SAMPLE COST PLANNER
Make the numbers understandable.
Start with 150 estimated attendees. Decide how each item should be calculated before comparing the total.
Example cost table
On a small screen, swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
| Item | How it is planned | Packages | Price / package | Estimated cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamburgers | 60% of 150 people × 1.5 each = 135 needed; 12 per package | 12 | $25.00 | $300.00 |
| Cheese slicesParent item: Hamburgers | 2 slices × 135 hamburgers = 270 needed; 100 per package | 3 | $18.00 | $54.00 |
| Hamburger bunsParent item: Hamburgers | 1 bun × 135 hamburgers; 12 per package | 12 | $5.00 | $60.00 |
| Sausage links | 40% of 150 people × 1 each = 60 needed; 5 per package | 12 | $5.92 | $71.04 |
| Chafing dish sets | Fixed purchase: 3 packages, with 3 sets in each | 3 | $31.47 | $94.41 |
| Venue | Fixed booking | 1 | $900.00 | $900.00 |
| Activities | Fixed allowance | 1 | $350.00 | $350.00 |
| Other food, drinks & supplies | Fixed allowance | 1 | $270.55 | $270.55 |
| Permits & insurance | Fixed allowance | 1 | $200.00 | $200.00 |
| Contingency | Fixed reserve | 1 | $400.00 | $400.00 |
| Shirts & keepsakes | Fixed allowance | 1 | $500.00 | $500.00 |
| Total planned cost | $3,200.00 | |||
Round packages up
135 hamburgers ÷ 12 per package = 11.25 packages. Buy 12 packages to have 144 hamburgers. Related cheese and bun requirements use the 135 hamburgers needed, before package rounding.
Use a fixed quantity for equipment
Three chafing-dish packages provide 9 sets for $94.41. Equipment does not need to grow automatically with every attendee. Review it when plans change instead of entering an override in every attendance column.
Estimates are not purchases
Registered attendance and financially complete attendance describe different planning scenarios. A forecast is not money spent or money received. Revisit quantities as event RSVPs become clearer.
These are fictional planning prices and allowances, not shopping recommendations. Add the actual taxes, fees and other costs that apply to your family.
Next: turn the budget into ticket prices →