Rally Budgeting

So, I was sifting through looking for any threads on how some of you are budgeting for your future rallies but was unable to find any. Reason being I'm pretty new to this and need to start learning. I found out just recently about how huge of a task preparing for a rally is when Robert and I ran Olympus. If anyone could point me in the right direction of any threads you know of I would appreciate it or we could just start a threat right here and everyone could post their tips n tricks on how they built their budget and how you choose what rally would be the most bang for you buck or anything else that may fit here.

Of course if there is a thread somewhere else just ignore this and point me to it.

Thanks all!

Kobi

All of it

what kind of budget are you talking about? car, event, all of it.

i found once a car wasn't falling apart every event I would plan for $1000-1500 for the weekend. If it is falling apart, well, then eff if i know. The busiest year I had I spent around $12k. That was 4 events, some car improvements and tons of fun. totally worth every penny.

clearly there are people that do this stuff for way less. but my planning style was, I wouldn't show up to an event with a car that wasn't ready to go. if things needed to be done or I wasn't happy where the car sat I didn't enter an event. it seemed throwing so much time and effort and money towards something that the car wasn't ready for was dumb. so i would go yell my head off cheering at events and support how ever i could.

as for events, you will learn your favs, i love mt hood, oregon trial (in certain years) and doo wop (someday I hope it comes back). I have not done idaho, but i hear great things about it. never got a chance to do Olympus and i give wild west a so so, at least in recent years, it was a big drag race in my opinion.

if i was to pick some to do regardless (assuming the money is allowing), mt hood , idaho, and doo wop. the others, i would need bigger budget to feel comfortable on the roads. mainly with better suspenders and MORE POWAAAAAAA

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"Rally racing makes a heroin addiction look like a vague craving for something salty"

I've done super detailed budgets before. I think in general, most people start with entry fee, notes, and tires.
Then determine how much petrol is going to cost you. You should know the truck loaded v unloaded MPG and rally car's transit and stage MPG, then using maps and the rally schedule to figure out how many miles you'll cover to estimate how much money needed for gasoline.
That's really it that is required. From there you can decide if you're sleeping in the truck or if you can afford a campsite, motel room, hotel room, or house.
Then you can figure out if you're going to bring a cooler full of Natural Light, peanut butter and bread or go on a brewery tour each night and have some steaks.

Always bring plenty of fluids, towels, window cleaner, hose clamps, zip ties, etc.
The more prepared you are the easier and cheaper the weekend will be.

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Grant Hughes

Rough estimates I use is $2500 for an event weekend. Entry, notes, recce, logistics, hotel, gas, food for crew, trailer rental from u-haul.

I guess my estimates are a lot lower. I feel like everything is doable about $1500 a rally at least for me, plus split costs with co-driver (not car/tire costs, but rally weekend costs) I also dont budget for food... I have to eat whether i'm at a rally or not. I'll use the same tires for 4 events... so thats a big cost saver there. It pays to be slow!

You probably should have a budget for capital items, like tools & equipment. Don't buy them all at once, but add something to your inventory each month and budget for it.

Budget for consumables like gas, oil, tires, fluids, etc.

Figure out which events you are willing to do, and stick to that plan.

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It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favour of vegetarianism, while the wolf remains of a different opinion.
William Ralph Inge

TANSTAAFL

Not sure how relevant it is for you but this was kicked around a while ago with the AWD peeps

http://www.dirtyimpreza.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5388

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Quote

This isn't floor mat anarchy

I would figure out how much you want to spend then make that amount work.

That dictates things like:
New Tires vs Used Tires
Camping vs Hotels
Enter low cost local event vs enter a National
Eat @ restaurants vs picnics
Pump gas vs Racing Gas (must have right car! or turn the boost down)
Canada vs US events
Tow Rig vs Drive to the Event
Rent/Borrow safety gear vs Buy fancy safety gear new
Share Service with friend or all your own gear

etc etc etc.

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In the long run reality always wins.

Quote
derek
I would figure out how much you want to spend then make that amount work.

That dictates things like:
New Tires vs Used Tires
Camping vs Hotels
Enter low cost local event vs enter a National
Eat @ restaurants vs picnics
Pump gas vs Racing Gas (must have right car! or turn the boost down)
Canada vs US events
Tow Rig vs Drive to the Event
Rent/Borrow safety gear vs Buy fancy safety gear new
Share Service with friend or all your own gear

etc etc etc.

There's a reason I likes you Derek (and it ain't der grosse schwanger!)
Logic...

I already talked to him about the role of planning and certainties vs uncertainties..

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
Remember! Pacific Standard Time
is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.

Take whatever you think it is gonna cost and double it. IF you come in under budget it will be a nice surprise.

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Jay Woodward
Snohomish, WA
'90 Mazdog Frankenprotege
Chronologically, 46...

I use a very similar approach to Derek. I created a separate bank account for the rally car. And then setup my direct deposit from work to put some money from every paycheck in the rally account.

This way it is very easy to see how much money the rally budget has and make decisions about where to spend the money at any given time. I only have $1500 - $2000 right now looks like no new tires for this event. Or I have $200 looks like I can't swing the entry fee so that rally is a no go. This also keeps me from having conversations like well I really need to buy groceries or maybe I should buy this new tool or part for the car.

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Andrew_Frick
I use a very similar approach to Derek. I created a separate bank account for the rally car. And then setup my direct deposit from work to put some money from every paycheck in the rally account.

This way it is very easy to see how much money the rally budget has and make decisions about where to spend the money at any given time. I only have $1500 - $2000 right now looks like no new tires for this event. Or I have $200 looks like I can't swing the entry fee so that rally is a no go. This also keeps me from having conversations like well I really need to buy groceries or maybe I should buy this new tool or part for the car.

Same here.

Me also. All my rally funding comes from outside income like side work, selling stuff, ect, and I keep a seperate account for that. I plan on $1500 for a regional, and $2000 for a regional that runs along side a national.

Nice, all good recommendations. Helps give me a better understanding of what I should be looking at. I like Andrews second bank acct method. Seems like a pretty good idea.
My biggest goal is to try and pull off four rally's a year. But, yeah looking at the big picture its a lot of money!
I was talking with John and Robert and they both gave me some good advice too. Like planning for car repairs and going into a rally with a well built car so that you have less of a chance of being stuck on the side of a stage watching yourself not get your monies worth for the rally. When planning the rallies you want to do, it was suggested that I get a calendar of the year and mark down all the rallies within reach of my area and figure out what ones will give me the most bang for my buck. All good ideas!
I'm excited to get this figured out and get the ball rolling. One thing I really need to start doing is really keeping a good log of all the money I spend pertaining to the car, the events, fuel, lodging. In the future this could also give ne a better feel of what to budget.