Stopped using spreadsheets for mileage tracking, saved $400 this quarter

I used to manually log my driving miles in a spreadsheet for tax deductions, but kept missing trips around Denver. Switched to a free app that auto-tracks using my phone's GPS and found I was underreporting by about 30 percent. Has anyone else found that manual tracking actually costs you money in missed deductions?

4 comments

4 Comments

matthewking14d ago

Wait, 200 miles in one month? How do you just forget that much, that's wild. @kim_mason55 you're right that stuff adds up fast. My brother did something similar last year, he was driving all over the suburbs for his landscaping gig and his paper log had maybe half of what his phone app caught later. He missed out on like $90 in one quarter just from being lazy with his notebook. Crazy what you leave on the table when you're not paying attention.

coleman.hannah15d ago

My uncle in Phoenix tried the manual log method last year and ended up forgetting to write down like 200 miles of client visits in July alone. He figured out later that cost him around $120 in missed deductions just for that one month. Now he uses an app with GPS and says its way easier to just let the phone do the remembering for him.

kim_mason5515d ago

Honestly, did it ever really hit you how much those little forgetful moments actually add up? I used to be all about the manual log method, thought it was the only way to really keep track. But hearing about your uncle missing out on $120 in one month just from forgetting miles totally changed my mind. That's real money, not just pocket change, and it's crazy how easy it is to slip up when you're doing it by hand. Ngl, I always figured apps were just for people who didn't want to put in the work, but your story makes it sound like the smart move. Tbh, I'm definitely going to look into one of those GPS trackers now because I don't want to leave money on the table like that.

shane_morgan14d ago

The real kicker is the IRS keeps track too so you're basically gambling if your log doesn't match.