Explainer: managing irregular income as a freelancer

Freelance income arrives in waves, which makes budgeting hard. Here's a steadier way.

Habits that help:

• Pay yourself a fixed "salary" from a business account, even in good months, and leave the rest as buffer.
• Build an emergency fund for slow periods — aim for a few months of expenses over time.
• Set aside money for taxes as you earn, so they don't surprise you.
• Track income and expenses monthly to see real patterns.

Treating yourself like a business smooths the ups and downs. How do you manage the feast-and-famine cycle?