Is my raise keeping up with inflation? Work out your real raise
Is my raise keeping up with inflation? Work out your real raise against prices and your own ledger, then decide where the extra money goes before it vanishes.
7 min read
Topic
Methods
9 posts about methods, newest first.
How to budget for a health insurance premium increase in 2027
How to budget for a health insurance premium increase: price the 2027 renewal, compare plans on total yearly cost, and fund the deductible before January.
7 min read
Are your savings beating inflation? Work out your real interest rate
Are your savings beating inflation? Work out the real interest rate on every pot of cash, after tax, and see what moving it would actually change.
7 min read
Is a balance transfer worth it? The fee against the interest
Is a balance transfer worth it? Compare the 3–5% fee with the interest you would pay, find the monthly payment that clears it in time, and avoid the traps.
7 min read
Sinking funds: how to budget for irregular expenses without a shock
Sinking funds explained with real numbers: list the irregular bills, divide each by the paydays left, and stop annual expenses turning into emergencies.
8 min read
How much emergency fund should I have? Size it from your ledger
How much emergency fund should I have? Essentials per month times the months you need, worked out on real figures — plus where to keep it and how to build it.
8 min read
Debt snowball vs. avalanche: the math, and why the extra payment matters more than the method
Snowball and avalanche worked out on three real debts: months to freedom, total interest, and the one number that changes the outcome more than either method.
4 min read
Zero-based budgeting when your income changes every month
A zero-based budget for freelancers and anyone paid irregularly: budget from a floor, pay yourself a salary, hold the rest in reserve, and stop refactoring your life every payday.
5 min read
The 50/30/20 budget, with real numbers (and where it quietly breaks)
How the 50/30/20 rule works on an actual paycheck, how to set it up in an evening, and the three situations where the rule needs bending before it fits.
5 min read