1. Structure Your Data Table
Create columns for each financial data point. Essential columns include:
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E(estimated or actual)
- F(if any)
- G(Calculated - See Formula Below)
- B
LoveGoBuy: Automate Your Budget Tracking with Our Smart Spreadsheet
2026-01-06
Take control of your international purchases by automating financial tracking for full visibility and smarter decisions.
The Challenge: Tracking Complex International Spending
When shopping through a proxy service like LoveGoBuy, your total cost isn't just the item price. It's a sum of product costs, domestic shipping (to the warehouse), international shipping, service fees, and potential refunds. Manually calculating this is tedious and error-prone. Our automated spreadsheet solution solves this.
The Solution: An All-in-One Automated Financial Dashboard
By integrating key formulas into a structured spreadsheet, you transform a simple list into a powerful budgeting tool. Here’s how to set it up.
2. Implement the Core Automation Formulas
This is where the magic happens. Apply these formulas to automate calculations.
Formula for Total Cost per Item
In cell G2 (for your first item row), input the formula to sum costs and subtract refunds:
=SUM(B2:E2) - F2This formula adds the Store Price, Domestic Shipping, Service Fee, and International Shipping, then deducts any Refund.
Formula for Grand Totals
At the bottom of your sheet, create a summary section:
- Total Spending (Pre-Refund):=SUM(B2:B100) + SUM(C2:C100) + SUM(D2:D100) + SUM(E2:E100)
- Total Refunds Received:=SUM(F2:F100)
- Net Total Cost (Final):=SUM(G2:G100)or= [Total Spending] - [Total Refunds]
- Average Cost per Item:=AVERAGE(G2:G100)
3. Enhance Visibility with Charts & Conditional Formatting
Go beyond numbers for better decision-making.
- Create a Pie Chart:
- Use Conditional Formatting:
- Add a Budget vs. Actual Cell:Net Total Cost.
- Use Conditional Formatting:
Key Benefits: Why Automate?
Full Financial Visibility
See the true cost
Informed Decision-Making
Before submitting a shipment, you can analyze if consolidating more items lowers the average shipping cost per piece.
Accurate Refund Tracking
Automatically deduct refunds for incorrect or out-of-stock items, ensuring your records always match your wallet.
Future Budget Planning
Historical data from your spreadsheet helps you set more accurate budgets for your next LoveGoBuy haul.