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What It Costs to Try
Estimate the cheapest first version of your idea.
- Spreadsheet
- 4 pages
- About 30 to 45 minutes to fill in
- Google Sheets · Excel · PDF
Making this yourself would take about 6 hours: working out the steps, writing the examples and setting it up in Google, Microsoft and PDF. It's done for you.
This document
What It Costs to Try, all three formats
$7
Idea pack
This one plus 1 more Idea document
$10
The voice in this video is George's, made with AI.
What it's for
You want to try an idea and want to know the real cost of the cheapest first version before you buy anything.
What you'll need: About 30 to 45 minutes. Google Sheets (free) or Microsoft Excel, or one sheet of paper. Nothing to buy.
Pairs well with
- Is This Idea Worth Pursuing? (decide what to try)
- Safe Money and Time Planner (know your limit first)
- Your First Small Test (run the test)
What you'll leave with
- Every item your first version needs, and why.
- A free option for each item, and the cheapest paid option only where free won't do.
- The total cash, total setup hours and how many items you're doing for free.
- A clear answer on whether it fits the most you're willing to spend.
Look inside
How to use it
Work through the steps in order. Each one has a worked example and space to write your own answer.
- Open the Start Here tabRead the steps, the color key and the free tools.
- Look at the Example tabSee how Priya estimated her first home organizing jobs.
- Your Turn, the top lineWrite your idea in one line and the most you're willing to spend.
- Your Turn, the item listList only what you need to try it, not what you'd want one day.
- Your Turn, free firstFor each item, write a free option. If it's good enough for now, pick Yes. If not, add the cheapest paid option and its cost.
- Your Turn, hoursAdd the hours each item takes to set up.
- Read the resultsCheck the top for total cash, total hours and whether it fits your limit. If it doesn't, cut items or find more free options.
Tips
- Borrow before you buy. Ask a friend who already has the tool.
- Do by hand anything you can do by hand for the first few customers.
- AI tools sometimes name tools that have changed their free plans. Check each one yourself.
Three formats, one purchase
- Google SheetsMake a copy in your Google Drive and type straight into it.
- Microsoft ExcelDownload and fill it in on your computer.
- PDFPrint it and fill it in with a pen.
Idea pack
Also in the Idea pack
2 documents in all
Is This Idea Worth Pursuing?
Separate facts from guesses and decide whether it deserves a test.
About 7 hours to make yourself
Ready to start?
Pay once, keep it, and download it as often as you like.