BusimyHow to split travel expenses with friends
The simplest way to split trip expenses with friends is that everyone records what they pay at the moment, with who it is split among, and at the end you work out each person's net balance: those who owe pay those who are owed, with few transfers.
Before you leave
- Agree on what's shared (lodging, car, fuel, meals together) and what's each one's own.
- Decide which currency you will keep accounts in if you travel abroad.
- Choose an app where everyone can record.
During the trip
- Everyone records what they pay, at the moment, with who it is split among.
- If someone doesn't take part in an expense (a tour, a dinner), leave them out of that one.
- If you pay in another currency, record it in that currency: don't convert by eye.
Back home: settle with few transfers
Add up what each one paid and what their share was. The difference is their balance: positive, they're owed; negative, they owe. With that, one transfer per person who owes is almost always enough.
An example with numbers
Four friends. Anna paid the lodging ($1,600), Ben the fuel ($320) and Carol two dinners ($480). Total: $2,400, each share is $600. Anna paid $1,000 too much, Ben owes $280, Carol owes $120 and Dan, who paid nothing, owes $600. Ben, Carol and Dan pay Anna and you are done: three transfers.
How Busimy does it
In Busimy you create an event for the trip and add people, even if they don't live with you. Everyone records what they pay, in any currency, and the event shows who owes whom with the fewest transfers. Your share of each expense also counts in your personal spending.
A 4-day trip, expense by expense
Anna paid $800 and her share is $360: she is owed $440. Ben paid $240 and his share is $300: he owes $60. Carla paid $160 and her share is $360: she owes $200. Dan paid $180 and his share is $360: he owes $180.
Three transfers settle it, all to Anna. "Everyone pays everyone" would take up to six.
| Expense | Paid by | Amount | Split among |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodging | Anna | $800 | All 4 |
| Gas and tolls | Ben | $240 | All 4 |
| Groceries | Carla | $160 | All 4 |
| Tour | Dan | $180 | Anna, Carla and Dan |
If you travel in two currencies
Abroad, what's paid in the local currency is kept in that currency. At the end you convert once, at the rate you agree on, so nobody loses by mixing rates.
Frequently asked questions
- What if someone fronts money for everyone?
- Record it as an expense that person paid, split among everyone: at the end they get back what they put in beyond their share.
- Can you split in different shares?
- Yes: equally, by amounts, or leaving out whoever did not take part in an expense.
- What if someone leaves early?
- They share only the costs of the days they were there; the rest is split among those who stayed.