Comments on: The Readers Ask: “How Do You Budget With an Irregular Income?”

By: When paycheck and bill schedules don’t mesh | Frugal Living News

When paycheck and bill schedules don’t mesh | Frugal Living News — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:38:05 +0000

[...] Mom looks at various scenarios on How do you budget with an irregular income? There’s some good comments on her [...]

By: Monroe on a Budget » When paycheck and bill schedules don’t mesh

Monroe on a Budget » When paycheck and bill schedules don’t mesh — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 18:44:11 +0000

[...] Mom looks at various scenarios on How do you budget with an irregular income? There’s some good comments on her [...]

By: Damon Day

Damon Day — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 17:24:20 +0000

Hello Tsh,
Nice thoughts on a question that is really hitting a lot of people right now. Especially people that are having their hours cut back or being layed off. Many of them are starting businesses to try and make extra income.

As far as the technique of spending the money that you made in the last month, another major drawback to having to get a month ahead to start is that you will essentially have to create a new zero based budget every money to account for the actual money available. This is a tedious task and not one that most people will keep up with for very long.

Your suggestion on how to organize your expenses so that the least important expenses will fluctuate with your income is very insightful and I think a more appropriate solution than simply trying to budget based on past performance.
Damon Day´s last blog ..Debt Settlement Nightmare for Phoenix Woman

By: Amber

Amber — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 01:59:56 +0000

I have a VERY irregular income, and I combine two of your budget ideas; I live on last month’s income, and from that I spend for necessities first. It’s what works best for me.

You’re the first person I’ve seen write about budgeting on a varying income; it’s a blank space that’s in need of discussion. Thanks for bringing it up and for the good ideas!

P.S. I second the recommendation for ING Direct. …Though the interest rates were much higher when I first started with them.

By: Lynnette

Lynnette — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 20:14:53 +0000

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. I’ve had Ramsey’s printouts and think they are great but with irregular income or no income at times I have not been able to get my head around a very simple budget and savings plan. I have only heard a little about ING but will be looking seriously into what it has to offer our family. Sometimes envelopes are just too easy to “borrow” from. Our bank doesn’t offer a great savings interest either. I am excited to have separate savings labels too. You have really helped me see a simple way (categories) and when paychecks, invoices or extra comes our way to go down the list and put it where it is needed.

By: Back To Basics: 79+ Brilliant Budgeting Resources You’ll Love | My Super-Charged Life

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:04:15 +0000

[...] 35. The Readers Ask- “How Do You Budget With an Irregular Income?” [...]

By: Mimi

Mimi — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 22:46:44 +0000

Great post, fabulous advice. As a good amount of your readers, we are dealing with fluctuating income as well. We bought our home right before the housing market tumbled and have been struggling ever since. My husband is ex-military turned car-salesman and when he first started a few years ago he would bring home nice paychecks. We were able to put away money into savings and used it for our down payment. I quit college (again) to bring in some money for our new expenses (eg. home insurance, larger utility bills) but was laid off this past February and haven’t been able to get a job ever since. We nearly lost our home, not having been able to make the mortgage payments, until our finance company renegotiated our mortgage. That was two months ago, today, with my husband now bringing home paychecks around $200 each week, we can barely keep afloat. The car business has gone dead, jobs are hard to come by and me being a permanent residence has not aided in my job search either. Tears are rolling down my face reading your and your readers’ advice, not having a way of implementing them is heartbreaking.

Thank you though for being a beacon of light, thank you for all your advice, tips and encouragement you offer on your website. I’m a newbie to your site and am going through your posts one by one, taking babysteps in applying your techniques to our life. Keep up the great work you do.

By: Thora

Thora — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 18:08:37 +0000

My husband is in Graduate School, and so on a tight, irregular budget I've found a build-up budget to be invaluable. It's like a zero based budget, but I add up all the necessaries, like rent, utilities, food, tithing (0r giving, as you put it), etc, and then based on how much we usually have I assign the rest. If our utilities are a little under budget, I automatically save that amount (along with food, or any other variable expense), and so a buffer builds up for when we have a month with less income. This isn't part of our long term savings, but rather a small predictable-need fund. Because our income is variable, but not by huge amounts, this smooths every month over. Thoras last blog post..A Two Bedroom Townhouse Apartment of My Own

By: Weekly Roundup - Sprained Ankle Follow Up Edition | Frugal Dad

Weekly Roundup - Sprained Ankle Follow Up Edition | Frugal Dad — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 13:49:33 +0000

[...] How Do You Budget With an Irregular Income. I’m fortunate to have a steady income at the moment, but at some point I would like to work for myself. Simple Mom provides some great thoughts on how to make a budget work when your income is unpredictable. [...]

By: Roundup and Link Love - Yellowstone 2008 Edition | The Wisdom Journal

Roundup and Link Love - Yellowstone 2008 Edition | The Wisdom Journal — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 07:00:46 +0000

[...] How do you budget with an irregular income @ Simple Mom Learning to budget with an irregular income means some self discipline and planning. The Simple Mom has some great tips here. [...]