Mileage Log

Freelancing often requires driving from your home or office out into the community. Keeping track of your mileage, and its purpose, is an excellent habit both for the purposes of writing off the expenses on your taxes at the end of year, as well as keeping track of miles for reimbursement.

To make life easier, I use a dedicated mileage tracker.

While I used apps in the past, I found that from a privacy standpoint, I felt uncomfortable when confronted with just how closely apps can track my whereabouts at all times. It was also far more work to go through a list of every single place I’d been and determine if it was a work trip or a personal trip and match it both with the location and the time (if I was reviewing them at the end of the week) than it was to simply write down my mileage when I left for a job and when I arrived, then the return trip home, and then tossing those into my spreadsheet once a week. So it was a win for time, and a win for privacy.

With this mileage tracker, I’ve created a reference tool so you can track all your miles in one place. All you have to do is enter your payees (agencies, clients, etc), enter the miles you drive and a simple location reference, and let the tables do the rest. This is the tool I use to keep track of everything, so I can see which miles are paid and which aren’t, which agencies and clients require the most travel, and even during which months I travel the most for work purposes.

If you’re going to write off miles for your work, you’ll need to make sure you do so in a consistent way, and in a way which maintains a high ethical standard. This means having an honest, consistent record of miles driven for work (and nothing else, of course).

I use the table and the accompanying charts to get an overview of all driving needed for my work. When it comes to tax time, you can print these reports or send the file directly to your accountant for review. If you file taxes yourself, be sure everything is clearly documented and that your miles and deductions all match.

A lot of apps which track mileage on phones require collection and use of a lot of data. Not only does this affect your own privacy, it also affects the privacy of the people we serve, by virtue of where we go. Plus, many now require a monthly or annual subscription to use their service.

I value privacy, and I want other interpreters to be able to do the same. This mileage tracker can be kept on your own computer, its information seen only by you (and your accountant, should you need it reviewed, of course). It’s specific enough to allow for easy reference while also allowing for privacy and confidentiality. If this sounds like something you might find useful, you can get your very own copy below.

Purchasing this item grants use to one individual only. If you would like to purchase additional copies, such as to share with colleagues, you can add additional copies in the cart and receive an automatic 10% discount on your order. Language On Hand is a small, independent business, and your support is appreciated. Language On Hand offers a 30 day satisfaction guarantee. If you have any issues or questions, or would like to request a refund, please reach out by email to support@languageonhand.org and I’ll be happy to help. If you have a request for a specific feature or addition, feel free to get in touch as well and I’ll be happy to see if I am able accommodate your request.

General disclaimer: All information presented above is for educational and reference purposes and is not considered legal or financial advice. Product is provided as a tool for reference and record keeping for freelance work and is intended for that purpose. Please consult your accounting or tax professional to ensure accuracy of all your records.