How we manage our budget traveling SE Asia for 10 months as a family of 6 (Currently in Da Nang)

Hey everyone 👋

My wife, our 4 kids, and I have been traveling through Southeast Asia for the last 10 months. We are currently based in beautiful Da Nang, Vietnam.

One of the biggest challenges of long-term travel with a large family is managing the finances without constantly stressing out. Over the months, we’ve developed a few rules that save us a ton of money and headaches:

1. The "True ATM Cost" Rule: > ATMs here (and across SE Asia) have withdrawal limits and local fees, plus whatever your home bank charges. We always calculate the total percentage lost on a withdrawal before taking out cash. If the combined fee is too high, we try another bank or stick to card payments where possible.

2. Guarding against bad Exchange Rates: > When crossing borders and standing at a currency exchange booth, it's easy to get confused by the numbers. We make it a strict rule to instantly check the spread. If the exchange booth is taking more than a 5% cut compared to the real market rate, we walk away.

3. Knowing our "Runway": > Instead of just looking at our "total spent," we constantly track our daily burn rate. This helps us predict exactly how many days our current budget will last if we keep spending at the same pace.

How we track it all: Honestly, trying to track multiple currencies, ATM fees, and daily expenses for 6 people on mobile spreadsheets became a total nightmare (especially while holding luggage and kids).

How do you guys manage complex group/family expenses on long trips without losing your minds? Would love to hear your methods!