Welcome to the TravelPod forums

[skylab]

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=pf5...kcAEZaSq_7IQnJg

Let me know what you think. I'm going to try to keep track during the first few months and see what happens.

[ScottWoz]

Hey M,

Ok so far but what exactly are you asking?

[skylab]

I guess nothing really. Just thoughts on it overall. I hope I can actually keep up with that sheet. Most likely only keeping estimates. I think I got everything covered.

[aopaq]

Looks pretty thorough and good luck on keeping it up-to-date.

I used to try and track expenses the old-fashioned way (pre-Excel and Netbooks) but found that it took up too much of my time..... time which I would rather spend enjoying my travels. Now, I tend to look at expenses more generally and as long as there haven't been any unexpected "wowies" I don't sweat things. If I do think I have gone off budget, then I try to make adjustments. But usually my initial budgeting has a generous contingency figure for the unexpected so I never have had any worries.

[raniroo]

This is a great idea, if you can keep it up...

I tried to track my exact expenditure when I first went travelling but usually gave up after a few days...lately I have set myself a budget for each day and i take out that budget and put it in my purse....that is all i have to spend for that day....

I do list everything before I go, what I need to do, what to pack and check it off when done though.....

[rbisset]

I tried to keep track of everything when I went to Sri Lanka last year and basically gave up after a few days.

[skylab]

Forget it. I couldn't keep up with it since DAY 1! I'm having way too much fun to keep track of this. I have a hard enough time updating my blog!

[rbisset]

good to hear! Beijing's an awesome place. Keep up the blog entries! I need something to read at work!!!

[barsie]

I think better to give yourself a daily budget which is less than you have to spend. So say your have enough for $40 a day try to spend $30 a day. Means maybe 4 days you are on budget then you do something a bit more expensive but you can blow some extra cash due to earlier 'savings'.

Oh and take a credit card just in case

[jeremystravels]

I agree with everyone else that it will be a challenge to keep up with it. I keep a journal when I travel that I write down all the prices of things that I bought [that I can remember] to recount later in my blogs. I think it will be a bit useful when tracking funding on my RTW to ensure I don't run out too quickly. But then again i'll have a computer with excel that I can use to track easier.

Doing the math on my end I was looking at a $45/day average in Asia and South America between hostels, food, sight seeing, and transportation. Hopefully it'll be much lower like yours though! That doesn't include pre-trip things, airfares, large purchases, etc, just purely what I'd spend every day on average if I were deep in an overland segment.