💸 5 tips on how to split costs without killing the vibe

1. Agree on how you'll split expenses before you even start

Splitting everything down the middle, or taking turns to pay, it doesn't really matter which one you pick, as long as you pick one before the trip starts. Deciding this on the road, mid-argument, is how resentment builds.

Marco (my boyfriend, yeah that German dude I picked up in the middle of Daintree Rainforest 😂) told me he once did a day trip with a group of backpackers he met at a hostel, and ended up covering all the fuel himself, simply because he didn’t talk about how they would split costs at the beginning.

2. Track it as you go, not from memory

Use a note on your phone or an app like Splitwise. "I'll remember" never works past day three. Whoever's paying should snap a photo of the receipt or pop it into Splitwise on the spot. Takes five seconds, saves you so much headache later.

3. Decide how you're handling fuel

Some are happy taking turns to pay for fuel, others prefer a proper even split. On my road trip, I paid for all the groceries and my buddy paid for all the fuel. At the end of the trip, we worked out an even split and sent the other the difference.

One thing people forget: whoever owns the car also has extra costs like servicing and insurance. Just work out what works between you guys. Trust me, you don't want your ride to break down in the middle of the way 🚐

4. Same goes for groceries

Some crews love cooking together and splitting the groceries 50/50. Others prefer buying their own stuff, especially with different dietary requirements. Neither is wrong, just agree which one you're doing before the first grocery run.

5. Camp fees and accommodation too

Work out whether you're free camping or paying for caravan parks. There are heaps of free camp spots on WikiCamps or Campermate, so have a look together, try to agree on something.