Your income varies, but many of your expenses don’t. A budget planned around that reality allows slow months to be part of the natural ebb and flow, not emergencies. Here’s how to build one.

Separate Your Personal and Business Money

Use a dedicated business account for all of your business income and expenses. When professional and personal funds are mixed up, you can miss signals that show how your business is really doing.

List Every Fixed Cost

Some expenses happen whether deals are closing or not: insurance, license renewal, dues, marketing subscriptions, your CRM. Write down every cost that isn’t connected to sales and you’ll have a bottom-line number your business needs to break even each month.

Build a Buffer

Once you know what it costs to stay in the black each month, you’ll know how much to set aside to cover the slow times. With several months of fixed costs in hand, you can carry on with confidence between checks.

Pay Your Future Tax Bill Now

And when commission checks do come in, immediately set aside a percentage to cover the taxes you’ll owe. Keep a separate savings account just for taxes and don’t mix that money with your other business income. That way you’ll know how much income you have to work with and won’t have to scramble at tax time.

Revisit Your Plan Regularly

A great budget is always a work in progress. Costs shift and so do your business needs. Make it a habit to review your budget quarterly so you can notice any important signals and keep your business steady through the changing seasons.