Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he has a plan.

For the past four months he's taken his Real Solutions document from Queanbeyan to Queensland and virtually everywhere in between.

"Our country is ready for a party with a plan. The Coalition has that plan", Mr Abbott said after launching the document in January.

The pages are stamped "fully costed-budgeted" throughout.

But so far, only a few policies have been released.

"It would be foolish to release all the costed policies now," said David Gazard, a former adviser to John Howard and Peter Costello.

"The budget has moved deeper and deeper into deficit.

"[The Coalition] want to see the Pre-Election Fiscal Outlook at the beginning of the campaign to figure out how much room they've got on spend.

"The [Real Solutions] document gives people a feel of what the Coalition stands for ... within that framework they'll keep their powder dry."

Mr Abbott knows the dangers of releasing detailed policy too soon.

He worked for opposition leader John Hewson in 1993 when the "unlosable election" was lost.

"[Labor] thought that Fightback, my policy package, was the longest suicide note in history", Dr Hewson said.

"I think it's probably down in history as don't ever repeat a Hewson. Don't put out too much detail; make yourself a small target".

Sorry, this video has expired Abbott will delay big-spending promises ( James Glenday )

What we know

There are a few costings of the big ticket items on the public record.

The Opposition's broadband plan will cost about $29 billion.

The carbon and mining taxes will be scrapped. According to the budget this could lead approximately to an $18 billion revenue shortfall over the forward estimates.

However, the Opposition argues scrapping the taxes will benefit the economy and therefore the budget in the long-run.

It will also keep the current income tax levels and boosts to welfare payments, brought in to compensate for the carbon tax, in order to "ease financial pressure on Australian families".

"The carbon tax will go but no-one's personal tax will go up and no-one's fortnightly pension or benefit will go down", Tony Abbott says.

Billions of dollars have also been set aside for major road projects: $1.5 billion for Melbourne's East West link, $1.5 billion for Sydney's M4 East project, and $1 billion for the Gateway Motorway in Brisbane.

Last election

There are also the policies carried over from the last election and costed three years ago.

Those include a generous paid parental leave scheme, which was estimated to cost $3.4 billion in its first year. Some estimates suggest this could cost about $5 billion in later years, though the Coalition rejects this.

It will be at least partially funded by a 1.5 per cent levy on big business, though the Coalition says that increase could eventually be offset by tax cuts in order to "keep government small".

$3.2 billion has also been allocated over the forward estimates for the direct action scheme to reduce carbon emissions.

Making ends meet

So, how will the Opposition balance the books?

For every promise, we are told there will be savings.

The Coalition says it can save $5 billion a year to cover the cost of keeping the carbon tax compensation and pension rates.

They do that by rescinding the increase to the humanitarian refugee intake, getting rid of at least 12,000 public service jobs through natural attrition, scrapping the greens loans scheme, delaying an increase to compulsory superannuation by two years, discontinuing the low-income superannuation contribution, and getting rid of the twice yearly supplementary allowance to people on benefits.

The SchoolKids bonus is also set to go, saving about $1.2 billion a year.

Mr Abbott says there is a "budget emergency", which means the Coalition reserves the right to implement all the cuts Labor announced in the budget, "as short-term emergency measures".

However, economists say there aren't enough details to independently model the Opposition's plans.

"It's really hard to work out what it will all cost," says Ben Phillips from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling.

"Tax cuts are always very expensive though".

Mr Abbott has assured voters all his commitments are affordable and deliverable.

"[We] will provide all the funding details after the Pre-Election Fiscal Statement is released".

"Living within your means is not mindless austerity - it's simple prudence".

"Should the Coalition win the election, there will be no nasty surprises".

James Glenday is the ABC's Andrew Olle Scholar for 2013. You can follow him on Twitter @jamesglenday