I just spoke to a book keeper who told me how to log travel expenses.
Log Book
You buy a travel log book from a stationers, which will be available on line if it's pouring with rain and you want it delivered overnight, though possibly cheaper if you have a loyalty card. (Does Rymans in the UK have one ? I thought they were more expensive but I think my colleague has a loyalty card which gives about 10 per cent off. You might also try W H Smith.) You might get free delivery from Viking or Staples or Amazon if you make up an order of a minimum amount and/or belong to a premium scheme).
Mileage Record
Each time you take a journey, for example, to buy stuff for your business office or rental property, note down the mileage at the start and end of the outward journey. Remember to note the return journey.
Setting Trip counter
This means knowing how to set your trip mileage - not doctoring the total mileage or your car! The first time you do this, or when collecting the car from the garage salesman, ask to be shown how it's done. Or sit down with the car handbook and stick a post-it on the page. Or photograph it in your phone.
Oops - I forgot
It's tempting to forget at the destination. You rush into the shop before it closes. You don't want to run up higher parking charges by delaying. You forget.
So you would think that afterwards you could just mark your setting out point. Note your reach home point and halve it.
Then copy that number any time you forget, or do a one way trip. When you get home (to your home, home office, or office) run out and check the final mileage.
Phone Records
If you are in a great hurry, and remember to do it but don't have time, it might be quicker just to photograph the mileage with your handphone. Then note the miles or kilometers in the logbook later. The picture has the date as well as the photo of the mileage.
Outward and Return Journeys May Differ
You would think each half of the round trip would be the same. So if you forget to note the return the first time you could simply take the number of the end of the outward journey and add the same number of miles. Just find the mileage from the AA route.
You might also note the numbers and find they differ and wonder if you have made a mistake. (Or if you are paranoid, you night wonder how to explain that to the boss and tax man.
However, with one way systems in and out of the car park and around the city it might be different. The same goes for long journeys with all those slip roads to enter motorways.
It saves time and thought if you ensure you log every time. So on your first, second / next journey to the same destination make sure you keep a log!
Where is the log book? You need to have a place for everything and everything in its place. The log book could be kept in the car.
What if the car is stolen or in an accident? You might wish to take a photo with your mobile of every log or every page.
You probably want to list on the columns:
Date ; start mileage; end mileage' total; cost at 35p per mile (or the current allowance for petrol and war and tear to your car according to the date of the tax return and the country); reason for journey (generic information for tax office but maybe in bracket another detail to be sure you have not forgotten any journey) such as
Buying stationery (for office)
Buying furniture for property (note which number house or flat if you have several, eg flat 1 New York/London; House 216 Spain/Mexico)
Meeting agent/tenant/plumber
Delivering keys/duplicate keys to
Delivering furniture to rental property
Delivering furniture/desk to office
Attending training course to learn
Teaching training course to staff
Teaching training course for income
Visit factory/warehouse (Homebase, City Branch) to source/research bathroom fittings (small white out of stock)
Accounting For Multiple Similar Journeys
The first time I did this I could not work out six months later why I had visited the same place twice to make one purchase of taps or matching lamp shades. When I saw the item was out of stock (even though I had phoned in advance, but could not have the item reserved) I could see why I had made two trips.
Logging is extra work, time, but saves you time at the end of the year. If the tax office ever queries your figures, you have the evidence and can answer quickly and confidently.
Yearly, Monthly or Weekly Records
The book keeper says if you keep all your records in mostly sections, that is easier. I know people who have to make claims on a weekly basis from their employer. This also means you have less work to do and are less likely to forget.
Xero
You might want to load up your records to an inbox on Xero (a record keeping system online), then later move the records into the relevant category / column needed by the tax office.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Log Book
You buy a travel log book from a stationers, which will be available on line if it's pouring with rain and you want it delivered overnight, though possibly cheaper if you have a loyalty card. (Does Rymans in the UK have one ? I thought they were more expensive but I think my colleague has a loyalty card which gives about 10 per cent off. You might also try W H Smith.) You might get free delivery from Viking or Staples or Amazon if you make up an order of a minimum amount and/or belong to a premium scheme).
Mileage Record
Each time you take a journey, for example, to buy stuff for your business office or rental property, note down the mileage at the start and end of the outward journey. Remember to note the return journey.
Setting Trip counter
This means knowing how to set your trip mileage - not doctoring the total mileage or your car! The first time you do this, or when collecting the car from the garage salesman, ask to be shown how it's done. Or sit down with the car handbook and stick a post-it on the page. Or photograph it in your phone.
Oops - I forgot
It's tempting to forget at the destination. You rush into the shop before it closes. You don't want to run up higher parking charges by delaying. You forget.
So you would think that afterwards you could just mark your setting out point. Note your reach home point and halve it.
Then copy that number any time you forget, or do a one way trip. When you get home (to your home, home office, or office) run out and check the final mileage.
Phone Records
If you are in a great hurry, and remember to do it but don't have time, it might be quicker just to photograph the mileage with your handphone. Then note the miles or kilometers in the logbook later. The picture has the date as well as the photo of the mileage.
Outward and Return Journeys May Differ
You would think each half of the round trip would be the same. So if you forget to note the return the first time you could simply take the number of the end of the outward journey and add the same number of miles. Just find the mileage from the AA route.
You might also note the numbers and find they differ and wonder if you have made a mistake. (Or if you are paranoid, you night wonder how to explain that to the boss and tax man.
However, with one way systems in and out of the car park and around the city it might be different. The same goes for long journeys with all those slip roads to enter motorways.
It saves time and thought if you ensure you log every time. So on your first, second / next journey to the same destination make sure you keep a log!
Where is the log book? You need to have a place for everything and everything in its place. The log book could be kept in the car.
What if the car is stolen or in an accident? You might wish to take a photo with your mobile of every log or every page.
You probably want to list on the columns:
Date ; start mileage; end mileage' total; cost at 35p per mile (or the current allowance for petrol and war and tear to your car according to the date of the tax return and the country); reason for journey (generic information for tax office but maybe in bracket another detail to be sure you have not forgotten any journey) such as
Buying stationery (for office)
Buying furniture for property (note which number house or flat if you have several, eg flat 1 New York/London; House 216 Spain/Mexico)
Meeting agent/tenant/plumber
Delivering keys/duplicate keys to
Delivering furniture to rental property
Delivering furniture/desk to office
Attending training course to learn
Teaching training course to staff
Teaching training course for income
Visit factory/warehouse (Homebase, City Branch) to source/research bathroom fittings (small white out of stock)
Accounting For Multiple Similar Journeys
The first time I did this I could not work out six months later why I had visited the same place twice to make one purchase of taps or matching lamp shades. When I saw the item was out of stock (even though I had phoned in advance, but could not have the item reserved) I could see why I had made two trips.
Logging is extra work, time, but saves you time at the end of the year. If the tax office ever queries your figures, you have the evidence and can answer quickly and confidently.
Yearly, Monthly or Weekly Records
The book keeper says if you keep all your records in mostly sections, that is easier. I know people who have to make claims on a weekly basis from their employer. This also means you have less work to do and are less likely to forget.
Xero
You might want to load up your records to an inbox on Xero (a record keeping system online), then later move the records into the relevant category / column needed by the tax office.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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