How much to save before going freelance is usually six months of personal costs plus setup money and a cushion for slow-paying clients. On costs of 2,200 a month, that comes to about 16,000.
· 3 min read
To work out how to budget with tips, plan your bills on base pay plus your lowest typical tips, then move everything above that into a separate pot. In a worked example, that means budgeting on 2,000 a month while earning between 2,000 and 2,800.
· 3 min read
To send money abroad cheaply, compare how much arrives at the other end, since that includes the fee and the exchange rate margin together. On 500 euros sent as dollars, the gap between the best and worst option was about 30 dollars in a worked example.
· 3 min read
A road trip budget starts with fuel, worked out from distance and your car's consumption, then adds beds, food, tolls, activities and a buffer. A six-night trip for two over 1,800 km comes to about 1,680 in a worked example.
· 3 min read
A honeymoon budget works best when you set the total from what you can save, then price flights, stay, food, activities and a buffer to fit. A ten-night trip for two comes to about 5,020 in a worked example.
· 3 min read
A bare bones budget covers only what keeps you housed, fed, working and out of default. In a worked example, that takes monthly costs down to 1,880, and it's meant for a few hard months, not for good.
· 3 min read
The 80/20 budget rule says to save a fifth of your take-home pay first and spend the other four-fifths however you like. On 3,000 a month, that's 600 saved and 2,400 for everything else.
· 3 min read
To work out how to stop impulse buying, find when it happens, then add friction at that moment: a waiting period, no saved cards and fewer shopping emails. Leave a small amount in your budget to spend freely.
· 3 min read
To budget after losing your job, add up your cash and final pay, divide by your bare minimum monthly costs, and that's your runway. On 6,000 of cash and 1,800 a month, you've got just over three months.
· 3 min read
An annual or monthly subscription comes down to one sum: divide the yearly price by the monthly price to find your break-even month. At 99 a year or 12 a month, annual pays off if you'll stay more than about eight months.
· 3 min read
Here's how to save money on eating out: log a month of it first, then go after the habits you repeat. Swapping 20 workday lunches at 12 for packed ones at 3 saves about 180 a month.
· 3 min read
Here's how to set your freelance rate: add the income you want to tax, costs and savings, then divide by the hours you can bill. On 58,000 and 1,150 billable hours, that's about 50 an hour.
· 3 min read
The weekly email
Once a week, the new posts on budgeting, saving and everyday money. Nothing else, and one click to leave.
