Cost planning
Trip budget sheet
A simple trip budget sheet keeps day plans honest: estimate major categories first, then sanity-check against how packed each day tab looks.
How to estimate a US trip budget from your itinerary
- List fixed costs Lodging nights, flights or rail, car rental, and insurance usually lock early—enter them first.
- Count days for food Multiply travel days by a per-person daily food range; flag fancy dinner nights from activity cards.
- Price ticketed activities Pull museums, tours, and parks from day notes and add booking fees.
- Add local transport Include airport transfers, parking, tolls, and transit passes per city on the board.
- Keep a 10–15% buffer Weather pivots and impulse stops happen; leave slack so the day board stays flexible.
Budget category grid
| Category | What to total | Itinerary link |
|---|---|---|
| Lodging | Nights × rate + taxes | End date − start date |
| Transport | Flights, rental, fuel, transit | Flight legs + drive days |
| Food | Daily average × travelers × days | Meal activity cards |
| Activities | Tickets, tours, day passes | Notes on timed stops |
| Buffer | 10–15% of subtotal | Weather / swap days |
After you draft numbers, open the itinerary tool and thin any day that stacks too many paid activities. See also the packing list template for gear purchases to fold into the budget.
Open free itinerary tool →