Homemade Gift Batch Costing Sheet

Who this is for

What each homemade gift really costs. Enter what went into the batch and the packaging, at the pack prices you paid, to see the cost per jar or bag.

People who make chutney, jam, fudge, biscuits, candles, soap or bath salts to give as presents and want to know whether it is cheaper than buying, or how many batches the list needs.

What this helps you track

• The cost of the ingredients or materials used in one batch
• Only the part of each pack you used, not the whole pack price
• The packaging cost per unit: jar, lid, label, ribbon, bag
• What the whole batch cost and what each unit cost
• Whether one batch covers everyone on the gift list

How to use it

1. Write the product, the date you made it, how many units the batch gave and how many people are on the list.
2. For each ingredient or material, enter the quantity used, the size of the pack it came from (in the same unit) and what the pack cost.
3. In the packaging table, enter each item used per unit, how many came in the pack and the pack price.
4. The cost columns and the summary are worked out in the browser and the workbook; on paper, divide and multiply across each line.
5. Compare the cost per unit with what you would pay to buy something similar, and note changes for the next batch.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser
• Excel / Google Sheets workbook

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The workbook uses plain formulas only — SUM, IF, COUNTIF and the like — so it opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets without anything breaking, and every calculated cell is grey so you can see which figures it worked out.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Why do I enter the pack size and not just the price?

Because a batch rarely uses a whole pack. The sheet divides what you used by what was in the pack and multiplies by the pack price, so a spoonful of spice costs a spoonful's share rather than the whole jar.

What units should I use?

Any, as long as quantity used and pack size are in the same unit for that line: grams and grams, millilitres and millilitres, or items and items.

Does it include electricity or gas for cooking?

There is no line for it by default. If you want to count it, add a row with your own estimate from your bill; the sheet does not supply energy costs.

Can I use it to price gifts I sell?

It gives the materials cost per unit, which is a starting point. Selling needs your time, overheads and fees too; the handmade product costing calculator is built for that.