The event budget, line by line

Every failed event budget fails the same three ways: a forgotten cost line, fees treated as rounding, and cash arriving later than the invoices. Here's a structure that survives all three — copy it into any spreadsheet.

Income lines

• Ticket revenue net of fees, per tier — model each tier at expected volume, not capacity.
• Bar / catering margin (yours or a rev-share).
• Sponsorship, stall fees, programme ads.
• Merch margin.

Cost lines organisers forget

• Contingency — 10% of total costs, minimum, as its own line.
• Insurance (PLI ~£60–£200 for small events), licences (TENs at £21 each), PRS/PPL music licensing.
• Access costs: BSL, ramps, quiet space — budget them from the start, not as an add-on.
• Refund float: 2–5% of sales for the refunds you'll grant beyond policy.
• Your time, priced at anything at all.

The cash-flow check

A budget can be profitable and still bankrupt you mid-project if deposits are due before on-sale revenue arrives. Add two dates to every line: when it's committed and when cash moves. Platforms that pay out after the event push all ticket cash to the end — with deposits up front, that gap is the killer. Platforms settling to your own Stripe as sales happen (Tickts, Ticket Tailor) fund the project while it's being built.

A sane structure for versions

1. Budget v1 at 60% attendance — must not lose money you can't afford.
2. Budget v2 at realistic attendance — your operating plan.
3. Budget v3 at sell-out — decides upgrades in advance, so success doesn't cause improvisation.