A Simple System for Tracking Warranties Without a Dedicated App

Warranties matter when things break. Which is precisely when you can't remember if they're still covered.

Here's a simple tracking system that works.

Why Warranty Tracking Matters

Typical scenario:

1. Appliance breaks 13 months after purchase
2. Scramble to find receipt
3. Can't find it
4. Pay for repair
5. Find receipt two weeks later showing 2-year warranty

The system prevents this.

What Actually Needs Tracking

Not everything. Only items with warranties worth claiming.

Track warranties for:

• Appliances (£100+)
• Electronics (phones, laptops, tablets, cameras)
• Furniture (£200+)
• Tools and equipment (£50+)
• Vehicles
• Home improvements/installations
• Expensive clothing (if guaranteed)

Don't track:

• Consumables
• Items under £30
• Things you'll replace not repair
• Items with 30-day returns only

The Spreadsheet System

One spreadsheet. Seven columns.

Column Structure

Item: What you bought

• "Samsung Washing Machine WW90"
• Not just "washing machine"

Purchase Date: DD/MM/YYYY format

• Exact date from receipt

Warranty End: DD/MM/YYYY

• Purchase date + warranty period
• This is the column you'll check

Cost: What you paid

• Helps decide if warranty claim is worth it
• Reference for insurance claims

Retailer: Where you bought it

• Full name
• Some warranties must be claimed through retailer

Receipt Location: Where to find proof of purchase

• Digital file name
• Physical location
• Email date if confirmation

Notes: Anything relevant

• Extended warranty details
• Registration required (yes/no)
• Claim process notes
• Past issues with item

Example Entries

Setting It Up

First time takes 30-45 minutes. Then it's maintained ongoing.

Step 1: Gather Current Items (15 minutes)

Walk through your home. List items with potential active warranties:

• Kitchen appliances
• Laundry appliances
• Electronics
• Furniture
• Tools
• Recent purchases

Write them down. Don't worry about details yet.

Step 2: Find Receipts and Warranty Info (20 minutes)

For each item:

• Check email for receipts
• Check email for warranty registration confirmations
• Check physical filing if you have it
• Check bank statements for purchase date if receipt lost

Can't find receipt? Estimate purchase date from:

• Bank statement
• Memory of when you bought it
• Installation date (for appliances)

Better to estimate than not track.

Step 3: Create Spreadsheet and Enter Data (10 minutes)

Create columns as shown above.

Enter each item with all known information.

Leave fields blank if unknown (can fill in later).

Ongoing Maintenance

When You Buy Something New

Same day as purchase:

1. Save digital receipt

   • Email confirmation
   • Photo of physical receipt
   • Screenshot of order

2. Name file: YYYY-MM-DD_Receipt_ItemDescription

   • Example: 2024-05-22_Receipt_DysonVacuum

3. Add to spreadsheet

   • Item, date, warranty period, cost, retailer, receipt location

4. Register warranty if required

   • Some require online registration
   • Do it same day or you'll forget
   • Note in spreadsheet that it's registered

Total time: 3 minutes.

Monthly Review (5 minutes)

First day of each month:

Check spreadsheet:

1. Filter by warranty end date
2. Look for warranties expiring in next 3 months
3. Note any items with issues that should be claimed before expiry

Set calendar reminder for this.

The Calendar Alert System

Spreadsheet tracks. Calendar reminds.

For Major Purchases (£200+)

Set calendar event 30 days before warranty expiry:

Title: "Warranty expires - [Item]"

Description:

• Item details
• Purchase date
• Where bought
• Any known issues to claim

Action when alert fires:

• Check item condition
• Test all functions
• Report any issues before warranty expires
• If all good, delete alert

For Extended Warranties

If you purchased extended warranty:

Set two calendar events:

1. Manufacturer warranty expiry - "Extended warranty now active"
2. Extended warranty expiry - 30 days notice

Know which warranty is active when.

Receipt Storage System

Two-part system: Physical and digital.

Digital Receipts (Primary)

Folder structure:

Process:

1. All new receipts go to Warranties-Active
2. When warranty expires, move to year folder
3. Delete receipts older than 6 years (after warranty expired)

File naming: YYYY-MM-DD_Retailer_Item

• Example: 2024-05-22_Currys_Microwave

Physical Receipts (Backup)

For major purchases:

• Scan and save digitally (primary)
• Keep physical in folder labeled "Active Warranties"
• When warranty expires, shred physical (keep digital)

For minor purchases:

• Scan digitally
• Shred physical immediately

Most warranty claims accept digital receipts. Physical is backup only.

Warranty Registration

Some warranties require registration.

Check Registration Requirement

When you buy:

• Read warranty card
• Check manufacturer website
• Look for registration deadline

Some warranties void if not registered within 30 days.

Registration Process

Immediately after purchase:

1. Visit manufacturer warranty registration page
2. Enter product details and purchase date
3. Upload or enter receipt information
4. Screenshot confirmation page
5. Note in spreadsheet: "Registered DD/MM/YYYY"

Set calendar reminder 7 days after purchase if you haven't registered.

Making Warranty Claims

You've tracked everything. Now something breaks.

Before Contacting Warranty Support

Gather information:

• Item name and model number
• Purchase date
• Retailer
• Receipt (digital or physical)
• Problem description
• When problem started

Check warranty terms:

• Is this issue covered?
• Is warranty still active?
• Do you claim through retailer or manufacturer?

The Claim Process

Standard process:

1. Contact appropriate party (retailer or manufacturer)
2. Provide purchase proof
3. Describe problem
4. Follow their process (repair, replace, refund)
5. Get claim reference number
6. Note in spreadsheet

Add to spreadsheet:

• Column: "Claim History"
• Note: "Claimed [date] - [issue] - Ref: [number] - Outcome: [result]"

Useful if you need to claim again or sell item.

Extended Warranties: Worth It?

Usually not. But sometimes yes.

Generally Not Worth It

For these items:

• Most electronics (high replacement cost, low repair value)
• Small appliances (cheaper to replace than repair)
• Items with long manufacturer warranty already

Extended warranties often cost 15-30% of item price for coverage that rarely pays off.

Might Be Worth It

Consider for:

• Expensive appliances (£800+)
• Items with high repair costs
• Products with known reliability issues
• Commercial/professional equipment

Calculate:

• Extended warranty cost vs. likely repair cost
• Manufacturer warranty length
• Item replacement cost

If extended warranty costs less than 1-2 likely repairs, might be worth it.

Warranty Gotchas to Avoid

"Warranty void if..."

Common voidance clauses:

• Used commercially (in business)
• Repaired by non-authorized service
• Damaged by misuse or accident
• Not installed by professional (for some appliances)

Read warranty terms. Don't void accidentally.

Registration Deadlines

Some warranties require registration within 30/60/90 days.

Check immediately:

• When registration must be completed
• If warranty is valid without registration
• Penalty for late registration

Set calendar reminder if deadline exists.

Proof of Purchase Requirements

What they accept:

• Original receipt
• Bank statement showing purchase
• Email confirmation
• Credit card statement

What they don't accept:

• Your word
• Approximate dates
• Memory of purchase

Always keep proof.

Wear and Tear Exclusions

Most warranties don't cover normal wear:

• Batteries degrading
• Surface scratches
• Gradual deterioration

Only covers defects and faults.

The Return Period vs. Warranty

Different things. Both worth tracking.

Return Period (Usually 30-90 days)

For:

• Changed your mind
• Don't like it
• Doesn't fit needs

Time limit: Set by retailer (often 30 days)

Condition: Usually must be unused/like new

Track separately: Add "Return By" column if you frequently return items

Warranty Period (Varies)

For:

• Item is faulty
• Doesn't work as advertised
• Breaks due to defect

Time limit: Manufacturer sets (1-5 years typical)

Condition: Doesn't need to be perfect, just genuinely faulty

Don't confuse these. Return period is much shorter.

Special Case: Lifetime Warranties

Some products claim "lifetime warranty."

Reality check:

• "Lifetime" usually means expected product lifetime (not your lifetime)
• Often 10-15 years maximum
• Read fine print

If genuinely lifetime:

• Note in spreadsheet: "Lifetime warranty"
• Keep receipt permanently
• May transfer to new owner if you sell

Examples:

• Some tool brands (Snap-on, Craftsman)
• Some luggage brands (Briggs & Riley)
• Some cookware (Le Creuset)

Worth tracking because genuinely valuable.

Digital Tools (If You Prefer)

Spreadsheet is recommended. But if you want apps:

Warranty Tracking Apps

Options:

• Centriq (free, good for appliances)
• Sortly (free tier available)
• MyStuff2 (iOS, free)

Pros:

• Photos of items
• Barcode scanning
• Automatic expiry reminders

Cons:

• Another app to maintain
• Company might shut down
• Lock-in to their system

Recommendation: Spreadsheet is simpler and more reliable.

Photo Storage

Take photos of:

• Item when new
• Model/serial number label
• Receipt
• Warranty card

Store in:

• Same cloud folder as digital receipts
• Name consistently
• Useful for insurance claims too

The Minimal System

If full spreadsheet seems like overkill:

Absolute minimum:

• Calendar event for each warranty expiry
• Digital copy of receipt
• That's it

Better than tracking nothing.

But spreadsheet takes 30 minutes to set up and provides much better overview.

When Things Break Outside Warranty

Spreadsheet is still useful.

Check:

• Purchase date (age of item)
• What you paid (worth repairing?)
• Past claim history (reliability issue?)

Helps decide:

• Repair or replace?
• Worth claiming on home insurance?
• Contact manufacturer anyway (goodwill sometimes offered)

Getting Started

This weekend:

Saturday (30 minutes):

1. Create spreadsheet with columns (5 min)
2. List all current items with warranties (10 min)
3. Find receipts for those items (15 min)

Sunday (15 minutes): 4. Enter all items into spreadsheet (10 min) 5. Set calendar alerts for expiring warranties (5 min)

Ongoing (2 minutes per purchase): 6. Add new purchases same day 7. Save receipt digitally 8. Register warranty if required 9. Monthly 5-minute review

Total setup: 45 minutes once Ongoing: 2 minutes per purchase + 5 minutes monthly

Results

After three months:

You'll know:

• Exactly what's under warranty
• When warranties expire
• Where to find receipts
• Whether claims are worth making

You'll avoid:

• Paying for repairs under warranty
• Losing receipts
• Missing warranty registration deadlines
• Forgetting to claim before expiry

Potential benefits:

• Money from successful warranty claims
• Hours searching for receipts
• Stress when things break

One spreadsheet. Calendar reminders. Receipt folder.

Boring. Simple. Pays for itself many times over.