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Budgeting on an Irregular Income

Freelancers, commission earners, and small-business owners need a different system. Salary advice doesn't work.

Pay yourself a salary out of a business buffer account. Use your trailing 12-month average as the baseline. In fat months, the buffer grows. In lean months, it bridges. Your personal budget never sees the volatility.

Keep at least three months of personal expenses in that business buffer before you scale your 'salary' up. The first time you survive a slow quarter without panic, the system has paid for itself.