You can download Evan’s free budgeting framework here https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/
Income changes are coming—positive or negative. In this episode of At Any Rate, Evan Raidt and Andrew Sather break down how to handle income fluctuations (raises, bonuses, commission swings, job changes, and pay cuts) without blowing up your plan.
They cover what to do when income goes up, what to do when income goes down, and how to plan ahead if your income is unpredictable. They also talk through how to handle income changes as a couple, including proportional contributions and communicating real numbers fast.
Topics Covered:
How to handle raises without lifestyle creep
How to handle income drops with a “minimum viable budget”
Why writing down your budget is the highest ROI 30–45 minutes you can spend
How to handle income changes in a relationship (proportional contributions)
How to budget for fluctuating income with a buffer + predetermined buckets
Timestamps:
00:35 What counts as income fluctuations (raise, bonus, commission, layoffs)
01:43 The goal: flexibility instead of prediction
03:05 Andrew’s “double raise” story + lifestyle creep (truck)
07:33 Delay spending changes after a raise (2–3 months)
08:58 Spend only a set portion of the raise (ex: $30–$40 of $100)
10:52 Handling decreases as a cash flow problem (not personal failure)
14:57 Minimum viable budget: strip down to needs
17:23 First budget setup time estimate (30–45 minutes)
21:56 Don’t “cut cold turkey” without a plan
26:20 Budgeting as a couple + budgeting framework link
38:36 Budgeting for fluctuating income: lowest reliable income + buffer + buckets
Resources Mentioned
The Value Spotlight Newsletter: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/value-spotlight-newsletter/
Free monthly budgeting spreadsheet: https://einvestingforbeginners.com/budget/
Email Evan:
[email protected]Have questions or want your story featured? Email the show at
[email protected] or comment below. Your feedback shapes the podcast!
Remember, financial freedom is built one smart move at a time. Keep it simple, keep it steady, and at any rate, we’ll see you next time.
Timestamps are generated by artificial intelligence, and are not 100% accurate depending on the platform used for listening.
Today’s show is sponsored by:
Go to SHOPIFY.COM/beginners to start selling with Shopify today. https://www.shopify.com/beginners
Download the Plynk app today to start building your investing confidence: https://plynkinvest.app.link/IFB
Go to auraframes.com and use promo code BEGINNERS at checkout to get $35 off https://auraframes.com/
Get your free quote and see how much you could save at SelectQuote.com/beginners
Interested in how your company sponsor the show? Reach us at
[email protected]
SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW Apple | Spotify | YouTube | Amazon | Tunein
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices