RivetBangers.com

Not me...

I haven't got a CLUE!

I just buy stuff and put it in the project.

Sure, I have an idea how much I have spent. I just don't need that data point.

Are you actually keeping track of your spending?

CJ

I can account for every penny. Though I don't look at it too often, when I do, I generally feel good about it.

What I do do that is a killer is forecast future costs as accurately possible. I have a spreadsheet that calculates not only the finish cost, but projects the cost of ownership and operation based upon hangar, fuel burn, insurance. Its even setup to calculate an aircraft note if you finance some portion. I came up with a version of it when I was in the 172 and just modified it for the build.

Knowing what it will cost me per month to own and fly x amount of hours, well, that is what I find scary!


Spike

Since I do not have a RV project, I get off a little bit cheaper than the rest of you. I only maintain and repair so I have an accumulation of tools that incledes items a lot of you might not have.

Of course the biggest expense is the roll away box. When I first took the job I was lied to and didn't need tools. Of course I get to the new location and found out otherwise. I started out with a three piece stackable craftsman but it didn't take long before I needed more room. The company had an account with grainger and we could purchase with our own money at a discount and tax free. I ended up getting a discontinued model Proto box for one thousand even though the equivalant model at the time retailed for about twenty five hundred. About three months later I spent another six hundred for an additional bolt on side box. $1600 got me close to $3500 worth of tool containers. I probably spent about $8000 for all the tools inside giving me a rough total of about $10K total but I hink it is worth more than that since I scrounged a lot of good deals.

I have several pics of the box and tools in my gallery on here.

I'm with Spike in that I can account for every expense down to the last penny. 'Course, I account for pretty much every penny we spend on everything.

I have a five or six page spreadsheet that I've built up to account for everything I've spent, and project what I will spend in the end. I look at it often enough, that at any given time, I can tell you within about $500 what I have in it, and what I expect to have in it after the DAR inspection.

I have to look at this three ways...one, it's a toy. Two, it's an investment. And three, in my case, it's a debt. Because of the last two, I feel I have to know what I have in it.

I'm in denial and trying not to think about it...especially since the time for an engine and a prop is drawing near.

I don't have a spreadsheet, but have a good idea of the big items cost. I'll be flying a finished plane for about $75K or less. Close enough for my math.

I'm frugal, so don't worry about it to much. IF I did, I be more worried about my retirement account which is worth a fraction of 2 yrs ago. I look at RV money as a great value/$ spent.

I have a pretty good idea, but not exact. I know that I will never make up a spreadsheet that tells me how much it costs to fly--

I keep track of everything from the factory, stuff that well end up in the aircraft and specific aircraft tool purchases, but I do not have specific accounting for things like sand paper/tape/shop supplies or how much I spent on the shop in general.

I have tracked all the expenses.

Things are about to get really expensive though since 2010 is the year of the engine/prop and rest of the avionics.

I keep meticulous track of all of the small orders I make to places like ACS and stein. I keep a Google spreadsheet of parts I will need to order. The nice thing about keeping the spreadsheet online, instead of on excel, is when I am at work or home, I can easily update my "to buy" list. Once I am at a point where I *need* to order a part, I order all other parts I have on the spreadsheet from that vendor.

Once I order it, I move the cells of the "to buy" spreadsheet to another page on the sheet - "ordered parts". So I have a complete electronic list of everything small I have ordered.

Although I have all of this, I haven't mustered up the courage to sum all the costs up. I am afraid to know.

Who are the other 2 people like me who have no freakin' idea!?!

I want to know!

CJ

I've used Quicken for years and can run a report for "RV" or "tools" and get exactly what I've spent. It's easy if you set up your categories.

I don't keep track of every item, but I do have a general "Airplane" category set up in Quicken, so if I ever want a quick report on costs, I can get it.

I'm living the dream after waiting 20 years to start building. It will be cheap compared to getting my 3 kids raised and educated. Would you track the costs of raising your children?

I have no frekin' idea CJ! If I kept track of spending I'd probably freak out and not finish the project!!!

I'm one of 'em, John!

Thank God, guys!

I was starting to think that I was alone for a minute there!

I just dumped another bundle on doo dads last weekend!

No record of it WHATSOEVER!!!

CJ

RobDob wrote:I have no frekin' idea CJ! If I kept track of spending I'd probably freak out and not finish the project!!!

When I was first thinking of building one.. I went to Van's website and used their build cost calculator.. When I totalled it... I said to myself.."I really can't afford to build one".

So, I threw that calculator out the window (so to speak) and even though I have kept every Invoice and Purchase Order in a file folder...I will never take the time to add it up. It's only money spent that you can't take with you to the next life... so why worry about it.

Garfield pretty much sums it up for me:

Wicked Stick wrote:...I threw that calculator out the window (so to speak) and even though I have kept every Invoice and Purchase Order in a file folder...I will never take the time to add it up. It's only money spent that you can't take with you to the next life... so why worry about it.

Well said, Dave!

Ummmm, yeah. Which explains why I don't have any

bruceh wrote:Would you track the costs of raising your children?