Surviving Feast or Famine: My System for Uneven Paychecks

Create a buffer of 2-3 months of survival expenses to smooth out income swings.

1. 1
   Open a high-yield savings account — Use a separate account for your buffer. I use Trade Republic, which pays 4% interest currently. Link it to your business account.
2. 2
   Set a target of 3x your survival amount — If your survival number is €2,475, aim for €7,425. That's three months of lean living. This is your buffer fund—not an emergency fund, but a tool to level income.
3. 3
   Deposit 50% of every big payment into the buffer — Whenever you receive a large payment (over €3,000), immediately transfer half to the buffer. Keep doing this until you hit the target. For example, a €5,000 invoice means €2,500 goes to buffer.
4. 4
   Pay yourself a fixed salary from the buffer — Once the buffer is full, transfer your survival amount (€2,475) to your personal account on the 1st of each month. Top up the buffer from future income if it drops below target.

Split every single payment into three buckets immediately upon receipt.

1. 1
   Create three accounts or sub-accounts — Set up one account for taxes, one for buffer/savings, and one for personal spending. Many neobanks like Revolut allow multiple 'pockets' for free.
2. 2
   When money arrives, split it instantly — Transfer 50% to buffer, 30% to taxes, and 20% to personal spending. Example: €4,000 invoice → €2,000 buffer, €1,200 taxes, €800 personal.
3. 3
   Live off the personal spending account — That €800 is all you have for the month until the next payment. If it runs out, you don't borrow from buffer or taxes—you wait or earn more. This forces discipline.

Create a small, predictable income stream that covers at least 30% of your survival number.

1. 1
   Identify a service you can offer monthly — Think of something clients need every month: social media analytics, bookkeeping, website maintenance. I offered 'monthly email newsletter design' for €300/month per client.
2. 2
   Find two retainer clients — Reach out to past clients or post on LinkedIn. Aim for two clients at €400 each per month. That's €800/month—32% of our €2,475 survival number.
3. 3
   Use the retainer income to cover essentials — Direct all retainer payments to your personal account. This covers rent and food, so your project income (the variable stuff) goes entirely to buffer and taxes.
4. 4
   Gradually increase retainer rates — Every six months, raise your retainer fee by 10%. After two years, a €300 retainer becomes €363—small bump, but it keeps pace with inflation.

Use a spreadsheet to predict your income and expenses for the next 12 months, updated monthly.

1. 1
   Create a simple spreadsheet with 12 columns — List months from now to 12 months ahead. In rows, put: 'Expected Income', 'Actual Income', 'Essential Expenses', 'Discretionary', 'Buffer Balance'.
2. 2
   Fill in expected income based on history — Look at your last 12 months of income. If you earned €60,000 total, expect €5,000/month on average. But note seasonality: I earn 40% more in October-December (holiday design projects).
3. 3
   Update actual income monthly and adjust — Each month, replace the expected with actual. If January was €2,000 but you expected €5,000, adjust future months to compensate. Maybe take on extra work or cut discretionary spending.
4. 4
   Track your buffer balance in the last row — If buffer drops below 2x survival amount, trigger a 'save mode' where you spend only on essentials until it recovers.