For people with irregular income — freelancers, gig workers, commission-based salespeople — the weekly-or-monthly paycheck rhythm many budgets assume doesn’t exist. That reality requires adaptations so the household can pay regular bills, save, and still handle lumpy receipts. Many experienced planners recommend building a baseline budget based on conservative averages (for example, the low end of the past 6–12 months’ earnings) and then treating any surplus above that baseline differently: allocate a portion to taxes, another to savings or debt repayment, and some to discretionary spending. Another commonly recommended structure for irregular income is a “two-account” or “buffer + operating” system: park most receipts into a buffer account to smooth months, then transfer a predictable amount to an operating account to cover monthly expenses. Separating tax liabilities immediately — usually by automating transfers to a tax reserve account — prevents painful surprises during filing season. Sinking funds and a larger emergency cushion also play a role because income gaps are more likely. Behavioral changes, like delaying major purchases until several paychecks confirm a pattern, are sensible. The following question asks which budgeting approach is most appropriate for irregular earners.