How to Budget with a Variable Income

Budgets & Banking, Planning & Saving
on September 3, 2013

Saving money on a variable income can be complicated and is a difficulty that many families have. This implies that it is challenging to predict how much income there will be during a given month. Attempting to budget when the monthly salary is unknown is the single greatest reason people fail at having a budget. It is essential for saving money during good periods to help make up for the poor ones. One of the biggest defeats of having a shifting salary is the inclination to overspend on good months. Managing a budget is the safest way to smooth out the highs together with lows of a variable income.

Initially, as with a standard budget, gather a list all of the expenses. This determines where the funds need to go. After recording all the expenses, add savings of ten percent to the result. Someone who is self-employed must add in taxes as an expenditure. Any money above this budgeted amount in any assigned month must go into savings. It is an excellent plan to have separate savings accounts for taxes and one especially for periods when not as much income is received.

Next, prioritize debts and take care of the basics first. This entails the essentials such as food, housing, utilities, and health coverage; after that list the bill repayments and savings. Next, add in any other miscellaneous expenses such as clothes, gym associations and entertainment money.

Once the pay for that period is known, deduct expenses until all the money has been accounted for in the budget. It is essential to remember to save anything earned over the amount of the entire budget. When working to get out of debt, one may choose to put a portion of up to fifty percent towards bills with the additional money.

Later during a slow month, take the funds out of the account that was established to cover slow months. Those periods scale back on nonessential spending; this ensures the savings account is not consumed entirely. Money should not be taken out to satisfy any entertainment expenses.

Once there is sufficient savings to meet two months’ worth of payments, have paychecks directly transferred into that savings account. Later, easily transfer the sum of the budget into a checking account at the start of the month. This helps to continue to satisfy expenses and save. While planning for a commission only income, that can be particularly helpful.

It is essential to make certain to have a moderately tight budget the first several years of being self-employed. The initial year or two can be seasonal or happen in cycles. It takes many companies five years before they earn a steady profit. Looking for another source of income to supplement a business may be needed.

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