A travel budget planner spreadsheet built for your trip
Is this trip affordable, and where will the money actually go? This prompt has your agent research typical costs at your destination, then build an Excel travel budget with categories, a daily food and transport estimate, a buffer, and a tracker you can fill in during the trip.
The prompt
- Build a travel budget for [DESTINATION] for [NUMBER OF PEOPLE] people from [DATES], in [CURRENCY]. Our travel style is [STYLE]. Already booked: [ALREADY BOOKED]. Research typical current costs (with source links) for flights from [HOME CITY], accommodation, food per day, local transport, activities we want ([ACTIVITIES]), insurance and fees. Make an Excel file with: a summary sheet (total, per person, per day), one row per category with low and high estimates, a 10% buffer, and a daily spending tracker with formulas I can fill in on the trip. Add 5 ways to save money there. Email it to me.
What to change
- [DESTINATION]: E.g. "Japan, 3 cities" or "Mexico City".
- [NUMBER OF PEOPLE]: E.g. "2". Say if any are children.
- [DATES]: E.g. "April 2–16". Season changes prices a lot.
- [CURRENCY]: The currency you want totals in, e.g. "USD" or "EUR".
- [STYLE]: "budget", "mid-range" or "comfort", or describe it: "hostels but nice dinners".
- [ALREADY BOOKED]: What is paid and how much, e.g. "flights $1,400". Write "nothing" if none.
- [HOME CITY]: Where you fly from, e.g. "Seattle".
- [ACTIVITIES]: E.g. "a sumo match, a cooking class, a day trip to Nara".
Example result
- Travel budget: Japan, 2 people, April 2–16 (14 nights)
- Mid-range · totals in USD · flights already paid · all figures below are illustrative estimates
- Summary sheet
- • Total estimate: low $6,900 / high $8,800, including flights already paid
- • Per person: about $3,450 to $4,400
- • Per day on the ground (both of you): about $280 to $380
- • Buffer: 10% added on top of the high estimate
- By category (both people)
- • Flights (paid): $1,400
- • Accommodation: 14 nights of business hotels and one ryokan night, $2,300 to $3,000. Cherry blossom season pushes prices up.
- • Food: $70 to $110 a day. Convenience-store breakfasts, set lunches, one nicer dinner a week.
- • Transport: long-distance trains between Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, plus IC card top-ups. The sheet compares a rail pass with single tickets for this route.
- • Activities: sumo, cooking class, temples, Nara day trip, $450 to $600
- • Insurance, eSIM, fees: $200 to $250
- • Shopping and extras: your own number; the sheet leaves a line for it
- Daily tracker sheet
- • Columns: date, city, category, description, amount in yen, amount in USD (formula), running total
- • A cell for today's exchange rate; all conversions update from it
- • Conditional color when a day goes over its target
- 5 ways to save in Japan
- • Stay near stations in business hotels rather than central boutique hotels
- • Eat the set lunch at restaurants that are pricey at dinner
- • Use an IC card instead of buying single tickets
- • Many shrines, gardens and viewpoints are free
- • Shop for snacks and breakfast at convenience stores and supermarkets after 19:00 for discounts
- Sources
- • Links to each price source are in the "Sources" tab. Prices change; check before booking.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your destination, dates, style and anything already booked.
- Paste it in todo.is on the Today screen, or send it to your agent by email or WhatsApp.
- Get an Excel budget with a summary, low and high estimates, a buffer and a daily tracker.
- During the trip, send your agent "spent ¥4,200 on dinner" and ask it to update the tracker.
Tips for a better result
- Always budget low and high. The truth usually lands in between, and the gap shows your risk.
- Add a 10 to 15% buffer for things you can't predict, like a taxi when the trains stop.
- Watch card fees: ask the agent to add a line for foreign transaction and ATM fees.
- Set a flight or hotel price tracker before you book to catch a drop in the biggest costs.
travel budget planner: FAQ
- How much should I budget per day for travel? It depends on the country and your style. Your agent looks up typical costs for your destination and gives a low and a high daily estimate with sources.
- What costs do people forget in a travel budget? Card and ATM fees, airport transfers, tips, luggage fees, travel insurance, visas and the first and last day's meals.
- Can it convert currencies automatically? Yes. The sheet has one exchange-rate cell and formulas that convert everything from it. Update the rate when you travel.
- Is this financial advice? No. It is a planning estimate based on public prices. For big decisions, check real quotes before you commit.
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