Pay everything you earn into one holding account, then pay yourself the same amount on the same day each month. Set that amount from your quieter months, move tax into its own account as money arrives, and let the good months build the buffer.
Illustrative figures. £46,600 came in over the year, after tax was set aside. Paying £3,000 a month uses £36,000 of it. Four months came in under £3,000 and were covered from the holding account; the £10,600 left over is the buffer.
Every payment you receive lands here. Your monthly pay leaves it on the same date each month, and the balance carries you through quiet months.
A share of every payment moves here the day it arrives. Ask your accountant what percentage to use for your profit and tax band.
Your monthly pay arrives here and the bills go out from here. Budget this account like a salary.
Business owners who pay themselves from a company can use the same method. How much should I pay myself from my business? covers directors.
Enough to pay yourself through your quietest run of months. Look back over the last 12 to 24 months, find the longest run of months that came in under your monthly pay, and add up the shortfall. That is the minimum. Household savings sit on top of it, in their own account.
Leave it in the holding account until the buffer reaches its target. After that, the surplus can go to your goals or to a higher monthly pay at your next review. Which pension or investment to use is regulated advice, which Buzz Money Coach is not authorised to give.
It depends on your profit and your tax band, so ask your accountant for a percentage. Plan for payments on account: once your bill is £1,000 or more, the January payment includes the balance for last year plus half of the next year's tax in advance.
Yes. Treat your basic pay as the monthly figure, move commission or bonuses into the holding account when they arrive, and pay yourself a top-up at a set point in the year.
Yes. A coach works out your survival number and a monthly pay with you, from your real bank transactions, and checks it at the next session. Single sessions are £39 for half an hour or £69 for an hour. If you are already behind on bills, StepChange and National Debtline give free help today.
Coaching is not regulated financial advice. Choosing a pension, an investment, a mortgage or a protection policy is regulated advice, and Buzz Money Coach is not authorised to give it. If you want a recommendation we can introduce you to Equity & General, who are authorised by the FCA. Sources: GOV.UK (Self Assessment payments on account; Making Tax Digital for Income Tax eligibility). The chart is illustrative. Figures checked 21 October 2026.
Start from the household figure, then the tax, then what the business can afford.
Your real spending in four numbers, and one to three changes a session.
What the household needs from the business, personal reserves and exit goals.
Pay, pension and State Pension when a baby arrives.