Variable Income Budget Calculator
Enter your recent monthly income and get a safe baseline budget for irregular pay, based on your lowest months instead of your best ones.
One number per line, or separated by commas. Use after-tax income if you know it. 6 to 12 months works best.
Rent, utilities, groceries, insurance, transport, minimum debt payments.
How it works
We take the average of your lowest three months (or all months, if you enter fewer than three) as your baseline. We also show your overall average, your lowest month and how much your income swings. If your baseline covers your essentials, the leftover is split into flexible spending and savings. Anything you earn above baseline in a good month is meant to go to your buffer first.
Frequently asked questions
Why use the lowest months instead of the average?
If you budget on the average, every below-average month forces you into debt or skipped bills. Budgeting on a conservative baseline means the lean months are covered by design, and good months build your cushion.
What counts as income here?
Money that actually reached your account. If you pay your own taxes, use income after setting tax money aside. The tax set-aside calculator can estimate that.
What if my baseline is lower than my essential expenses?
That is a signal, not a failure. Either essentials need to shrink, income needs to become more stable, or you need a larger buffer to bridge the gap. The salary calculator shows how big that buffer has to be.