camasa45

I will be on a long distance "credit card" tour this summer with a friend. We will be splitting the cost of motels each night.
We don't want to get into the awkward situation where one pays and then the other forgets what is owed. It would be nice to immediately share or split the cost when a bill arises.

Is there a good app to swap money back and forth? Or maybe having a prepaid Visa debit card where both have put in an equal amount of money? Or maybe try to get the hotel upon check out to split the bill and each pay that half?
I would really appreciate others' suggestion on how to share costs in the best possible way.
Thanks,
Chuck

spelger

how about just "rock, paper, scissors?"

bruce19

On motorcycle trips cross country with friends we just took turns paying and saved all receipts. At the end of the trip we totaled the entire thing. Then we each added up what we had paid. If your share of the whole was less than your receipts you just paid others who had over paid. Seemed to work well.

CAT7RDR

Arm wrestling?
Your prepaid debit card sounds like a good idea because that insures the funds are available and eliminates awkwardness in paying.

Fahrenheit531 

Pocket notebook. Pencil.

Call me crazy...

Atlas Shrugged

Have one person pay everything and split the bill at the end or take an envelope everyone puts in $1,000 pay from envelope all group bills top up when empty. The later is our preferred, only covers group bills, plus still allows someone to pick up the round and pay from own pocket.

indyfabz

Carry cash. And if you’re truly friend you should be able to work things out. How are you going to handle meals?

Koyote

If you want an app, use Venmo.

Flip Flop Rider

I pay today, you pay tomorrow

Skulking

Taking turns paying for stuff is the easiest way of doing it if close enough to even is good for you. When I travel with friends that's usually how I do it. Occasionally I travel with people who are more uptight about wanting an even split and I've been happy with using splitwise for those trips.

Camilo

I think Venmo might work well for this: one pays, the other reimburses through Venmo right away. Things stay even all the way along.

That said, I'm old and have only used Venmo a couple of times. I do think it serves a good purpose similar to what OP is looking for. But, we've always roughly alternated paying, kept receipts and evened things out at the end.

dedhed

I'd be the guy to pay with my CC and get the points.

billridesbikes

Almost all hotels and restaurants will run both cards for you for however much you want on each card. It’s never been a problem for me.

Kapusta

This works really well, IMO. Just pay however is most convenient, save the receipts or mark your name down on it and stuff in in an envelope. At the end of the trip, work out who owns who what from those receipts.

The nice thing about that is you don't need to keep track of who's turn it is to get gas, hotel, whatever.

Troul 

You both sit down prior to the trip & estimate the overall expenditure. When the estimate has been achieved for the grand total, split the total. Then decide how you both will disperse the money using an agreed method or many - via: prepaid cards, cash, app.

What this will achieve is it will uncover whether both of you are on the same page for how much the trip might cost, remove as much uncertainty for channeling money around, & also lays out a rough agenda (itinerary) that could may impact each others schedule.
A good friend should not require a written contract or some drafted agreement, but communication is always good to exercise in order to maintain a good relationship. Both should sorta assume that it will cost more than expected & to accept without resentment a small amount of the other person's potential excessive spending (forgot the wallet, card in the other jeans etc etc)

Elbeinlaw

I love this idea, combined with the person who said start out by estimating all expenses, top up as needed. The thing I would worry about in doing my day/your day is that what if you get part way and the other person suddenly can't buy their days? If you do cash, in an envelope, up front then you know you have at least a portion of their portion covered.

AdkMtnMonster

I’d say it comes down to who has the nicer bike, and who takes the longest pulls into the wind.

Riveting

Last one to the hotel pays. Great incentive.

Troul 

ya didn't say which hotel!

Looks like you're paying for the Presidential Suite of Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai!