S. passport and an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) to enjoy up to 90 days of travel in Australia.
• Travel to Central America — You will not need a visa to visit most Central American countries, but you may need a tourist card for some destinations (~$10) to allow stays of up to 90 days visa-free.
• Travel To South Africa — You must have a valid U.S. passport, but do not need a visa for stays of 30 days or less.

Check out our guide to tourist visa information on over 100 countries.

Travel Insurance

There are many great reasons why you should always buy travel insurance coverage for your trips overseas, and only 1 reason not to. Trust us. If the worst should happen while you are away, you will wish you hadn’t tried to save money by skipping on the insurance, so make sure you always make space for travel insurance in your travel budget .

The best travel insurance policy does not necessarily have to be the most expensive one you find, but it probably won’t be the cheapest either. With this in mind, shop around and speak to a variety of providers before committing to any 1 product.

There will be different levels of coverage available to suit the requirements of every type of traveler, from lone backpackers to family vacations, but at the very least you should try to include:

• Emergency medical expenses
• Repatriation expenses
• Cancellation or curtailment coverage
• Lost baggage coverage
• Travel delay/missed departure coverage
• Journey disruption coverage
• Personal liability coverage
• Legal expenses coverage
• Electronics loss/theft and damage coverage

Depending on where you go, what you’ll be doing, and the nature of your trip, you may want to also consider dedicated financial protection that could include specific coverage for:

• Winter sports coverage
• Terrorism disruption coverage
• Cruise coverage
• Business coverage
• Sports equipment coverage

It is important to remember that the domestic health insurance that you use at home will not necessarily cover you if you get into medical trouble overseas . Don’t leave it to chance — invest wisely in your travel insurance and never skimp on the coverage just to save yourself a few bucks before you go.

You should also look into insurance coverage for your prized electrical items and personal belongings, too . While we would recommend leaving the diamonds at home, unless you are going somewhere exceptionally glamorous, many of us will take expensive electronics with us everywhere we go.

Find coverage that offers repairs or replacement for damaged, broken, lost, or stolen items before you go.

Hot Tip: There are some credit cards with travel insurance , so you might already have some coverage without knowing it!

Vaccinations

Some parts of the world pose more of a risk to our health than others. By ensuring that you have all the travel vaccinations you need before you go, you can reduce the risk of developing serious diseases that your immune system may not be used to.

You can pretty much be vaccinated against all of the world’s most common communicable diseases at your local doctor’s office, health care center, or health department, and there will be medical professionals who will be able to provide you with useful information for your trip.

You will need to do your own research before you travel and speak to healthcare providers about the risks. But, as a rough guide to keep in mind when planning your travel budget, here are some of the most common travel vaccinations and their approximate costs:

• Cholera — A single-dose oral vaccine costs around $45.
• Hepatitis A — A single-dose vaccine costs around $115.
• Japanese Encephalitis — 2 doses given 4 weeks apart costs around $290 per injection.
• Meningococcal Disease — This single-dose vaccine is recommended from pre-teenage years and costs around $135.
• Rabies — A series of 3 or 4 injections into the muscles over the course of 4 weeks costs around $3000 for the entire course.
• Typhoid Fever — A single oral dose for anyone over 6 years old costs around $60.
• Yellow Fever — This vaccine is not stocked everywhere, but if you can find a clinic that offers it, you will need a single shot costing as much as $350.
• Malaria — There is no single vaccine, but antimalarial tablets can be taken to reduce the risk of contracting the disease by 90%. These may need to be taken as far as 3 months in advance and can cost anything from $20 a pack up to $260 per pack.

Clothes, Gear, and Toiletries

What you need to take with you will depend very much on where you headed. Whether you choose to travel light or max out your luggage allowance is up to you, but there are plenty of ways to help keep costs down when it comes to packing for your next adventure.

Compile a Capsule Wardrobe

Travel guides always bang on about the legendary “capsule wardrobe” — but it literally is a real thing. By taking 7 or 8 items of clothing with you that can be worn in a variety of ways you can dress for days at a time without worrying about overfilling your luggage or maxing out your travel budget.

Choose 2 pants, skirts or jeans, 3 tops, 1 sweater, 1 dress or a smart shirt and a coat or jacket, and you should be pretty much good to go. Throw in beachwear, sports gear, or thermals as-needed and some socks and underwear to see yourself sorted for the duration of your stay.

Another way to keep costs down is to avoid buying new stuff for every vacation . Your favorite bikini, flip flops, party dress, or even hoodie should be shown off time and time again, so never feel the need to replace your vacation clothing unless you really need to.

Here are some destination-specific packing lists:

• Beach Vacation Packing List
• Cruise Vacation Packing List
• Disney Vacation Packing List

If you want to take your travel camera with you, your GoPro for awesome live video, your phone, tablet, laptop, headphones , or any other bits of kit — think carefully about whether or not you really need it.

Taking more expensive gear with you increases the risk of stuff getting lost, broken, or stolen, as well as weighing your luggage down and tying you to charging ports and electrical sockets.

Keeping Clean

Most people like to have their favorite toiletries with them, but save money and space in your luggage by not taking full-size products.

You needn’t even worry about wasting money on cute little travel size products either. Simply decant your full-size bottles and pots into smaller travel containers instead . This is super easy to do, meets with TSA regulations, and saves you a few dollars here and there.

Alternatively, buy what you need when you arrive. Most destinations and airports will have plenty of shops to choose from. One area where you shouldn’t cut costs, however, is sunscreen. Buy the best you can, ideally from a trusted brand, before you leave.

Finally, check if the airline you are using charges extra for checked baggage and if so, see if you can get away with just a carry-on case instead.

The amount you pay for your flights will vary widely depending on a wide number of variants, including:

• Your destination
• Who you choose to fly with
• Whether you fly direct
• Whether you fly return or one-way
• The day of the week and time of day that you fly, and even the time of year
• Where you fly from
• When you book

There are many different ways to fly around the skies, but here are some ways to bag cheaper flights :

• Use Points and Miles — If you aren’t accumulating points to fly, read this beginner’s guide to get started.
• Book as Early as You Can — Flights often significantly increase in price within 3 weeks of the departure date.
• Stay Flexible — Flights leaving on different days or at times of day can be cheaper than others.
• Don’t Dismiss Discount Airlines — Short journeys, internal flights, and even some international journeys can be way cheaper on discount, no-frills airlines.
• Sign Up and Shop Around — Sign up with airlines direct to be notified of discounts and flash sales, and be sure to check in on all airlines that fly to your preferred destination.
• Use Aggregation Sites — Sometimes this is a winner, sometimes it isn’t — but don’t be afraid to try. Sites like Kayak or Skyscanner can be good, but don’t just accept the first price they give you.
• Buy Connecting Flights — It can be cheaper to buy 2 separate connecting flights than a direct 1. Check your destination and see who stops where along the route.

Accommodation

Again, how much you spend on where you stay is entirely up to you. Keeping costs down can be harder in large cities or expensive beach resorts, but there are ways to rest your head without losing your mind over the cost of it all.

Whether you are going for an all-out 5-star luxury or a family-friendly motel room, there are always deals to be had. Book direct through the hotel, include weeknights or a Sunday night in your stay, and be flexible on location.

Hot Tip: A hotel just outside of town, for example, will offer more attractive nightly rates and free parking and will usually represent better value for money than a downtown hotel will.

Renting a private home or vacation apartment on a short term basis can be much more affordable than a hotel. You can also find some superb properties for rent, complete with everything you need to enjoy your stay.

Fully-equipped kitchens, parking, TVs, and even pools often come standard and depending on your destination, there are lots of great Airbnbs and other holiday rental websites available.

If you are heading to the coast, the backcountry, or just getting out into the great outdoors, camping can completely transform your experience. Many campsites come complete with showers and cooking facilities and even pools, sports facilities, and fitness centers. You can take your own tent or rent one.

Another great way to save money on accommodation is to look at hostels in the area. A far cry from old fashioned student accommodation, many modern hostels are clean, bright, and modern and offer a combination of dorm-style bedrooms and private double or family rooms with en-suite facilities.

Hot Tip: Hostels are a great way to stay right in the middle of some of the most expensive cities in the world.

Rent a Recreational Vehicle

Another great choice if you are heading out on the open road, RVs can save you a fortune as you literally take your accommodation with you. RV trips are fun, family-friendly, and provided you aren’t always in a gas station, a great way to save money on where you stay.

RVshare and Outdoorsy are 2 companies that rent out campers and RVs.

You can pretty much rent any kind of vehicle , anywhere in the world. Although if you are staying in a city, public transport is a much more useful and affordable proposition.

The same rules also apply to some intercontinental trips, as well. For example, it can be easier and cheaper to travel through Europe using trains and buses than worrying about having to take care of a car when you get there.

If you want to explore out of the way destinations, hard to reach beaches, or just like the idea of being free to come and go as you please, car hire is readily available in most corners of the world.

Before you commit to it, think about the rental fees, fuel costs, and other potential expenditures and compare the costs of using public transport in your chosen destination.

Car hire here in the U.S. will vary depending on the type of car you choose and how long you intend to hire it. Small city cars are the most cost-effective, and big SUVs, 4x4s and luxury cars can also be hired if you have deep pockets.

When it comes to car rental, keep your costs down by:

• Booking your vehicle in advance
• Looking outside the airport as you may get a better deal in town
• Choosing a practical vehicle to suit your needs, not your dream supercar
• Being aware of mileage limits and one-way fees
• Use a credit card with car rental insurance , so you can be ready to turn down unnecessary add-ons and cross-sells that you don’t need
• Making sure the vehicle is checked for damage before you take the keys
• Only hiring it for as long as you need it
• Keeping your eyes out for deals on particular types of car, and better prices for longer-term rentals

Local Transportation

Most tourist hotspots, big towns, cities, and even some iconic landmarks will offer a wide range of public transport options to get you around. There will be more choice and more frequent services in highly populated areas, while services may become more restricted further out in the countryside or suburbs.

If you are clever, you could save yourself a small fortune by grabbing good deals on public transport, leaving you with more cash to spend on the fun things in life.

Try these to tips for traveling around town on the cheap:

• Buy daily, weekly or even monthly travel passes in advance
• Bulk buy tickets online or via an app
• Take advantage of student passes or discounted fares for families, seniors, or children
• Avoid traveling during peak commuter times
• Services like Greyhound offer cheaper fares for mid-week journeys
• Sign up for early notification of flash sales and other promotional codes and discounts

Attractions and Activities

Wherever you are headed, there will no doubt be plenty of things to do and places to see when you get there. The key to not missing a single thing is researching everything before you leave.

Have a plan in place of all the activities you want to take part in and the attractions you want to see and integrate the potential entrance costs, additional fees, and other expenses into your initial budget.

With a bit of luck, you will be able to find plenty of local discounts, city passes, and money-saving ways to see all of the very best attractions at rock bottom prices.

Pick up a copy of the local listings magazine or newspaper and check out free events , as well as using the coupons and discount codes they supply for all kinds of attractions. You can also subscribe to online discount sites like Groupon to find discounted ticket prices.

Historical landmarks, museums , art galleries, theme parks , sporting events, concerts, and many more attractions often offer reduced entrance prices at off-peak times or group discounts to entice visitors in. Some even have a free entrance day once a month.

Big cities often have lots of free entertainment on offer, too. Check out the artsy districts of major cities for street entertainers and free shows. If you are heading to the beach, research costs such as sunbed rental, locker rental, and even the menus at local restaurants to gauge an idea of how much a day on the beach could potentially cost you.

If you want to try your hand at surfing, sailing, or other kinds of water sports, you may want to get back on the internet and find reduced price lessons or discounts for group bookings.

Walk-Around Money

While you may have budgeted every dollar down to the last cent, you should also keep a contingency plan for some pocket money . Days out in the town, lazy afternoons on the beach, or even a trip on a planned excursion can present you with lots of little unknown expenses.

Whether you need to buy an extra bottle of water, some sunscreen for your face, or entrance to additional attractions, keeping a little cash on you is a good way to be prepared.

Large amounts of cash should never be carried about your person while you are out exploring, but a couple of dollars stashed into your pocket or travel wallet and can be incredibly useful.

In order to keep your money safe, you should:

• Never flash wads of cash
• Keep your notes and loose change somewhere safe like your inside pocket or in a money belt
• Carry small denomination notes and coins
• Understand the local currency you are carrying, so you known how much to give over when paying

Walk-around money is simply a little buffer to keep you going, but set yourself a daily budget and stick to it.

Gifts and Souvenirs

These days, almost everyone travels at some point. This means that those unusual and unique products that we used to buy as souvenirs are no longer as sought after as they once were.

Nearly every tourist destination on earth will be able to sell you tacky bits and pieces for you to take home, but savvy travelers bypass these and look for more personalized and unique mementos to take home with them instead.

Bottom Line: A t-shirt here, a guide book there, and lots of little bits and pieces in between can soon add up. Spend wisely, and if you must buy gifts and souvenirs, choose ones that have a special meaning to you, that you can treasure forever.

To help make your research easier, some clever folks who have traveled before you have made websites that can help you to research and plan every single aspect of your next big adventure and what the costs involved may be.

Budget Your Trip

Budget Your Trip is a huge repository of travel costs that have been hand-gathered from thousands of travelers, and now provides an incredibly comprehensive guide to how much your trip will really cost you.

You can create and personalize your very own travel budget once you register with the website. You can also pick up tons of top travel tips and advice for both new and experienced travelers alike.

Nomad List offers a heap of resources and information for remote workers, digital nomads, and travelers, Nomad List is designed to help users navigate the world. Find information on thousands of destinations, places to work, neighborhoods to stay, and even make new friends before you go.

A great site for anyone who wants to work and travel for longer-term adventures, you can ask questions and arrange meet-ups to touch base with other like-minded wanderers.

This clever little website has 1 goal in mind — to let you know exactly how much money you really need to stay at your dream destination. Expatistan offers direct comparisons between different locations and the website is essentially a giant cost-of-living database that is updated and improved on a regular basis.

Using collaborative information garnered from expats from all over the world, this website really will give you the lowdown of where you can, and can’t, afford to be.

Keeping track of your expenses using your bank balance alone can be a real pain. A dedicated travel money app will help you to keep control of your finances, even when you can’t check the internet. Here are some of the best:

Trail Wallet

This easy to use expense tracker is a great way to keep an accurate record of your finances on the go. Designed to be incredibly intuitive and easy to use, you can make a note of all your expenses in a way that makes the best sense to you. Set up daily spending limits, view records of your recent outgoings, and upload images of receipts for multiple trips with custom start and end dates.

Perfect for use both at home and away, this clever little app will even let you input amounts in local currencies from over 200 countries , and you can update the app with the current exchange rate.

Trail Wallet can be used on both iPhone and iPad and is free for up to 25 items, or unlock unlimited amounts for continuous travel with the $4.99 upgrade.

Trabee Pocket

Trabee Pocket is available on both iOS and Android, and you can choose between the free version or additional services in the paid-for version. Even with the basic version, you can add the details of as many expenses as you like, covering various trips and destinations. You can choose your currency, and there are 8 basic categories to file your virtual expenses under.

You can add images of the physical receipt and produce an expense report and breakdown of expenditure using the data from each category . The upgrade costs around $2.49, and you can add multiple currencies and additional customized categories.

All in all, Trabee Pocket is sleek and an easy to use app that helps you to see how much you are spending and where you are spending it.

TripCoin is a concise and easy to use app that is available on iOS only. It is free to download , and there are no upgrade options at the present time. This smart app allows you to keep tabs on your spending at the touch of a button while making is super easy to add new entries when you need to.

Summary reports can quickly be compiled to let you see progress reports and spreadsheets, and you can even export the data to Excel, Numbers, Open Office, or Google to keep your inner accountant happy anywhere in the world.

Wally was designed to help anyone to manage their finances, anywhere in the world easily. It promises to offer a simple, seamless tool that works in an intuitive way, making it super easy to keep track of your money on the move.

The basic version allows you to add details of all of your regular incoming and outgoings as well as inputting your day to day expenditure, creating groups to manage joint accounts, and splitting payments with your friends when you need to.

It can be set to your local currency and lets you divide your outgoings into easy to find pre-set categories. Available on both iOs and Android, you can upgrade to the paid-for version for $24.99 a year to enjoy unlimited trips and categories.

This is a brilliant invention for anyone traveling with friends. Available on both iOS and Android, you can download it for free, but an in-app upgrade is available to Splitwise Pro. No more scrambling around with a pen and paper to split the bill, this app allows you and your buddies to keep track of your shared expenses and balances at the touch of a button.

You can add a bill, and choose how to split it, or send text or email requests to remind your friends and family that payments are now due. You can also categorize your expenses, calculate amounts in over 100 different currencies, and even sync all of your expenditures with the Cloud.

If you want to keep a more detailed record of your accounts, this little app will also export the data into easy to read CSV reports.

Before you worry about how to manage your finances while you are away, you will need to devise a plan that gives you the funds to get you there in the first place. Unless you have been blessed with a sudden windfall or a lottery win, you will need to save your cents to achieve your goals.

Set a Savings Timeline

If you receive a regular wage, or you are able to forecast your earnings accurately, you can start to set a timeline on how long it will take you to save up for your vacation . If you put aside just $100 a month, for example, you will be able to have $1200 to play with in just a year. This amount may not pay for a new life abroad, but it could you buy a week by the ocean.

Bottom Line: Think of where you want to go to, find out how much it will cost, and then set a monthly savings goal and stick to it. Some months you may have to sacrifice on your social life or shopping habits, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Multiple Savings Accounts

Once you know how much you need to save each month, be sure to physically remove that money from your day to day bank account. Set up at least 1 separate savings account and electronically move it , or set up an automated payment to leave your regular account on payday.

Visualization

Re-train your brain to save instead of spend, and you will be able to tally up every cent you save with something amazing . Your first $150 saved, for example, could mean that you have those tickets for that boat party in Miami in the bag, or that you are on your way to paying for a 4-star hotel instead of a mid-range one.

Whether you are dreaming of trekking up the Himalayas, backpacking around Asia, Interailing through Europe , or a long-awaited family vacation, seeing what your savings can afford will super motivate you to save more.

Wherever you are planning on traveling to, being in control of your finances will make your experience even more amazing. Worrying about getting into debt on your credit cards or not having the cash in your pocket to really explore the region will ruin your adventures.

Save hard, spend well, and look for ways to save money across every aspect of your trip. Plan your spending before you go and keep track of your expenditure while you travel. There are deals to be had on flights, accommodation, food, attractions, and almost every area of your next vacation. Plan in advance and enjoy knowing that you are having the best time for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can i travel with a low budget.

There are plenty of excellent places to travel on a low budget. Here are some great options:

• South Africa

How much should I budget for a trip?

There are lots of factors that make up how much you should budget for a trip. Where you are going, the time of year, your travel style, what you want to do, and how long are you going for are just some of the considerations. It’s best to work out exactly what the trip would cost, cut out anything you can do without, and go from there.

How do I stick to a budget while traveling?

The best way to stick to a budget while traveling is to keep track of all your expenses so you know exactly where you are against your budget. The easiest way of doing this is to use a travel budget and expenses up like Trail Wallet, Trabee Pocket, or Tripcoin.

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About Amar Hussain

Amar is an avid traveler and tester of products. He has spent the last 13 years traveling all 7 continents and has put the products to the test on each of them. He has contributed to publications including Forbes, the Huffington Post, and more.

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How to Plan a Trip in Excel – Part Two: Excel Details

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Welcome to part two of my Excel series where we’re going to dive a little deeper on how to plan a trip (specifically trip budgets) in Excel! If you missed part one, click here for excel basics. That post covers Excel terminology, basic functions, and common mistakes and shortcuts!

Free Travel Planning Spreadsheet!

Before we begin, I’ve created a FREE Excel trip planner for budgeting. For the first half of this post, I’ll use that as a baseline to walk you through how to plan a trip budget . So, if you haven’t already, click the image below to access the free planner. Otherwise, you’ll need to make your own spreadsheet.

The main components of creating a budget spreadsheet on Excel for trip planning are the number of people and each cost per person. The trip planner I’m sharing has everything broken down for you already. First, you want to input the number of travelers.

Then you want to input each line item expense. On my planner these are broken up into three sections: accomodation, transportation, and “other,” which includes food, activities, and anything else you want (i.e. travel insurance, etc.). Now, in each cell, you can enter in the cost and the dates. There are two sets of columns representing two locations. If you don’t need another location, just ignore the orange boxes.

The best part is next:

Once you input all your costs, the Excel spreadsheet will update the total costs for you, based on the number of travelers. If that sounds confusing, I’ll show you how I did it, so keep reading.

Changing the Spreadsheet

Adding more lines for expenses:.

First, if you need to add rows, for multiple activities or whatnot, you want to do so in a way that maintains the calculators. If you simply insert a new row, it will be blank and the calculators will not be added. So, what you need to do is highlight the row you want, copy the row, then with the row number highlighted, hit “insert copied cells.” It will add the row above the one you have highlighted.

Adding another location:

If you want to add another location, you’ll need to highlight all the cells from one location, copy them and paste them a couple columns over. The calculators will be maintained. BUT there is one important thing you need to change. The total cost at the top in green isn’t including your new location total cost. You’ll need to go into the function bar at the top and add the cell that reflects the total cost of Location 3.

For example, in the figure below, the total cost is summing F43 and L43, but not R43 (which is Location 3). To add it in, I can type  =sum(F43, L43, R43)

How to Plan a Trip: Starting from Scratch

Now if you’d rather start from scratch, let me explain how to compile your own travel budget planner in Excel. First open a new spreadsheet and give it a title so you remember what you’re doing. Similarly to above the main goal is to input each line item expense then have Excel do the math for you on a total budget, cost per person, or something similar. I will say that I tend to run away with the planning process and my spreadsheets get CRAZY. I once planned a European backpacking trip that we never took and just look at this Excel Spreadsheet. It should come with its own interpreter. My point is that your spreadsheets don’t always need to look beautiful. The goal is that they will do the math for you and keep your budget organized so you don’t end up saving up too little or not realizing what your options are.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or using my free budget planner, I recommend learning how I set it up so that if you need to change the calculators you know how!

Math that you need

First you’ll need to take sums to get the total cost. I went over how to do this in Excel Basics, but for a refresher you’ll need to type in  =sum()  and in the parenthesis you’ll either type or highlight the cells you want to add together.

Other common equations and functions you’ll need:

Total cost = (Cost per night)*(# of nights)  which in Excel in the cell you want the total cost to appear, you’ll type =(Cell1)*(Cell2) where for each cell you’ll type in the letter and number (ex: B2) or you’ll highlight the cell. This is useful if you want the total cost and you only have a cost per person or a cost per night, like airfare and hotels, respectively.

Cost per person = (Total Cost)/(# of travelers)  which in Excel is similar to the above. In the cell where you want the cost per person to be, you’ll type  =(Cell1)/(Cell2) 

Summary of Steps:

1 Open a fresh Excel spreadsheet and name it accordingly

2  Enter each line item expense with a name in one column and a cost in the next column over

3 Somewhere on your spreadsheet denote the number of travelers

4 Use the above equations to calculate total costs, costs per person, etc.

* Feel free to make notes on your spreadsheet. I find that the most helpful trip planners are more than just the expenses. I usually write down flight info, tour times, the rental car company, hotel name and address, and anything else I feel like I need. It helps me to know that everything I need will be in one place.

This is the basis for how I plan a trip in Excel! I hope you found this two part series helpful and I hope that moving forward, you can see Excel as a great tool, rather than some scary math machine. If you have questions, shoot me a comment!

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Too much too fast?

Head to Excel Basics to read my guide for beginners. Then come back so you can learn how to plan a trip!

My Travel Essentials

• Travel Insurance  – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing .
• Travel Card  – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
• Get Your Guide  – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com  – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com , the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
• Merino Wool  – Where are my chronic over-packers? Merino wool is the material you’ve been looking for. It’s naturally anti-microbial, so you can rewear it…so, less clothes to pack! I’m a fan of WoolX Merino .
• Give the Gift of Travel  – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.

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Alanna Koritzke

Recent PhD graduate and hyper-planner of Periodic Adventures, my goal is to share travel inspiration, budget tips, detailed guides, and fun travel stories!

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This is such a helpful guide, I love using a spreadsheet to plan my trip! Will upgrade that planning with these tips!

I’m so glad! Spreadsheets are awesome!

justchasingsunsets2017

This guide is awesome! I’ve wanted to get better at planning my trips so I don’t always blow my budget, I’ll try this on the next one!

I hope it helps keep you on track. Budgeting can definitely be tricky.

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Finance Microsoft Excel

11 minute read

How to Use Excel to Manage Your Travel Budget

Eliza Medley

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Crafting the perfect travel spreadsheet transforms trip planning into a seamless experience. It tailors your itinerary to match your travel whims while effortlessly adapting to changing plans. Let's discuss how to use Excel to manage a travel budget.

How to create the ultimate travel spreadsheet

Here is a simple guide to creating a travel spreadsheet.

Set up your Excel spreadsheet

Follow these steps to create a new spreadsheet:

• Open Excel. Launch Microsoft Excel on your computer. You can typically find it in the Microsoft Office suite or as a standalone application.
• Create a new spreadsheet. Once Excel is open, click on "File" in the top-left corner. Select "New" and then choose "Blank Workbook" to start with a fresh spreadsheet.
• Familiarize yourself with the interface. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with the Excel interface. You'll see a grid of cells arranged in rows and columns.
• Create sections for clarity. Label the first few rows for specific sections. For example, use the first row for titles like "Date," "Expense Category," "Description," "Amount," and "Balance."
• Format for readability. Adjust the column widths to accommodate your labels and make the spreadsheet visually appealing. Consider using bold fonts or shading for headers to distinguish different sections.
• Reserve space for totals. Dedicate a section at the bottom for total expenses, income, and the remaining budget. Excel will do the math for you later.

You've now set up the foundation for managing your travel budget in Excel.

Track expenses

Now that you've established the groundwork for your travel budget spreadsheet, it's time to delve into the crucial task of tracking your expenses efficiently.

• Create a column for expense categories. In the "Expense Category" column you created earlier, list the categories that align with your travel plans. For instance, if your trip involves flights, include a category for "Transportation".
• Customize categories to suit your trip. Tailor the categories based on your unique itinerary. If you plan to indulge in specific activities, create categories accordingly.
• Enter each expense. With your expense categories established, it's time to start logging individual expenses.
• Fill in the details for each expense. In the rows beneath your category labels, start entering the details of each expense. Include the date, a brief description, and the amount spent in their respective columns.
• Be detailed and accurate. The more detailed your entries, the better you can analyze your spending later. Instead of a generic "Food", specify if it was a restaurant meal or grocery.
• Utilize the SUM function for totals. Click on the cell where you want the total to appear (e.g., the cell beneath the "Amount" column for each category). Use the formula =SUM(range) to add up all the expenses within a specific category. Replace "range" with the cells containing your expense amounts.

By following these steps, you've successfully set up your Excel spreadsheet to track expenses for your upcoming trip.

Budgeting for your trip

Now that you've diligently tracked your expenses , it's time to take control of your travel finances by setting a realistic budget for your trip and allocating funds strategically.

• Establish your total budget. Decide on the maximum amount you're comfortable spending during your trip. This includes all anticipated expenses, from accommodation and transportation to meals and activities.
• Enter the total budget in your spreadsheet. Designate a cell in your spreadsheet, perhaps at the top, to enter your total budget. This serves as your financial anchor throughout the trip-planning process.
• Distribute the budget among categories. Allocate a portion of your total budget to each expense category. For example, if you've budgeted $1,000 for your trip and plan to spend more on activities than accommodation, adjust the allocation accordingly.
• Monitor category budgets. Regularly check your category budgets as you enter expenses. This will help you stay on track and make adjustments if necessary.
• Be realistic and flexible. While setting a budget is essential, it's equally crucial to be realistic and flexible. Unexpected expenses may arise, so allow some flexibility in your allocations.
• Consider contingency. Include a contingency or buffer in your budget to account for unforeseen expenses. This ensures you're prepared for unexpected costs without derailing your entire budget.

By setting a total budget and strategically allocating funds to different categories, you've taken a significant step toward financial planning for your trip.

Tips and tricks for managing your travel budget in Excel

Now that you've set up your Excel spreadsheet to manage your travel budget, let's explore additional tips and tricks to maximize Excel's features.

Tip 1: Use conditional formatting

Conditional formatting is a powerful tool in Excel that allows you to visually highlight specific cells based on their values. How to apply conditional formatting to expense totals:

• Select the cell containing the total expense for each category.
• Navigate to the "Home" tab, click on "Conditional Formatting," and choose a relevant option, such as color scales or data bars.
• This visual representation makes it easy to identify categories where you may need to reconsider your spending.

This can help you quickly identify budget exceedances or areas where you may overspend.

Tip 2: Regularly update your spreadsheet

Consistency is key to effective budget management. Make it a habit to update your spreadsheet regularly to ensure accurate and up-to-date financial information. You should:

• Set a schedule for updates. Establish a routine for updating your budget, whether it's daily, weekly, or bi-weekly. Consistent updates help you stay on top of your financial situation.
• Document expenses promptly. Record your expenses as soon as possible to avoid forgetting or misplacing receipts. This practice ensures that your spreadsheet reflects the most accurate information.

Tip 3: Include contingency in your budget

Unforeseen expenses are a part of travel. Including a contingency in your budget helps you account for unexpected costs without jeopardizing your overall financial plan.

You should allocate a contingency fund. This can act as a safety net for emergencies or unexpected opportunities that may arise during your trip. If you dip into your contingency fund, be sure to update your spreadsheet accordingly. This adjustment ensures that your remaining budget accurately reflects your financial situation.

Tip 4: Leverage Excel's graphs and charts

Excel offers various tools for visual representation, such as graphs and charts . Utilize these features to gain a more insightful overview of your budget trends:

• Select relevant data in your spreadsheet.
• Navigate to the "Insert" tab and choose the type of graph or chart that best represents your data (e.g., a pie chart for expense categories).

Visualizations can provide a quick and easy way to understand your budget distribution.

Make use of Excel templates

Here is how you can use Excel templates to manage your your trips like a pro.

⭐ Organize a meal plan

To keep track of your nutrition on the trip, you can create a table or download a ready-made one. Click the File - New tab and choose from one of Meal Planner templates.

Excel spreadsheets make it easy to plan your daily trip menu and count calories, proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. Search for " Food " within the templates and you will find not only templates for managing your grocery budget, but also the immensely popular calorie-counting logs.

These spreadsheets are designed so that if you exceed the norm, you'll immediately see the deviation. They use basic yet popular Excel functions , including IF and SUM to summarize the details entered. For convenience, there are drop-down lists and visual chart effects.

⭐ Check your car costs

To find out the cost of a car for the trip, you need basic skills in MS Excel to create your own budget or expense tracker. Skills like creating dropdown lists , using the SUBTOTAL function, and working with Excel Tables will come in handy.

Download this template

We've done most of the work for you. Just customize this free template to suit your needs.

Enter the data with detailed descriptions. As a result, you will understand what the most expensive items of car usage consist of and will be able to optimize your expenses. Statistics throughout the trip will help you plan your budget.

Suppose you go for a trip for a month with your own car. In that case, you can expand the template. You can include the cost of insurance, spare parts, technical inspections, tire fitting, and other minor expenses.

This way, you can find out how much the full cost of car maintenance costs you on your trip.

⭐ Calculate your travel budget

Buying cheap airline tickets is half the battle. Include all expenses in your travel plan to avoid flying off into the unknown.

If you search for " Trip planner ", you will find several templates for entering trip details and all expenses.

Take charge of your journey

Mastering your travel budget with Excel can be a game-changer in ensuring a financially stress-free and enjoyable trip. The step-by-step guides provided in this article empower you to take control of your finances and personal life, allowing for informed decisions and flexible adjustments as needed.

Looking for  free Excel templates for business ? We have templates for project management, finance, invoicing, and more. Get skilled-up with our  Excel courses  no matter where you are on your Excel journey.

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Eliza Medley is an experienced writer and psychologist. She is actively interested in management, new technologies, and writing motivational articles. She also loves catching up on modern trends. She inspires people to learn new things and reach new heights with her work. In case of any inquiries or suggestions kindly reach out to her at [email protected].

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Free Printable Travel Budget Templates [Google Sheets, Excel, PDF]

Stretching your horizons need not always stretch your wallet. Budget travel , once considered an oxymoron, has rapidly transformed into a thrilling, wallet-friendly adventure. Our guide to planning a travel budget sets out to debunk the myth that traveling is exclusive to those with bulging bank accounts.

It’s packed with tips and insights to help you map out an affordable journey, revealing how the joy of discovering new places can harmoniously coexist with savvy financial planning. Prepare to journey through different destinations, explore different cultures, and most importantly, master the art of globe-trotting on a shoestring budget. Buckle up, fellow budget travelers , we’re about to take off!

Table of Contents

What is a travel budget?

A travel budget is a financial plan designed to manage your travel expenses. It takes into account all costs related to a trip, including transportation, accommodation, meals, sightseeing, shopping, entertainment, and any unexpected or incidental expenses.

Constructing a travel budget is a critical step in planning any journey, ensuring that your travel dreams align with your financial reality. It allows travelers to estimate their expenditures and allocate funds appropriately, ultimately promoting a well-organized, stress-free, and financially sustainable travel experience. A well-planned travel budget empowers you to explore new destinations without the burden of financial surprises or post-trip debt.

Travel Budget Templates

Planning trips requires budgeting for expenses like transportation, lodging, activities, food and more. Travel budget templates allow travelers to calculate costs and manage spending. The templates streamline travel budgeting .

The templates contain columns to document expected costs across common categories. Sections are included for pre-trip and during-trip expenditures. Calculators tally spending by type and total. Budgets can be customized for regional or personal travel styles.

Travel budget templates enable easy creation of comprehensive budgets. Travelers input their anticipated or actual outlays to populate the templates. Templates identify the biggest expenses for optimization. They facilitate trip planning and tracking without spreadsheets. With trips requiring major investments, travel budget templates provide helpful structure . They empower travelers to benchmark costs, set budgets, and wisely control spending.

Why should I create a travel budget? 

Creating a travel budget is essential for several reasons:

1. Manage Expenses: The main reason for creating a travel budget is to keep your expenses in check . It helps you understand how much you’re planning to spend and ensure you stick to your financial limit.

2. Prevent Overspending: Traveling can be expensive, and it’s easy to get carried away with impromptu decisions, leading to overspending. A travel budget helps you prevent this by allocating specific amounts to different areas of your travel experience.

3. Avoid Debt: With a well-planned budget, you can avoid falling into debt or emptying your savings. It ensures you only spend what you can afford.

4. Prioritize Your Needs: A budget helps you prioritize your spending . For instance, if you’re more interested in local cuisines, you may allocate a larger portion of your budget to dining out rather than on souvenirs.

5. Plan Better: When you have a clear idea of your expenses, you can plan your trip more effectively. You can figure out which activities you can afford, which areas you can visit, where you can stay, etc.

6. Peace of Mind: Knowing you have enough money to cover all your planned activities and emergencies brings peace of mind. You can enjoy your trip without constantly worrying about your finances.

7. Save Money: Finally, creating a travel budget can help you save money. By comparing costs while planning, you may find cheaper travel or accommodation options, or you might realize that you can travel during the off-season to save on costs. A budget can also encourage you to set savings goals and develop good savings habits.

How to create your travel budget? 

Creating an effective travel budget can be a daunting task, but using tools like Excel and Word can greatly simplify the process. An Excel spreadsheet can act as a flexible and customizable travel budget template, allowing you to categorize, calculate, and adjust your expenses quickly.

Similarly, Word’s table function lets you organize all the various aspects of your trip, providing a visually pleasing and easy-to-understand layout of your budget. As you begin your journey towards a well-planned travel budget, keep in mind the following tips to ensure your cost estimator is comprehensive and aligned with your travel needs.

Here’s an in-depth, step-by-step guide on how to create a detailed travel budget :

Step 1: Define Your Total Budget

The first step in creating a travel budget is to define your overall budget. This is how much you’re willing to spend on your trip. This amount should be an amount you’re comfortable with and won’t cause you financial distress.

Step 2: Research Your Destination

Research your destination thoroughly. Look into the cost of living, the currency exchange rate (if applicable), the typical costs of meals, transportation, and the prices for attractions you’d like to visit. This will give you a rough estimate of the daily costs you will incur.

Step 3: Calculate Travel Costs

Investigate and calculate the costs related to your travel to and from your destination. This would include airfare, train tickets, car rental, gas (if driving), or even a taxi to and from the airport. Always be on the lookout for deals or discounts when booking.

Step 4: Determine Accommodation Costs

Figure out where you’ll be staying and for how many nights, then calculate the cost. Look at different accommodation options, such as hotels, hostels, or vacation rentals like Airbnb. Remember, the location of your accommodation will impact transportation costs as well.

Step 5: Estimate Food and Beverage Costs

Think about your eating habits . Do you plan on dining out for every meal, cooking in your accommodation, or a mix of both? Research the average cost of meals in your destination and calculate an estimated daily food cost.

Step 6: Plan for Transportation Expenses at the Destination

How will you get around once you reach your destination? Will you use public transportation, rent a car, use ride-sharing services, or walk? Consider both intercity and intra-city transportation costs.

Step 7: Factor in Activity/Entertainment Costs

List out the attractions you want to see and the activities you want to do, then determine their costs. This could include entrance fees for museums, parks, guided tours, concerts, or sporting events.

Step 8: Plan for Incidentals

Incidentals are expenses that you don’t plan for but that can add up. These might include tips, souvenirs, extra snacks, or a spur-of-the-moment activity. A good rule of thumb is to set aside 10-15% of your total budget for these unexpected costs.

Step 9: Consider Travel Insurance

Depending on the nature of your trip and your own health considerations, you might need travel insurance. This can protect against unforeseen circumstances such as trip cancellation, lost luggage, or medical emergencies.

Step 10: Save for Emergencies

Apart from the incidental budget, you should also set aside a separate emergency fund. This could cover serious situations like a sudden flight change, medical emergencies, or other unexpected expenses.

Step 11: Add Up All Your Costs

Now that you’ve estimated all your expenses, add them all together. This should include your travel, accommodation, food, activities, incidentals, insurance, and emergency fund. Compare this to your total budget defined in Step 1.

Step 12: Adjust as Necessary

If your estimated budget exceeds your total budget, you’ll need to make adjustments . This might mean choosing a cheaper accommodation, limiting your activities, or finding ways to save on food and drink.

Step 13: Track Your Spending

Once you’re on your trip, keep track of what you’re spending. There are many apps available that can help with this. Tracking your expenses will help you stay within your budget and could also be useful when planning future trips.

Travel Budgeting Tips

Embarking on the journey of planning a trip can be as thrilling as it is demanding. With a myriad of factors to take into account, it’s all too easy to overlook critical elements. However, one aspect you should place at the forefront of your planning process is the establishment of a robust travel budget.

By utilizing tools such as a travel budget template or a vacation budget planner, you can effectively manage your estimated expenses and avoid the pitfall of overspending. As you embark on the journey of building your trip cost planner, exploring avenues to economize your trip can be tremendously beneficial. The following budget tips will provide invaluable guidance as you navigate through the task of assembling your travel budget :

1. Accommodation:

• Compare prices on different booking platforms before making a reservation. Also, don’t forget to check the hotel’s or property’s website as they sometimes offer deals.
• Consider alternative accommodation options like hostels, vacation rentals, or even home exchanges.
• Opt for accommodations that offer freebies, such as complimentary breakfast, free Wi-Fi, airport shuttle, etc.

2. Food and Drinks:

• Opt for local eateries instead of high-end restaurants. Not only are they cheaper, but they often offer a more authentic taste of the locale.
• If you’re staying somewhere with kitchen facilities, consider cooking some of your meals.
• Take advantage of hotel freebies like complimentary breakfast or happy hour specials.

3. Clothes:

• Check the weather forecast and pack accordingly to avoid having to purchase clothes while traveling.
• Invest in good quality, versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched.

4. Tours and Attractions:

• Research in advance about free or discounted days for museums and attractions.
• Consider investing in a city tourism card if you’re planning to visit many attractions. These cards often provide entry to multiple attractions for one flat fee.
• Walking tours are often cheaper and provide a great way to explore the city.

5. Public Transport:

• Familiarize yourself with the local public transportation system. It’s usually cheaper than taxis or ride-sharing services.
• Look into transportation passes if you plan to use public transportation frequently.
• Walking or cycling is a great free alternative and can often be a more intimate way to explore.

6. Insurances:

• Check if any of your existing policies (like homeowner’s insurance or health insurance) already cover you when traveling.
• Comparison shop to get the best rates and ensure the policy covers everything you need, such as trip cancellations, medical emergencies, or lost luggage.

7. Flights:

• Be flexible with your travel dates and times. Flying mid-week or at less popular times of the day can often be cheaper.
• Use flight comparison websites to find the best deals and consider booking well in advance.
• If you’re a frequent flyer, take advantage of airline loyalty programs.

8. Travel Essentials:

• Make a list of what you need to avoid last-minute purchases, which tend to be more expensive.
• If possible, borrow items like travel guides, backpacks, or camping gear instead of buying them.
• Check what your accommodation provides (like a hairdryer or beach towels) so you don’t pack unnecessary items.

9. Toiletries:

• Pack travel-sized toiletries to avoid having to buy them at your destination.
• Check if your accommodation provides toiletries as many hotels do.
• Opt for multi-use products (like a shampoo and body wash in one) to save space and money.

10. Miscellaneous:

• Always factor in additional costs like tips, taxes, and fees.
• Have a daily budget for discretionary spending to help you manage your money.
• Keep track of your expenses throughout your trip to make sure you’re staying on budget.

11. Connectivity and Communication:

• Consider the costs of staying connected, like data roaming charges, Wi-Fi costs, or the price of a local SIM card at your destination. It might be cheaper to buy a local SIM card if you plan to make a lot of calls or use the internet frequently.
• Many places offer free Wi-Fi, so take advantage of these whenever possible to reduce your data usage.

12. Currency Exchange:

• Be aware of the current exchange rates and consider them while budgeting for a trip abroad. Keep in mind these rates fluctuate and could impact your budget.
• Currency exchange services at airports or in touristy areas usually have higher rates. Using local ATMs or a credit card with no foreign transaction fees can be more cost-effective.

13. Souvenirs and Shopping:

• Allocate a specific amount for souvenirs or shopping to avoid impulse buying. Try to buy meaningful, practical souvenirs instead of knick-knacks that you won’t use.
• Opt for local markets instead of touristy shops for a more authentic and often less expensive shopping experience.

14. Visas and Travel Documents:

• Some countries require a visa or other travel documents, which can come with a fee. Make sure to research these costs and add them to your budget.
• Don’t forget to budget for any costs related to renewing your passport or getting international driver’s licenses if necessary.

15. Health and Safety:

• Depending on your destination, you may need specific vaccinations or medications, which should be included in your budget.
• Also, consider budgeting for items that can improve your health and safety during the trip, like quality travel insurance, a first aid kit, water purification tablets, or sunblock.

16. Equipment or Gear:

• If your trip involves specific activities like hiking, snorkeling, or photography, there could be costs for renting or purchasing necessary equipment.
• Always check if it’s cheaper to rent gear at your destination or if you’re better off bringing your own.

17. Pet or Childcare:

• If you have pets or children who won’t be joining you, don’t forget to account for any necessary childcare or pet sitting costs while you’re away.

Creating a detailed and comprehensive travel budget might seem overwhelming at first, but it will undoubtedly pay off during your trip. It allows you to enjoy your travel experience without the constant worry about finances, and it can also help you identify areas where you can save. Happy budgeting and safe travels!

Saving Money on Travel

Saving money on travel is an art, a skill that can transform your wanderlust into a reality while keeping your wallet happy. Whether you’re dreaming of exploring exotic destinations, embarking on thrilling adventures, or simply seeking a peaceful getaway, this guide is your passport to unlocking the secrets of budget-friendly travel. From insider tips on finding the best deals to clever strategies for maximizing your savings, we’ll navigate the vast landscape of travel expenses, empowering you to create unforgettable experiences without breaking the bank. Here are some point you should be careful about:

1. Using Travel Rewards Programs and Credit Cards:

• Loyalty Programs: Many airlines, hotels, and rental car companies have loyalty programs that reward you with points for each booking. These points can be redeemed for free flights, upgrades, free hotel stays, and more. Enroll in these programs, especially if you tend to favor certain companies.
• Travel Credit Cards: Travel credit cards can earn you points or miles for each dollar spent, which can be redeemed for travel-related purchases. Some cards also offer lucrative sign-up bonuses. Look for a card that aligns with your spending habits and travel preferences. Remember to pay off your balance in full each month to avoid interest charges that could negate your rewards.
• Points and Miles Strategies: Learn how to maximize your points and miles. This might mean booking travel through your credit card’s travel portal or transferring points to partner airlines or hotels for better redemption rates. Websites like The Points Guy offer comprehensive guides and tips on how to do this.

2. Finding Deals and Discounts:

• Booking Platforms: Websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, or Expedia can help you find the best deals on flights, accommodations, and car rentals. These platforms allow you to compare prices from different providers easily.
• Deal Alerts: Sign up for deal alerts from websites like Scott’s Cheap Flights, Secret Flying, or Airfarewatchdog. They’ll send you notifications when there are significant price drops or error fares.
• Off-Peak Travel: Traveling during the shoulder season (the period between peak and off-peak seasons) can often mean fewer crowds and lower prices.
• Group Discounts: Traveling in a group can sometimes secure you discounts on accommodation and activities.
• Student, Senior, or Military Discounts: Always check if these apply to you, as many companies offer discounts for students, seniors, or military personnel.

3. Strategies for Cost-Effective Travel Planning:

• Flexible Planning: If you have flexibility in your travel dates and destinations, you can plan your trips around when and where it’s cheapest to travel. Use tools like Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” and “Cheapest Month” search functions.
• Budget Airlines: Consider flying with budget airlines. Just be sure to check for any hidden fees, like luggage or seat selection charges.
• Pack Light: Avoid checked baggage fees by packing light and only taking carry-on luggage.
• Public Transportation: Using public transportation over taxis or rental cars can significantly cut down on your transportation costs.
• Eating In: Choosing accommodation with kitchen facilities can save you a lot of money on food as you can cook your own meals.
• Free Activities: Look for free or low-cost activities in your destination. Many cities offer free walking tours, public parks, or museums with free admission days.

These strategies can help you save money on travel, allowing you to stretch your budget further and perhaps even travel more often. Keep in mind that the cheapest option isn’t always the best option. Consider the trade-offs and choose what makes the most sense for your travel style and preferences.

Conclusion 

Crafting a comprehensive travel budget is a fundamental step in any travel plan. It paves the way for financial mindfulness during your adventures, ensuring that you experience the thrill of exploration without the burden of unexpected expenses. With the various components of travel – accommodation, food, transport, attractions, and more – meticulously accounted for, you’ll be better prepared to face any financial hurdles that come your way.

Furthermore, incorporating saving strategies, such as utilizing rewards programs and seeking out discounts, can significantly stretch your budget, allowing for richer experiences and potentially more frequent travels. Remember, a well-structured travel budget is more than a mere financial tool – it’s your passport to peace of mind, letting you fully immerse yourself in the joy of your journey.

How do I make a travel budget plan?

To make a travel budget, research anticipated costs of transportation, lodging, food, activities per destination, add up totals per category and build in buffer room under each one. Categorize between essentials and discretionary items. Track expenses against the allocations using a daily expense log and spreadsheet to stay on track.

How do I make a travel expense sheet?

Open a spreadsheet and create columns for date, description, transaction category like “Lodging”, “Food”, amount spent foreign currency, amount converted to home currency, payment method details and notes. Use a separate expenses sheet per trip adding rows of what money goes out daily to monitor spend pacing.

How do I determine my budget for a trip?

Ways to determine trip budget are: Outline must-have experiences like tours or shows, research average hotel & dining costs at the destination, estimate basic needs costs per day, call quoted rates from rental companies and flight aggregators, add expected local transportation amounts, build in 20% extra per category.

What is a good budget for travel?

Reasonable travel budgets can vary dramatically by destination but a sound guideline per person per day for comfortable domestic trips is:

• Frugal -$100 covering basics
• Moderate – $150 including some splurges
• Generous – $250+ enabling luxury experiences

International trips often tally higher accounting for longer stays, higher costs abroad, and more ground covered.

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Free travel budget templates and worksheets (excel).

Travelling can be exciting and thrilling because it is a way to meet new people and see a whole different way of life. Also, it can help create new experiences for you and expands your worldview beyond what is within your immediate reach. You may want to travel for different purposes such as relaxation, tourism, or to get away from the hustle and bustle of your life.

Irrespective of why you are going on a trip, you must prepare adequately by having a travel budget. This article is filled with information to help you correctly carry out this preparatory step before you embark on a trip. This article will outline what your travel budget should include and provide you with a travel budget template.

Pre-budgeting Considerations

Before going on a trip for any reason, there are specific basic steps to consider.

They include the following considerations:

• Determine what you can afford: There is a need to estimate how much money you have available for the vacation because of the expenses you’ll have to incur before, during, and after your trip. Therefore, it is advisable to go with whatever travel package and location is within your financial capability. But, on the other hand, there is no need to go overboard and get yourself into debt because of a trip.
• Get advice from friends and family: Asking for important information and reviews from family and friends who may have visited your intended location will also help your preparatory steps. Answers to various questions about your destination that you will find on the internet can be complemented by first-hand information from your friends and family members who may have visited that place previously. Information from acquaintances about accommodation, food, security, etc., may be more trustworthy.
• Save some money: Travelling comes with many expenses, and you must be willing and ready to save a reasonable amount of money if you want to have a great and memorable trip. Therefore, you should attempt to put money together and start saving weeks or even months before you eventually travel.  It is better to have more money than necessary for your trip instead of having way less and getting stranded.

What to Include in a Travel Budget Template?

 There are essential expenses that are included in a travel budget template. These expenses include the following:

Airfare expenses

Depending on the location you intend to travel to, you may have to consider usually expensive airfare expenses. Considering that air travel is usually the quickest option, it will be a big part of your travel budget. Therefore, you should try to make ample research on the possible cost of your flight and try to get cheap flight options that will significantly reduce your travel expenses. Note that flying during peak periods is possibly going to make flight costs skyrocket, so you should schedule your trip during the off-peak period.

 If you’re traveling a short distance, it’s advisable to look into other forms of transportation that may be more favorable.

Transportation expenses

You’ll require transportation when you get to your location, so you should prepare for that. Depending on your destination, various forms of public transportation are available to help you get around. Public transportation is usually a great option because it’s inexpensive and gives you a local experience. It may include taxis, trains, buses, motorcycles, etc.

Nevertheless, if you have some extra money, you can commute better by renting a car at your location and driving yourself around. And if you need a driver, you can book one through a rental service.

When it comes to the issue of insurance on rental cars, you can make inquiries from your insurance provider about whether your original car insurance covers rental cars as well. In the instance that you don’t own car insurance from the onset, some non-owner car insurance policies will cover a rental car through the duration of use.

Before getting any insurance policy, try to ascertain if your credit card provider has a rental car insurance policy available.

Accommodation/ lodging expenses

Having a place to stay is a big deal and a necessity that can’t be ignored. But, first, decide what type of accommodation you prefer, whether it’s a hotel, hostel, or apartment rental. Next, you must check out the prices of these accommodations compared to your financial capability.

Accommodation expenses depend on the quality of the place. So be sure to consider your exact needs and what is available at your destination. If your destination is a tourist area, there will likely be many hotels, motels, and resorts. Check out multiple sources before booking hotels to find the best deals.

Expenses for food

Without much doubt, feeding during your trip is a must-do activity. Therefore, you need to include these expenses in your budget. However, remember that you’ll most likely be eating out, and food costs can vary in different places. Therefore, determine local food costs and estimate how much you may be spending on food.

If you need to save some money on food, consider getting a hotel room with a kitchen and then purchase groceries so you can prepare some simple meals. To give yourself a fully immersive travel experience, you should budget some money mainly to try out the local delicacies of your destination.

Cell phone coverage

Depending on whether you are traveling to a different country or not, you have to consider an arrangement for your cell phone use during your trip. This includes phone calls, internet access, etc. Try to find out if your service provider offers network services that would make it easier for you in a different country, or consider purchasing a local SIM card when you get to your destination. This usually costs less than the international roaming fees your service provider may charge.

Debit card holds

You should prepare for possible debit card holds if you’re paying with a debit card, as this can delay your payments and leave you without funds. Hence, it is better to try to pay for your expenses with a credit card or plan your travel budget around the debit cardholder.

Include extras/incidental expenses

In your travel budget, you should consider the need for possible expenses that may occur. Unforeseen expenses may arise, and you’d need funds to sort them out. So, you should create your travel budget in a manner that leaves a little money left over for that. Some of these expenses may include purchasing medicines for an unforeseen illness. Thus, it is advisable to include extras expenses in your travel budget.

Sightseeing costs

You may want to do some sightseeing as other travelers do during your trip. In that event, you should include some funds for transportation, tours admittance into museums or parks, and other related costs in your budget. Get ample information about these places beforehand to know how well to plan and how much you have to budget.

Entertainment costs

Suppose there are other forms of engagement you are willing to try out at your travel destination, such as enjoying nightlife or taking up other available entertainment opportunities. In that case, you have to factor these costs into your travel budget too.

Gifts and souvenirs

A trip is not complete without picking out something worthwhile from your destination for yourself, family, and friends. In addition, you should purchase gifts and souvenirs as you go on your daily activities during your trip. It may be challenging to determine the costs of these gifts beforehand, so try to make a reasonable budget within your means and make a list of those you intend to purchase gifts and souvenirs for during your trip.

Use Budgeting Tools: Free Travel Budget Templates

As you know the importance of having a travel budget to help make your travel plans a reality, you may be asking yourself how I create a travel budget to track my spending.  If you want to create a travel budget that is well organized, easy to use, and detailed enough, it is advisable to use budgeting tools that are already made just for that purpose.

A travel budget template is a tool you need to ensure that your trip’s financial aspect is not in disarray. You can find several travel budget templates available on this website for download and use. In using these templates, you have to input details and figures into already prepared rows and columns, and you may also decide to customize them to add or delete specific fields if you wish.

Tips for Easy Budgeting

There are some extra tips to consider to help make your travel preparations easier and possibly less expensive.

These tips include:

1. Consider an all-inclusive package

You may consider purchasing an all-inclusive vacation package that several travel agencies provide for your trip, reducing the cost of specific items and making it easier for you to travel budget. These vacation packages usually include lodging, food, and entertainment provisions like tickets to amusement parks, museums, tours, etc.

2. Track your travel spending

Tracking your spending when you travel is a healthy way of preventing overspending. It’s a good idea to track what you’re spending because it would help you know how you are sticking to your travel budget. In addition, you may have overestimated or underestimated a particular expense or the other while planning your trip. Therefore, it is essential to track the exact amount of various activities. You can use various spending tracking apps to gather this information.

3. Make a travel budget savings plan.

Understanding that you have to save for your trip is one thing and making efforts to save is another. You can save money for your trip by setting up an automatic transfer from your main account into a savings account dedicated primarily to your travel preparations. This helps to keep your budget separate and safe before your trip.

4. Convert currency

Suppose you are leaving the country for another one. In that case, you’d need to convert your home country’s currency into the local currency of your destination to make your spending easier and without hassle, as local merchants may not be willing to transact with a foreign currency. In converting your money into the local currency, determine the exchange rate and how more or less valuable it is compared to your home country’s currency.

5. Redeem rewards and bonuses

If you have earned any reward or bonus on your travel credit cards over time, you should redeem them for your planned trip. This can be done directly through your card’s travel portal or by transferring them to the establishments you intend to get certain services from, such as accommodation, flights, and other benefits.

6. Consider travel insurance

Suppose you are one to bother about what might happen in the case of the unexpected. In that case, travel insurance is available to protect you from unexpected flight delays or cancellations and possible medical costs. You can inquire if your credit card servicer provides for that before you get one from a third-party insurance provider.

The level of planning of your travel budget would determine to a large extent, how hassle-free your trip would turn out. It allows you to estimate the expenses for your planned vacation and enables you to travel within your means. It is also an important tool that helps prevent you from overspending or making irrational financial decisions before, during, or after your trip.

If you plan on taking a vacation sometime soon, you should take the liberty to create your travel budget, as explained in this article, while you get ready to embark and enjoy that well-deserved vacation.

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Home > Tips > Free Trip Planning Spreadsheet for Excel: Perfect Trip Planner Template

Free Trip Planning Spreadsheet for Excel: Perfect Trip Planner Template

By Dymphe / January 10, 2023

Having a trip planning spreadsheet is very convenient if you're planning a trip. I made the perfect trip planner template that you can use for planning your travels!

Planning a trip in advance is always a good idea. But how do you plan everything? You may have some emails with hotel reservations. Or you may have noted down some great things to do at your destination. It can be very difficult to organize everything.

Your trip can be much more relaxed if you have everything under control.

What you need is one place, a trip planner template, where you collect all the information you have! You want to be able to see everything you need to know for your trip in one place.

If you want that too, then my trip planning spreadsheet will help you out for sure! The spreadsheet is great to plan your activities and organize your trip!

You can also use this travel planning template to decide how your trip is going to look like. Write down all your options, then use this spreadsheet to compare them and choose the best one!

Table of Contents

Why Use a Trip Planning Spreadsheet in Excel for Planning Your Trip

An Excel trip planning spreadsheet can be very helpful for everyone who is planning a trip! It makes your travels much easier.

It is very easy to use and it allows you to collect a variety of data in one place. This ease is why many businesses use it, but you can use it for personal things as well!

What's great is that you likely already have Excel on your computer! That's because it's part of Microsoft Office. This makes it easy to use this trip planner template immediately after downloading it.

But even if you don't have Excel on your computer, you can still make use of this travel planning spreadsheet! For example, you can use it in Google Sheets.

When Do You Need a Trip Planner Template

Depending on the type of trip you are doing, planning can be harder or easier. For example, if you are doing a weekend trip to a nearby city, planning is much easier. Although if you are going on a trip from the US to Europe for example, it is much more difficult!

But whether it is difficult or easy to plan your trip, this trip planner template is always very convenient to use.

A trip planning spreadsheet can help every trip and make it much more relaxed!

A Free Trip Planning Spreadsheet for Excel

If you scroll down you can immediately download the trip planner template and use the travel planning spreadsheet.

But first I want to explain what it includes. There are several sections that are useful for specific parts of your trip.

It is very easy to work with the Excel spreadsheet for planning your trip.

You can fill in all the details of your trip in a very easy way. Keep in mind that you can edit all white cells in the spreadsheet. The grey cells are what I made and you should not edit those ones.

1. Itinerary: The First Part of the Trip Planner Template

The first part of this trip planner template contains the itinerary of your trip.

This is the most important part of your trip planning.

Here you can write down exactly what activities you plan on doing during your trip. You can specify the activities for each time of the day.

Doing this allows you to see if you can do all the activities that you want to do. Furthermore, you can see if there is time left for extra activities!

In the spreadsheet, you can fill in the start date of your trip. Furthermore, you can specify the number of days your trip will last. Then, it generates the days for you and you can fill in the itinerary!

Make sure to plan enough time in case something takes more time than you expect!

What's great is that you can also try out different itineraries for your trip. Then you can decide which itinerary you like most, and keep that one in the spreadsheet!

2. Transportation

The next part of the trip planning spreadsheet is all about the way you get to your destination.

Do you know those emails you get when you book a flight that I was talking about before? You put all that information here. You fill in the date and time of your flight and enter some more details.

Or if you travel by bus, you can enter all the information about your journey by bus!

Furthermore, you can use this place of the spreadsheet for travels you make during your trip.

For example, when you go island hopping in Greece. You can enter here all the details of the ferries between the different islands.

Also, this is the place where you fill in the details on your airport transfer.

This allows you to have one place where you can access all the information! That's exactly why you need this travel planning spreadsheet.

You can also use this section to try out different travel options.

For example, you can compare different flights and see which combination is the cheapest. Or you can see which flights give you most time at your destination!

3. Accommodation

The "Accommodation" part of the travel planning sheet is about where you stay during your trip.

You want to fill in all the information about the hotels or apartments you stay at here.

It is great to have a place where you can store all the necessary information about your accommodation.

Also, you can use this section of the spreadsheet for planning a trip.

Sometimes, when comparing hotels, you lose track of all the options you have! You can use this spreadsheet to plan where you can stay.

You can write down all the different options you have, including the cost of the option.

When you wrote everything down, you can compare and choose the hotel you want to stay in for your trip! After that, you can have a look at the next part of the trip planner template!

The costs section is one of the most important sections of the spreadsheet.

You can write down what costs you expect for each day of your trip. You can specify what type of cost it is.

The spreadsheet gives you a summary of all the costs for each day, and of the total cost of the trip.

You can also use this section to compare different options to make your trip more affordable.

5. Packing List: The Last Part of the Trip Planning Spreadsheet

The packing list is one of the most convenient parts of this trip planning spreadsheet.

You can write down which items you need for your holiday trip. You can specify both the type of item and the quantity.

Furthermore, you can write down whether you still need to buy the item before you go on your trip!

But the most important column in this section is the "packed" column. Here you can write down if you already packed an item. That way you can make sure you have everything packed that you need during your trip!

Do You Need Excel for This Trip Planner Template?

To work with this trip planning tool you need an application that can edit spreadsheets. Excel is such an application and is very convenient.

But you don't need Excel to work with the trip planner template.

There are other applications that you can use to open these files. You only need to make sure the application you want to use can open .xlsx files.

One of the most popular alternatives to Excel is Google Sheets. This is a free application that you can use to work with my travel planning spreadsheet.

Go to drive.google.com and upload the spreadsheet there. After that, you can open the file with Google Spreadsheets.

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Splitting costs with friends just got easier in a spreadsheet [+template].

How many times have you gone on a group trip with friends, and figure out the costs at the end of the trip? Maybe one person pays for the hotel, one person pays for the rental car, and someone else pays for the dinners. Or maybe one person pays for everything, making splitting costs much more easier at the end of the trip. No matter how organized you are with receipts and how many e-mails you send back and forth with friends, there’s always going to be some confusion with who owes who. After every trip, we would find ourselves creating some ad hoc Excel spreadsheet to keep track of expenses and haphazardly figure out who owes who. We decided to create a tool that can be used for all scenarios no matter the number of people and costs involved. The Splitting Costs with Friends Google Sheets template is available for purchase here to help solve this widespread social problem of splitting costs with friends.

Check Out The Tool In Google Sheets

We talked about a different version of this tool in a story a few months ago we wrote about Appizy . While Appizy does offer pretty good functionality, we opted for using Google Sheets instead of Appizy or a regular Excel file since it’s just easier to send to friends if you decide to actually use this tool. One of the important features of Google Sheets is that many people collaboratively edit the Sheet and changes are saved on the fly. If we were to e-mail Excel files back and forth, the process would be a nightmare. We went on a trip a few months ago and these are actual costs from the trip, but with names and cost items slightly changed. Open the Google Sheet , and click on File >>> Make a copy. This way you can actually edit the numbers and names to suit your needs. In case you need the visual, here you go:

To get your own copy:

• Open the tool in Google Sheets
• Click on File
• Click on Make a copy

Get Your Friends To Enter What They Paid

The first step is to get your friends to enter in what they paid for various things on the trip. This is done all in columns A and B, and then marking off their name in column K. Pretty simply right? Again, the great thing about using Google Sheets for this problem is that multiple people can add costs to the Sheet. The only issue is the one straggler who you constantly have to e-mail to get him or her to enter in their costs. Kind of like getting employees to fill out their expense reports right?

Figure Out Who Was Included In The Cost

This is where things can get a little dicey. On the Sheet, there are eight people who went on the trip. Some people paid for a lot of things, other people didn’t pay for anything. The important part of this step is to get your friends to enter a “1” in the cell that corresponds to someone that was included in the cost. For instance, on Row 7, the people that “participated” in the care rental were Jim, Leuis, and Allen, hence why cells C7, F7, and I7 have a “1” in them. The other cells in that row have “0” indicating that the person in Row 1 did not partake in that cost. The reason why this can be awkward and somewhat interesting if you are the one coordinating the filling out of this Sheet is that you’ll start seeing people putting costs they normally wouldn’t put on the Sheet. On Row 23, you’ll see that Leuis bought a Philly cheese steak for the beach, and apparently some people ate a lot of the sandwich, but others didn’t. It looks like Jim ate half the sandwich, leaving Leuis and Allen only a quarter of the sandwich for each person. While this Sheet is meant to capture all costs, sometimes people might get a little too detailed with entering in what their expenses were. We see a lot of correlations here with managing expense reports for your team. By giving your employees, friends, or users more control over the tool, you will get even more accurate reporting on what the actual numbers were. Ok, enough accounting talk, how does the tool actually work?

Find Per Person Cost For Expenses

In Column L, you’ll see a simple equation that figure out the per person cost based on the number of people that participated in that expense. On Row 2, the formula is  =IFERROR(B2/sum(C2:J2),"") This formula simply takes the expense paid and divides it by the SUM()  of 1s in that given row. Going back to Row 7, the Car Rental cost is only split between three people (Jim, Leuis, and Allen), so we take $42.50 and divide it by three resulting in a per person cost of $14.17. Now we have two pieces of crucial data for this problem:

• The total dollar amount a given friend has paid for an expense
• The per person cost for that given expense  only  for the friends that participated in the cost

With these two data points, we can figure out how much each person has paid   and how much each person owes .

Using SUMPRODUCT() To Find How Much Your Friends Owe

In Row 26, it’s pretty easy to find the total amount a friend has paid. In C26, the formula is =SUMIF($K2:$K25,C$1,$B2:$B25)  This  SUMIF()  formula sums the costs in Column B depending on the name entered in Column K; which is great since you had all your friends fill out their individual costs so now you know how much each person has paid. To figure out how much each person owes, we use the  SUMPRODUCT()  formula to add up all the per person costs that a given friend is responsible for. In the image below, you can see how the  SUMPRODUCT()  formula simply multiplies the “1” or “0” in a given column with the per person cost in Column L. The formula then will add the individual products of these two numbers together, treating each product as a value in an array.

To get out of Excel speak for a minute, all we are doing is adding up the per person cost for each expense one by one. Alan owes money for the “Other Car Rental” in Row 17 but doesn’t owe money for “Drinks in Florida” in Row 18, thus he should only be paying his per person cost for “Other Car Rental.” Now you know how much each friend paid and how much each friend owes. If you subtract the owed from the paid number, you’ll get the balance for that friend. In the Sheet, we color coded the ones that owe more than they paid in red with parentheses around the number, and those who paid more than they owe in black. It’s kind of like reading a financial statement, where being “in the black” is good since you know profits are good and money should be coming your way.

Don’t Forget To Do Final Checks

All good financial modelers know you need to create simply formulas to “check” your work. We did this in Cells M26:M28. We just want to make sure that the sum of all the different costs people paid equals the sum of the total costs in general (listed in B26). Same thing applies to the amount people owe. Since all the checks equal 0, we know that there are no errors in our formulas and that everything balances out. If you are adding more entries to the tool and notice that the checks are greater than or less than 0, that means something may be wrong with the formulas either in the “checks” or the actual formulas themselves for calculating how much people paid vs. owes.

Someone Needs To Act As The Federal Reserve

Now that we’ve figured out how much people are owed or need to pay, how do we actually settle all the balances? With eight people, it’s too difficult to coordinate Jim to pay Alan and then Alan to pay a little to Steve and Leuis. This problem can get just as complicated as splitting the costs, so the best solution is for someone to act as the “central bank.” This person simply collects all the amounts people owe (in this case, Alan, George, Leuis, William, and Steve), and then doles out the amounts that are owed to people (Jim, Ben, and Allen). We actually used Venmo to quickly get this done.

Splitting costs with friends now doesn’t have to be tedious and tiresome anymore, but having an actual spreadsheet to track expenses does make your trip seem like a work trip since you are literally creating one giant expense report. This make us wonder how people back in the day (e.g. pre-Google Sheets, Excel, Venmo, PayPal) would pay each other back for group trips. Would they just do a better job of keeping receipts? Would someone write it all down on a notepad? We think it was a combination of both, which probably made the whole splitting costs task even more difficult after the trip. Hopefully this little tool can help you out on your next trip so there won’t be any confusion about who owes who!

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58 responses to “splitting costs with friends just got easier in a spreadsheet [+template]”.

Incredible. thank you.

I use https://Kittysplit.com ., which is much simpler

Thanks for the link Caspar, this is definitely a useful tool as well!

Just used http://www.kittysplit.com/ for our group travel expenses it was amazing

This is a nice spreadsheet. Can you take it further? Suppose I have a vacation rental for 5 nights. The cost is 500.00 total, or 100.00 per night. I have a group of 5 friends that may or may not go. If all 5 friends go for all five nights, 5 people would pay a shared daily rate for 5 nights (25 value cells = $500). If only two people go for all 5 nights the shared cost is 250.00 each (10 value cells out of 25 = $500). If two people go for all five nights, and two people go for only three nights, and one doesn’t go at all, I need to evenly distribute the shared cost per person per night (16 value cells out of 25 = $500). Can you come up with a 5×5 matrix where a total cost is distributed over the 25 cells, and if one cell is zero, that value is distributed equally to the other 24 cells? A few pennies more in one or two blocks is no problem.

Hey Tony, I think you just answered your own question! A 5X5 table where you put “1s” in each cell to indicate whether or not the friend is staying that night would trigger an equation to count that person into the final cost. It’s taking the current spreadsheet and making it a bit more advanced, but definitely doable!

Thanks for the reply. I found exactly what I’m looking for at Splitwise.com, travel calculator. However, I’m trying to find an excel spreadsheet. Ideally I could create tabs for different items like food supplies, beverages, beach rentals, etc. If I had a total planned cost, I could forecast for those who may go what the shared cost per day would be.

Interesting, yeah there are quite a few apps out there that do a good job of splitting. Not too many we’ve seen that help you with a planned cost, or budget, and figuring out who might be coming on the trip vs. flaking.

GREAT spreadsheet, I’ve been trying something like this but did not quite succeed. Many thanks for putting it up!

One question: why use the IFERROR formula to find the per person cost for expenses? Why not just the expense divided by the sum of 1s (or 0.5s…)?

Thanks Akka! The reason for the IFERROR function is actually a cosmetic reason. In the event that the cost per person results in an error, the spreadsheet will show a “N/A” error which doesn’t look very nice on your spreadsheet. By using IFERROR, we can tell Excel to show a blank or “” if the result is an error.

Ah ok, thanks for clearing that up. The N/A notification is actually better for me, that way I won’t miss something going wrong 🙂

You could also put something else instead of a “” in the IFERROR function so that if a “N/A” does come up you can put something a little more user-friendly like “please check your calculation.”

Thank you so much, just found your Google Sheet and it saved me hours of head-ache.

Thanks Cat! Glad we were able to help!

I am wondering if you can help me to answer the question as to whether a value greater than 1 can be entered for a friend. For example, if I wanted to use this tool to track cost-sharing in a parent group and parents have different numbers of children (who all incur the same cost for any activity), can I just label a column with the parent’s name and then enter a value that equals the number of children they have participating in a given event to divide the cost between families? Otherwise, I think I would need one column per child but I think that a value greater than one should be possible. Would just appreciate a confirmation before I start using the tool. It looks really awesome!

Hi Beth! Yes you can definitely enter in values greater than 1 and the tool would still work. For instance, if “Ben” on the current spreadsheet represented a parent with 3 kids, you could enter “3” in the spreadsheet and the per parent costs, amount each parent owes, and amount each parent is owed would calculate correctly.

Very nicely organized sheet. I just reformatted my sheet to look like yours. Thanks for the inspiration!

Glad you found it useful!

Excellent post. But I have question, the post just deals with car rental case, but what if the group just uses one guy’s own car and he is the only driver? Is there some sheet dealing with such scenario?

In that case, you wouldn’t put the car rental as an expense on the sheet. You would probably just put the gas expenses on the sheet. Hope this helps!

We try to be fair to the car owner that basically he pays the car rental, not to mention for a long distance trip, he will incur extra car maintenance cost. So how about to put en equivalent car rental charge under his name? By the way, you have such good post, even after 4 years it still attracts attention!

Gotcha! In that case if the car owner did rent the car, he should put the costs for the rental and maintenance on the sheet. Thank you about the post! We didn’t think it would still be this popular after 4 years!

What if two people paid for one line item? For instance, there are 6 guests but 2 of them split the bill in the end. How can I enter that so it balances out?

Hi Carolyn, the best way to do this would be to create two rows for the same item. Let’s say Bob and Alice both paid for dinner. Bob paid $40 of the group dinner and Alice paid for $60. You would just put each of those expenses on individual rows and put a 1 for the 6 guests that participated in the dinner. Hope this helps!

Thanks for this helpful spreadsheet! Once people start reconciling the amount they owe, how do you deduct the costs paid from the costs owed? Obviously I am able to do it manually, but there is already a formula in both cells. Would love to somehow do it in a more automatic way rather than case by case.

Hi Becky, thanks for the kind words! Row 28 of the sheet shows the difference between the Costs Paid and Costs Owed. This represents the amount the person is owed (if the number is positive) or the amount the person owes (if the number is negative). Hope this makes sense!

Just wondering how you would add in a currency exchange if you are traveling to a different country?

You could add a few rows at the bottom of the sheet that converts the amounts in USD to your local currency. Hope that helps!

Thank you for sharing!! And for the helpful video! Can I remove columns? We only have 3 participating parties.

Yes you can definitely remove columns depending on how many people you have. The Sum formula automatically re-adjusts in column L to account for the number of people in the columns.

Hi Can I add columns? I have more people that I need to account for.

Yes! Just make sure you add the new column before column J (Steve) and the formula should carry over.

Excellent spreadsheet. How do you deal within a long trip when some participants pay due amounts ?

Hi Denis, can you clarify what you mean when you say “pay due amounts?”

Thanks for sharing, very useful spreadsheet! Saving friendships

You’re welcome! Saving friendships one expense at a time :).

Thank you for making and sharing this for free. It’s great.

You’re welcome!

Hi! When I tried adding more rows for additional expenses, the per person cost column stopped automatically calculating. The other columns work, but now I have to split the cost to add to that column manually. Any idea what may of happened? I tried going back and adding a row higher up (before the rows you created end) but it doesn’t seem to work there either.

Hi, you have to drag the formula in the `Per Person Cost` column down to the new rows you add for additional expenses.

This was so helpful, thank you!

Is there a way to add true-up calculation? For example, what if someone has already reimbursed the payer and you want to deduct that amount from the total that individual owes but still account for their share in the total calculation?

Given the way the current structure and formulas of the spreadsheet, you wouldn’t be able to account for people who have already paid their share of the cost. The model assumes everything is settled at the end. You could alter the `SUMIF` functions and maybe introduce a “2” into the spreadsheet so that people who already paid get treated differently if they have a “2” for the cost. Or you could just add a new line to the list of costs where the cost is just the amount the person has paid, the payer of the cost is the person who already reimbursed, and the only person that “participated” in the cost is the one who paid for the original cost.

Try this: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YAGdmVepq4Ejbl_UnlOVeeN8D3JgF1Sq/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107301059130966569195&rtpof=true&sd=true

Thank you so much for this video. I had a much less elegant version before I saw this. I did take the box that handles direct payments to one another and added it to the bottom of yours and it really helps the Central Banker to sort things out. Take a look: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1YAGdmVepq4Ejbl_UnlOVeeN8D3JgF1Sq/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=107301059130966569195&rtpof=true&sd=true

Hi there, thank you so much for your work on this spreadsheet, I am trying to personalise it for our shared household, I want to add in what percentage everyone pays, also I want to add in if the expense is fixed or variable and also I want to add in how often this bill occurs or how often its paid.

Adding these features to the spreadsheet is definitely possible!

This is god tier. Thank you! I am getting a value greater than zero on the amount owed check. The amount paid is 0, yay. I confirmed that all the names were written correctly in the “who paid” column. Anywhere else you recommend I check for troubleshooting?

Never mind! I missed a row when i changed the per person cost formula to accommodate the additional people. thank you again!

Glad you were able to figure it out!

This was really helpful, thank you so much.

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Home » Budget Templates » Free Vacation Budget Templates (Excel / PDF)

Budget Templates

Free vacation budget templates (excel / pdf).

A vacation budget template is a helpful tool that helps you in reaching your dream destinations. Vacations are an effective way to break your routine. It provides a chance to have great moments and achieve new things. They can assist you in unwinding, resetting broken parent-child relationships. They also strength family bonds.

Moreover, vacations are quite expensive whether you are planning a vacation on small budget. You still have to get the most with your money. Planning can be complicated but there are various ways in which you can save some amount. You may also like Cash Flow Budget Template .

Table of Contents

How do you budget for your vacation?

Set a maximum budget.

You may think that according to your location, you will plan your budget. Some places are quite expenses to stay than others. Narrowing down to the list of destinations that are much affordable is the best way to set your maximum budget. According to your monthly budget, you can get this number. On monthly basis, identify how much you can set aside to save for your vacation. After that, between your first saving and when you want to go for the vacation, multiply this figure by the number of months.

Select a destination

You can be tempted to sign up for cheap airfare sites and this is the common mistake with the travelers. You may pay cheap fares and then reach in more expensive destinations. It is recommended to do your homework and check for the best destinations according to your budget.

Plan for the major expenses

After deciding your destination, search for the types of transportation and the prices of accommodation you will expect. This will assist you in knowing what you want from your vacation. In addition, you will also know how much you will expect to spend on lodging transportation and flights.

Plan for the minor things

It is important to pay attention on the little things that you can spend your money on after planning on your major vacation expenses. These may contain but not limited to;

• Entertainment
• Public transport

Emergency expenses

When you are on vacation, uncertainties may arise. Therefore, it is important to set aside a certain amount for these costs. You should also check Budget Proposal Templates .

Free Vacation Budget Template

Proposed holiday pay budget template, vacation bible school budget worksheet, family vacation budget planner template, printable vacation budget template, vacation budget activity template, vacation budget template excel, disney world vacation budget template, tips for more savings:.

Here are vacation tips that will assist you stick on your budget;

Watch for deals

It would be good to keep an eye for airline ticket deals as it would be good to keep an eye for airline ticket deals.

Look for hotel alternatives

By avoiding paying high hotel costs, you can save some amount. You can get this by looking for alternative accommodations like hostels, vacation rentals, or stay with friends.

Book last minute deals

For flights hotels and other destinations, you can look for last-minute deals. This may need flexibility but it will save you an important amount of money.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, when planning a vacation budget template you should try to save a certain amount of money. We have discussed above different ways and options which you can use for a vacation budget.

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I am Ryan Duffy and legal writer. I received a bachelor of business administration (BBA) degree from London Business School. I have 8+ years of writing experience in the different template fields and working with ExcelTMP.com for 7 years. I work with a team of writers and business and legal professionals to provide you with the best templates.

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Excel Templates

Microsoft excel worksheets and templates, travel expense calculator template.

Travel expense calculator is used to track the expenses when you are traveling either on a short or long trip. It is a very important to stay in your budget when you are out. Expenses can be tracked easily with complete accuracy with the help of travel expense calculator.

It is a very helpful tool that helps you in the calculation of all the expenses so you will not have to do it by yourself.

Benefits of travel expense calculator:

• This calculator is very useful to be used in order to track all the expenses one has to incur while traveling. Knowing the cost enables the person to cut down the expenses which are unnecessary.
• This expense calculator makes you plan your holidays with complete efficiency. Whether you are going on a small trip or with a luxurious resort, you will always be needed to plan your budget. There are different functionalities that have been incorporated in this expense calculator template so that you can calculate everything accurately.
• This MS Excel spreadsheet has been designed by professionals who have a personal experience of travelling and budgeting. They always try to provide you realistic prospective of the budget they want you to plan.

The purpose of using this expense calculator is to make sure that you are not over spending. The people who have limited resources should always use this calculator to make sure that everything is within the limits outlined by them.

See also: Travel expense report with mileage log

The spreadsheet has been designed by those people who understand the importance of budget. They went to read all those important details in this calculator, then everyone who is traveling may be included in expense calculation.

See also: Travel advance request form 

How to use:

You can download and keep the file on your laptop or in mobile. You can enter all the information date wise. For each date mention all the expense that you have made. Before you see all the calculations done for you, you must know:

• Total estimated cost/mile
• Total duration of travel

The calculator will do for you:

• Will find total travel cost
• Total accommodation cost
• Total miscellaneous cost

Travel Expense Calculator

Format: Microsoft Excel 2007-2013

File Size: 23 KB

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Free Excel Travel Expense Templates

Download free Excel Travel Expense templates that are compatible with Microsoft Excel. Customize the forms and templates according to your needs.

Blank Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Plain)

Get this free Blank Per Diem Expense Report Template available in Excel to help track your employees’ business travel expenses on a daily basis.

Blank Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Green)

Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Blue)

Get this free Per Diem Expense Report Template available in Excel to help track your employees’ business travel expenses on a daily basis.

Simple Per Diem Expense Report in Excel

Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Striped)

Employee Travel Expense Report Template in Excel

Use this Travel Expense Report in Excel to get reimbursements from all expenses spent during your trip. Receipts should be attached along with this form.

Editable Per Diem Expense Report in Excel

Printable Per Diem Expense Report in Excel

Blank Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Simple)

Blank Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Printable)

Per Diem Expense Report Template in Excel (Printable)

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11 Free Travel Itinerary Templates for Your Next Trip in Google Docs, Excel, & Word

Content Partnership Specialist

May 8, 2024

There are a lot of things that go into planning a trip.

From scheduling flights, booking hotels and car rentals, planning activities, and ensuring all of them fit within your timeline and budget too!

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or simply someone looking to create an organized travel schedule for your upcoming trip, then you should consider using an itinerary template. 

Itinerary templates help you organize your activities, manage your time , calculate your expenses, give you a breakdown of all your important travel information before a trip, and help you make the most out of your business trip or vacation. 

Head over to the sections below to find out what makes a good itinerary template, and discover 11 free templates you can use to help you plan your next trip! 🏝️

What is an Itinerary Template?

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An itinerary is a document that outlines all of the details of your trip, from your flight and hotel reservations to your planned activities and budget, to ensure that everything runs smoothly.

That said, trip planners should turn to itinerary templates to give you ready-to-use and organized fill-in-the-blank pages that you can use for every type of trip. 

Itinerary templates can help business and leisure travelers:

• Save time, plan more effectively, and provide an organized format for all the important details of their trip
• Have a digital planner to keep track of all the details they need to consider when planning their travel, such as dates and locations, transportation and accommodations, and activities
• Get quick access to all of the necessary details in one place
• Help manage last-minute changes more effectively

Think of these free itinerary templates as your personal travel agent assistant. They’re there to assist you with planning the most important parts of your trip, so you spend more time enjoying the moment than worrying about what’s next and how you’re getting there.

Moreover, creating a detailed travel itinerary is beneficial if you’re visiting a new city or country you’ve never been to before. 

So what should a travel itinerary look like? Let’s take a look!

There are several types of itinerary templates for different occasions. The most commonly used and sought templates are for business trips, vacations, event planning, and global and domestic travels.

And while there are many types of itinerary templates out there, the best ones offer the following basic elements: 

• Have clear and concise language
• Organized and easy-to-read format
• Customizable and easy to edit
• Easily accessible and sharable 

And if you need to shift your plans around due to unexpected changes, a solid travel itinerary template should offer the flexibility to let you make changes without compromising the flow of your trip. It also shouldn’t require you to start your travel itinerary from scratch.

Ultimately, these templates should help you create a personalized travel itinerary, save time, and stay organized to help you become a better planner.

Speaking of which—here are 11 hand-picked travel itinerary templates that can help you with that! Each one offers a unique format and features. Check them one by one to see which templates suit your needs the best.

11 Travel Itinerary Templates for Your Next Trip

Traveling for work? 

This Business Travel Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you get all your important travel details and work schedules, all in one place. 

Easily notate your travel dates, hotel information, flight number, and other important information in an organized and easy-to-follow format in ClickUp Docs . If you have multiple travel plans or want to keep your past and future travel itinerary docs in one place, then simply add nested pages under one Doc to keep everything neatly organized and accessible.

And because ClickUp Docs allow you to have full control of sharing permissions and privacy, you can keep your pages private to protect your personal information or securely share them with selected people via a link.

Best of all, ClickUp is available on the mobile app , so you can take your itinerary template wherever you go and access it any time of the day.

Use this free travel itinerary template to streamline your business travel planning process and establish a consistent standard itinerary that you can use again and again.

Planning a road trip or exploring a new city?

Whatever type of vacation you’re planning for, this Vacation Planning Travel Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you create a visual roadmap of your planned activities.

With this free travel itinerary template, you’ll be able to plan your destinations, use ClickUp Custom Fields to add important details such as hotel addresses, type of activity, hours of operation, travel time, accommodations, reservations, and so on to ensure you’re on the right track to hit all the spots you have planned to visit on your trip!

Additionally, this template allows you to visualize your road trip itinerary in Map view, as shown above, and other views in ClickUp, such as List, Embed Board, and Doc view. Each custom view offers a unique look at your travel itinerary to help you visualize and organize your plans in the best way that works for you. 

Use these vacation planning templates to give you the structure and organization you need to plan your next trip and have a stress-free getaway!

Streamline your travel planning with ClickUp’s Trip Planner Template ! Say goodbye to the chaos of scattered details and hello to a centralized hub for all your trip essentials. From flights to accommodations, activities to budgets, this template has you covered. Save time by organizing everything in one place and ensure nothing slips through the cracks.

With customizable features like custom statuses, fields, and views, you can tailor the template to suit your specific needs. Collaborate effortlessly with friends and family to create the ultimate travel experience. Whether you’re jetting off for a quick getaway or planning a work trip, this template provides the tools you need for a successful trip.

Set your budget, research destinations, create itineraries, and finalize details all within ClickUp’s intuitive platform. Track progress, assign tasks, and monitor productivity with ease. From start to finish, ClickUp’s Trip Planner Template empowers you to plan your dream trip efficiently and effectively.

Whether you’re born with natural event planning skills or perhaps someone who’s looking to get better at it, this Event Planning Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you plan your next events with ease!

This event planning itinerary template includes three highly visual ClickUp Views that can be customized for any need, from organizing and scheduling event dates on a List and Board to drag-and-drop planning on a Calendar.

Each view provides pre-built Custom Fields, which allow you and your team to add important details, such as progress percentage bars, payment status, due dates, budget status, and more. You can also create Custom Task Statuses to help identify the stage each task is, keeping everyone in the loop on where each task stands at all times. 

You can download the app on your mobile device to access your tasks regardless of your event’s location, and use this itinerary template to help you become a pro at planning events and start managing all of your business operations, teams, and event planning —all in one place. 

Sometimes, it’s best to take things day by day, especially when your workload and to-do lists are getting out of hand. 

Seize the day and stay productive (and motivated) by turning to the 24 Hours Itinerary Template in ClickUp to guide you when creating your daily schedule!

This free itinerary template includes pre-built Custom Fields and Custom Task Statuses to help you easily plan and visualize your daily tasks. And because those features are fully customizable, you can edit and add whatever fields and statuses work best for your workflow.

Use this template to assist you with daily planning , so you easily view all of your to-dos, stay focused on what’s on your plate each day, and make the most of every day!

Meetings are a great way to sync with people in real time.

However, without a proper agenda, you might forget to discuss important matters, lose control of the meeting flow, and veer off track, leaving the attendees with more questions than answers or thinking, “this could’ve been an email.” 😅

Don’t let that happen to you! 

Whether you’re hosting a face-to-face or virtual meeting, having a prepared agenda beforehand keeps your meetings productive and helps make the most of your attendee’s time— the free Agenda Template by ClickUp can help you prep for your next meeting.

This template provides you with sections for your meeting details, participants, and so much more. And because this template is available ClickUp Docs, you can easily format the page to support any type of meeting , embed links to add more details to your agenda, and easily share it with your team before the meeting so they can come prepared with insights or questions. 

Use this itinerary template to help you plan and keep your next meetings productive! 

Planning a conference and need a conference agenda template ?

This Conference Itinerary Template by ClickUp can help you create, visualize, and manage your events all in one centralized place.

This template offers pre-built views, such as Box, Calendar, and List view, and Custom Fields and Custom Task Statuses to allow you to create your ideal itinerary for your event. Moreover, you can add custom tags to your tasks to add another layer of organization to your itinerary and add new Custom Fields to keep your tasks as detailed as possible as you plan your live or virtual conference events .

And if you need help getting started, no problem. It comes with a Getting Started Guide to help you get familiarized with the template and serve as a guide to help you plan your next event !

A meeting agenda is a must, especially for board meetings. 

The Board Meeting Agenda Template in ClickUp offers pre-built Custom Fields to help board members and leadership create a high-level and organized meeting agenda, and run productive meetings. You may also add single or multiple assignees to each task and subtask to clearly note who’s responsible for completing the task or presenting the topics and check them off the list as each task or topic has been discussed to easily track and note what is yet to be completed.

Use this itinerary template to help you create an organized meeting agenda , keep everyone in the loop ahead of the meeting, and promote open discussion among all participants, which can lead to stronger decisions and better outcomes.

If you’re an Excel user, then this template is for you.

Microsoft Excel offers a handy Vacation Itinerary template that you can use to organize all of your trip details. Whether you want to start a road trip itinerary with friends or a personalized itinerary of your full trip, this trip itinerary template includes entries for flight information, lodging, emergency contacts, activities, and so on. 

Once you’ve filled out the template with the details of your trip, simply save it on your computer or print it to take a physical copy of your itinerary with you or leave a copy for your friends and family while you’re away on your vacation.

If you like keeping things simple when planning your trips, then this travel itinerary template will work for what you need.

This template allows you to add and edit your travel details, such as destinations, transportation, lodging, and what you need to pack for your trip, in organized tables in Google Docs (where you can also connect to Google Sheets). 

This is one of the many customizable templates that’s free to download. Save it on your computer or print a copy to take with you!

Keep your business trips as stress-free as possible by creating a detailed flight itinerary, meeting schedule, and more all on one page. Use Microsoft Word’s Business Trip Itinerary template to keep track of important dates, departure and arrival times, destination addresses, phone numbers, travel time, and other notes about each item on your itinerary. 

Start Planning Your Next Trip with Travel Itinerary Templates

When it comes to planning trips, having an itinerary is key.

But we get it. Making a detailed itinerary can be quite time-consuming. That’s why using an itinerary template can be such a great tool! Stay organized and use the templates we provided above as a starting point for creating your own customized itinerary for your upcoming trips and events.

And if you’re a fan of customizations, then you’ll click well with ClickUp. 

It offers a fully customizable platform with hundreds of features and templates to give you the power to create a personalized experience, connect all your notes and work together, and build a workflow and itineraries that work for you.

Get access to ClickUp’s customizable templates for free today, and start getting excited about planning your next event! 

Bon voyage! 👋

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Home » Google Sheets » 12☝️ Spreadsheet Templates for Splitting Expenses (Excel & Google Sheets)

• Updated: May 22, 2023

12☝️ Spreadsheet Templates for Splitting Expenses (Excel & Google Sheets)

Whether you’re living with roommates, managing a household with your partner, or even just keeping track of shared expenses with friends, managing finances can be a challenging and often frustrating task. The problem arises when you’re trying to split expenses fairly and accurately without getting lost in the sea of numbers and receipts. Miscommunication and disputes can easily ensue, further straining relationships and adding unnecessary stress to your life.

As the agitation around managing shared expenses continues to grow, you might find yourself longing for a solution that simplifies the process and restores harmony to your living situation. Thankfully, there is a way to alleviate this financial burden and clarify your shared expenses.

In this article, we will explore some easy-to-use, customizable templates which have been designed to save you time and effort while ensuring everyone involved is on the same page. With our help, you’ll quickly learn how to easily manage your shared finances so you can focus on what truly matters in your relationships. Say goodbye to the chaos and confusion of shared expenses and embrace a new era of the financial organization today.

1. Excel Spreadsheet for Splitting Expenses

Platform : Excel

Designed by Get Digital Help

This spreadsheet for splitting costs is an excellent tool for keeping track of shared expenses among a group of people. Each expense is listed with the name of the person who incurred it, the expense category, the amount, and the date. The “From” and “To” columns indicate who paid the expense and who the expense is split among. The “Total” column displays the total amount owed by or owed to each person, and the “Pay/Receive” column shows the net amount each person needs to pay or receive. 

This spreadsheet can be very helpful in managing group expenses, ensuring that everyone pays their fair share and avoiding misunderstandings or conflicts. Use this spreadsheet to keep track of expenses and settle up at the end of a trip or event.

Download Excel Template

2. Google Sheets Template for Splitting Expenses

Platform : Google Sheets

Designed by Al Chen 

This expense splitting template can help a group of friends divide expenses incurred during a trip or event. These include hotels, dinners, car rentals, car insurance, gas, conference fees, and various other activities. Each person’s individual contribution towards an expense is recorded as ‘1’ or ‘0’ to indicate whether they participated in the expense or not. The “Who paid” column records the person who initially paid for the expense, and the per-person cost is calculated by dividing the total cost by the number of participants. 

The table also shows the total costs paid by each individual, the total costs owed by each individual, and the difference between what they owe or are owed by others. By using this template, the group can easily keep track of their shared expenses and ensure that everyone contributes fairly to the overall costs of the trip or event.

Open in Google Sheets 

3. Income-based Bill Split Budget Sheet

Designed by Reddit

This Google Sheets spreadsheet for splitting bills based on income is designed to help individuals divide bills and purchases based on their individual incomes. By inputting their respective incomes, the spreadsheet will automatically calculate each share of the monthly bills and purchases. 

The bill section includes categories for rent, electricity, cable/internet, and water, while the purchases section allows for both 50/50 split purchases and split purchases based on income share percentages. Additionally, there is a section for full reimbursement items, in case one roommate needs to spot the other for purchase. Recurring luxury purchases like Netflix or Spotify can also be added in the gray cells for convenience. Overall, this spreadsheet provides an easy and fair way to manage shared expenses based on individual financial situations.

Open in Google Sheets

4. Shared Expense Calculator Template

Designed by Smartsheet

This expense-sharing calculator is a useful tool that helps distribute shared expenses among multiple individuals, ensuring that each person pays their fair share. In this example, five individuals share various household expenses. 

The calculator provides a clear breakdown of the total amount due for each expense, as well as the portion each person is responsible for paying. Furthermore, it displays the total amount paid by each individual and calculates the remaining balance due. This expense-sharing calculator allows everyone to efficiently track their payments and outstanding balances, making it easier to manage shared expenses and maintain financial transparency among all parties involved.

5. Shared Household Expenses Spreadsheet

Designed by Daniel Bennett

This shared household expenses spreadsheet provides an organized and transparent method for tracking and managing expenses among housemates. The top section displays each individual’s total expenses, while the bottom section calculates the amount each person owes to others after their own bills have been subtracted. 

By clearly outlining these figures, this template ensures that everyone is accountable for their portion of shared costs, making it easy to settle debts and maintain a harmonious living environment. To notify others of a new bill, follow the instructions at the top of the spreadsheet to share the update with all relevant parties. Overall, this shared household expenses spreadsheet is a valuable tool for promoting fairness and open communication within your shared living space.

6. Roommate Budgeting Worksheet

Designed by Accredited Debt Relief

This roommate budgeting worksheet serves as a comprehensive template for tracking and splitting various shared expenses among four roommates. It covers rent, utilities, and variable expenses, such as groceries and household products. Each expense is assigned to the roommate who paid, and the spreadsheet indicates the total amount paid and how the cost should be split (either variably or equally) among the roommates. 

This organized approach ensures transparency when managing shared living expenses, making it easier for all roommates to contribute their share and avoid misunderstandings or conflicts.

7. Shared Expenses Spreadsheet Template

Designed by Trump Excel

This shared expenses spreadsheet template is designed to help you keep track of split costs among friends, family, or roommates. The template includes columns for the date, description of the expense, the amount spent, and the person who paid.

By filling in the details of each expense, you can easily track and manage shared costs, ensuring that everyone contributes their fair share and that all expenses are accounted for. This template makes it simple to organize and visualize your shared expenses, allowing for smoother communication and financial planning among your group.

8. Roommate Expense Tracker

Designed by Ratehub.ca

This roommate expense tracker template helps roommates manage their shared expenses. It provides a clear overview of various costs, such as food delivery, internet, electricity, groceries, Netflix, and water. 

The template allows roommates to specify who paid for each expense and the total amount, as well as how the cost will be split, either variable or equally. At the bottom of the spreadsheet, it calculates the total amount each person owes and simplifies who owes what to whom, making it easy to settle balances among roommates.

9. Co-parenting Child Expenses Split

Designed by Mike Weaver

This co-parenting shared expenses template is designed to help separated or divorced couples manage and track their shared expenses related to their children. The template consists of two main sections: the Current Balance and the Transaction Log. 

The Current Balance shows the amount each spouse needs to pay to balance out their respective shares, along with their split percentages and the names of their children.  

The Transaction Log lists all the transactions related to the children, including expenses and payments between spouses. Each transaction entry consists of the date, name of the spouse, transaction type, child’s name, category, description, and other relevant details. 

The template also calculates the amount owed by each spouse after each transaction, helping co-parents keep track of their financial responsibilities and maintain a balanced budget for their children’s expenses.

10. Vacation Split Calculator

Designed by Indzara

The vacation split calculator is a convenient and efficient way to keep track of expenses and balances during group vacations. This easy-to-use tool allows you to input expense transactions, categorize them, and allocate the amounts paid by each individual. 

With the Expense tab, you can enter the date, transaction details, amount, category, and payment details for each expense, ensuring you have a comprehensive overview of all vacation spending. 

The Report tab provides a clear summary of net balances and outstanding amounts for each friend, making it simple to settle debts and reimbursements. Say goodbye to the hassle of manual calculations and enjoy your vacation, knowing that your expenses are being accurately tracked and managed.

11. Roommate Shared Expenses Spreadsheet

Designed by Margaret Maloney

This roommate budgeting spreadsheet is designed to help two roommates track and manage their shared expenses. The spreadsheet contains a tab with columns for the transaction date, the person who paid the bill, the recipient of the payment, the purpose of the expense, the total amount paid, and debit or credit entries for both. By regularly updating and maintaining this spreadsheet, roommates can ensure their shared expenses are divided fairly, making it easier for them to manage their money.

12. Hotel Split Calculator

Designed by Spreadsheet Daddy

This hotel split calculator is a simple and convenient solution for calculating the individual costs of a shared hotel stay. It takes into account the total hotel cost and evenly distributes it among the roommates throughout their stay. The template is designed to accommodate up to 10 roommates and offers a clear breakdown of each person’s share on a daily basis, from Sunday to Saturday. 

The subtotals for each roommate provide a transparent overview of their respective costs, making the entire process hassle-free and ensuring a fair distribution. Use the hotel split calculator to ensure everyone contributes their fair share and enjoy a stress-free hotel experience with your friends or colleagues.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, this FAQ will provide you with the knowledge and resources you need to maximize the potential of split templates in Excel and Google Sheets. Let’s take a look!

How do you split expenses in Excel?

When splitting expenses in Excel, you efficiently allocate costs among individuals or groups by using built-in formulas and features. Start by creating a spreadsheet, listing all expenses in one column with the corresponding amounts in another. Then assign each expense to the relevant individuals by creating a new column for each person, marking their share of each expense with an “X” or a specific percentage. With Excel’s SUMIF and SUMPRODUCT functions, calculate each person’s total share and divide that by the sum of all expenses to obtain the individual’s percentage of the total cost. 

How do you split expenses in Google Sheets?

In Google Sheets, splitting expenses among multiple individuals can be achieved with ease by utilizing various functions and formulas. Start by creating a sheet that lists all participants, expenses, and amounts paid. Then use the SUM function to calculate the total expense and divide it by the number of participants to determine each individual’s share. Next, incorporate the IF and VLOOKUP functions to identify and subtract each person’s contribution, resulting in the remaining balance. 

Shared Expense Calculator – Download Free Excel Template

Four years ago, I was sharing an apartment with 3 of my friends. At the end of every month, we would sit together, jog our memory to remember expense details, and use a calculator to get each person’s share.

And we used to get it wrong every time.

Today I am here with a Shared Expense Calculator Template. It can be used when you are incurring expenses that are shared by many people (for example, sharing apartment expenses or vacation/trip expenses ). All you need to do is enter the details, and it will automatically tell you who owes whom.

I wish I had this template back then.

Download the Expense Calculator Template

Now before you jump in and download the template, here is a little bit about how it works:

Shared Expense Calculator

• As soon as you enter the details, it automatically shows you the expense sharing summary. For example, in the example below, Michael (in red) owes Joe (in Green). The amount is mentioned in between the two names.

What goes into making this Shared Expense Calculator

• Excel Formulas – A couple of big formulas, but nothing out of this world.
• Excel Tables .
• Conditional Formatting .
• Custom Number Formatting .

Now you know what you need when you sit down to calculate your share of the expenses 🙂 Do you like this shared expense calculator? Are there any other areas where you think an Excel template could be helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

You may also like the Following Excel Templates:

• Excel Leave Tracker Template.
• Task Matrix Productivity Template .
• Employee Timesheet Calculator Template.
• Vacation Itinerary and Packing List Template .

If you are looking for some online tool to do this, try this .

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28 thoughts on “Shared Expense Calculator – Download Free Excel Template”

Would help if you can show how the various tables and formulas are used to get the desired output in “Expense Details” worksheet

This is great! I need for two commercial renters with same shared bills but also have some that we each pay on our own then settle up later, like supplies. This Excel makes is super simple to just settle up monthly instead of PayPaling each other five times a month. This Excel file is super simple. Highly recommended.

Can I use this template for 16 people?

This is nice. Is there anything similar to track expenses between ex-spouses and college children? My ex and I are each responsible for half of medical and extracurricular expenses, but thirds with our college child. We also have a child still in high school, who is taking college coursework.

THANKS. That was very helpful.

could you add a paid field where if one person has paid another it will remove them from the list?

Hello sir How can i ad 1/4 day leave insted of maternity leavs Plz guide

Hi. The template works really well, thank you for taking the time! Just had one question; if I wish to divide the cost according to a percentage or fraction between the participators, how would you incorporate it into the Backend Calculation? I have already mad a support sheet with fraction for each type of cost, and “Description” in Expense Details is now a drop down with reference to the support sheet. When using the drop down menu it will position the correct fraction of the cost, which each person is responsible for, next to each line in the Backend Calculations. All I need now is to figure out how to include these fractions into the calculation.

This is exactly what I am looking for, but how do I add more rows beyond 25 entries? If this is to be ongoing, I certainly need more than that. And where do I put, for example, that person A has paid person B to settle it?

Hello.. You can simply drag a edge from the right most column of cell E25 and make it as many rows as you want. To mark that someone has paid, you can put that in column P

nice tutorial

http://howto-office.blogspot.com/

Hi, just saw this and it is absolutely incredible. One problem for me is that there are 11 in our group. How can I add another person as the formulas do not naturally recognise an 11th person

Hi Dave.. Glad you liked it.. You can easily do this by going to the tab “Backend Calculation”, select cell A11, hit the tab key and add the name of the 11th person. Everything else will adjust automatically.

I did what you said but it didn’t update the front page. It showed the correct division for 11 people but the 11th person did not appear on the summary page owing anything

This is extremely helpful, although I would like to figure out how to add an additional column to categorize each expense…i.e. Marketing, Advertising etc. Then I’d want to filter each category to a separate sheet to total on there own. I tried modifying this template but then it threw off all of the formulas…anyone tried to do something similar?

Thanks for sharing this useful article.

I have personally used the template of [www.mybudgettracker.co] which is linked with a html analytics page, which gives you insights of your spreadsheet.

Give a try http://www.mybudgettracker.co

The excel sheet is good if expenses is shared by all of the friends, but I have few expenses that needs to be calculated only with few. Can you help me with that

I too am interested in this update. Is there a detailed explanation of how the current template works, so that I can figure out where to add this feature?

Actually , I found what I needed with this link. http://www.shortreckonings.com/

Hi Sumit, in the shared expense template. if all the items are paid by a single person, it doesn’t show up in the summary. For eg: there are 3 persons and if only person has taken the responsibility to pay for all the trip expense. the summary should show up how much the other 2 owes to the one who paid

Hello Ahamed.. Thanks for commenting.. This is a valid point, and I missed it in the first place. I have updated the template so that now it shows the split even if everything is paid by one or two people.. Have a look!

Thank you. works perfect

Really very useful

Thanks for commenting Alok.. Glad you liked it 🙂

Good stuff!

Thanks for commenting Ray.. Glad you liked it 🙂

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