What’s a good first budget when your paychecks change each month?

Hi Amanda. I've been in gig work for years, and variable paychecks make budgeting tricky, but basing your plan on your lowest monthly income works best. Figure out that low-end amount by looking back at your last six months of earnings and picking the smallest one as your baseline. That way, you cover essentials like rent and food without stress when things dip. For example, if your low is $2,000, allocate $1,000 for rent, $300 for groceries, and keep the rest flexible for other bills.

Track every expense in a simple app like Mint to see where your money goes and cut unnecessary stuff, like eating out less. Prioritize rent and food first, then utilities, and automate payments if you can to avoid late fees. To save for emergencies, aim to set aside 10% of whatever you make above your baseline each month, straight into a high-yield savings account.

Start small, maybe with a goal of $500 in your emergency fund, and build from there as gigs pick up. Review your budget monthly to adjust for patterns in your income. It's not perfect, but this approach has kept me afloat during slow periods without dipping into savings too often.

You should look and I've been piecing together odd jobs for years now, and the key is to base your budget on the absolute lowest paycheck you might get in a month. That way, rent and food are always covered no matter what, and anything extra goes straight into a jar I keep hidden for emergencies. I tried those fancy apps once, but why pay for something when you can just use a notebook to track it all. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it works if you stick with it.

Track your income over three months to find the average low point. Set your budget to that amount for essentials like rent and groceries. Put any surplus directly into savings. Adjust as needed but keep it simple.

Hi Amanda! Your highs are lying to you. Build a budget on the worst month, pay rent first, and act broke until the buffer is full. Every extra dollar goes to one month of expenses, then an emergency stash, then anything fun. If that sounds harsh, the market does not care.

Been gigging a while and I hate paying for apps. I run a simple spreadsheet and a few labeled envelopes, and I set my budget off the lowest month from the last six and pretend that is the only income I will get. Rent, utilities, and groceries come out of that floor, and any week that lands above it gets split between next month's income line and a cash buffer until the buffer equals one month of expenses. After that I skim 30 percent to emergencies and let the rest cover irregulars.

Budget off the lowest month, pretend tips are mythical.

With gig work, you're screwed if you don't plan for the lean months. Budget based on your worst-case income, cover rent and food first, then force yourself to save 10% of whatever's left and no excuses. Most people fail because they splurge on good months and don't be that idiot.

Pick a monthly floor using your worst recent month and budget only from that. Cover rent, utilities, food, and gas first, then hold all nonessential spending until you see the second paycheck of the month. Any income above the floor goes to a checking buffer until you have one month of expenses, then to an emergency fund target around $1000. I use automatic transfers the day deposits land so I do not have to think about it.

Set rent aside first, auto-save 10% on high weeks. For what it's worth and taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.