Keep a bike running-cost log before comparing work options. Record what you spend and how you use the vehicle; don't start with an assumed cost per kilometre.
A fuel purchase is cash leaving your pocket. It does not automatically equal fuel consumed during that day's shift, particularly if you also ride to college or use fuel left from an earlier purchase.
Use a simple record
| Date | Item | Amount paid | Distance or period covered | Work-use note | Receipt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| __ | Fuel / repair / parking / other | __ | __ | Work, personal or mixed | __ |
Keep amounts from actual receipts. IndianOil's price-information page notes that prices can vary between outlets. A generic online city price should not replace what you actually paid.
Record the odometer at useful boundaries, such as the start and end of work-related travel. Keep the same boundary each time. If a trip serves both personal and work purposes, label it mixed rather than pretending the allocation is exact.
Separate cash and allocation
Create two totals:
Cash paid this week: all bike-related spending during the week.
Costs attributed to work: only the portion you can reasonably explain, with the allocation method beside it.
A repair bill can cover use over a longer period. Record it when paid, but don't conclude that one unfortunate day represents every future shift. Equally, a week without repairs does not establish that maintenance costs nothing.
Hustl's approach to comparing work starts with the details of your own day. Different transport arrangements create different costs.
Our delivery net-earnings worksheet can help organise the wider comparison.
After a few entries, check what is still missing: parking, extra travel, mixed-use distance or a receipt. An incomplete log can still be useful if it shows its gaps. It becomes misleading when every unknown is quietly entered as zero.