Budget for price changes in prepaid supply
Start with the price on your current quote and the number of orders you expect to place. Work out what changes if the unit price goes up, then try the same calculation with higher volumes. Keep face value, fees and funding terms separate so the budget owner can see what drove each total.
Budget comparison
| Scenario | Assumed unit cost | Volume | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current terms | Current confirmed cost | Planned units | Cost × volume |
| Scenario A | Explicit hypothetical change | Same volume | Recalculated total |
| Scenario B | Explicit hypothetical change | Higher volume | Recalculated total |
By Freepaid · Published
Establish the baseline
Record the product, face value, price, fees, effective date and account terms from a current quote or invoice. Take volumes from recent orders or label them as estimates. Give per-order, account and funding charges their own lines.
Change one assumption at a time
Say you plan to buy 1,000 units at R19.80 each. Your starting budget is R19,800. A 3% rise would take the unit cost to R20.394 and the total to R20,394 before other charges. That adds R594 at the same volume.
Keep the price at R19.80 and try 1,100 units. The total is R21,780. Now you can see how much extra demand would cost on its own. If you expect both changes together, calculate a third total.
State assumptions and decisions
For every scenario, record who selected the percentage or volume, why, and whether it is a planning stress test or approved budget. Ask the supplier how price changes are communicated, when they take effect and whether open quotes remain valid. Confirm the commercial terms in writing before ordering.
Decide what action follows if the budget exceeds a threshold: seek approval, adjust order timing, revisit the product mix or update the forecast. Do not substitute a different product without confirming that it meets the recipient need. Keep a contingency amount only if finance approves its purpose.
Refresh after actual changes
When you get a new quote, date the new baseline and keep the previous version. Compare actual prices and volumes with the figures you used in your budget.
Ask for a quote that covers your account and the products you plan to buy. Freepaid bulk airtime
Confirm how the supplier rounds prices
The R20.394 scenario uses full precision until the basket is totalled. If the supplier rounds each unit to R20.39 first, 1,000 units would instead cost R20,390 before other charges. Ask which calculation appears on the quote and in the statement. Use the supplier's confirmed basis for purchase approval and keep your planning calculation clearly labelled.
If price and volume change together, show each driver separately as well as the combined estimate. That lets the budget owner decide whether to revisit quantities, confirm a new quote or approve a higher ceiling.