Irregular Income Budget Envelopes: A Starter Set
When income changes every month, the order you fund envelopes matters more than the amounts. Fund from the top down as each payment arrives, and stop when the money runs out. Good months fill the holding envelope that carries you through lean ones.
| Envelope | Example / month | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Income holding | — | Every payment lands here first; you pay yourself a set amount from it. |
| Taxes (25–30% of each payment) | $1200 | Funded first from every payment. Not your money. |
| Rent / mortgage | $1400 | Priority 1. |
| Utilities + phone | $250 | Priority 1. |
| Groceries | $500 | Priority 2. |
| Gas / transit | $150 | Priority 2. |
| Business expenses | $200 | Software, equipment, mileage. |
| Lean-month buffer | $400 | Build to one month of bare-bones costs, then three. |
| Everything else | $700 | Funded last, only in good months. |
| Total | $4800 |
Tips for this set
- Pay yourself a fixed 'salary' from the holding envelope, based on your lowest normal month.
- Set the tax envelope aside the day a payment arrives, before anything else.
Set it up
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