BKFi Co-founder AJ Ayers: The Core Strategy for Irregular Income is to Pretend You Have a Salary

The core dilemma for those with irregular income is not that they earn too little, but that their earnings are unpredictable. AJ Ayers, co-founder of BKFi, pointed out on the "At the Money" podcast that traditional financial advice assumes a fixed paycheck arrives every two weeks, whereas freelancers, consultants, and creators have entirely different income patterns. She argues that the solution is not to wait for income to become regular, but to actively create regularity: the essence of financial planning is tricking yourself into believing you have a salary.

The specific approach is to treat income as if you are running a business. Ayers recommends setting up your own checking account and paying yourself a fixed amount every two weeks, prioritizing savings before spending. She observes that when a large sum of money suddenly arrives, the instinctive reaction is to spend it immediately—on a house, luxury items, or the next project. In reality, this money may be an advance on your earnings for the next three years, so it must be allocated strategically.

For windfalls, Ayers provides a clear sequence in her book: Step one, spend one percent on something that brings you joy; step two, do nothing and let the money sit quietly for a while; step three, pay taxes; step four, invest. She emphasizes that step three is often skipped—many creators receive a large check in their first year, fail to set aside taxes, spend the entire amount, and then face a massive tax bill, plunging them into debt. Her rule of thumb is: when in doubt, save 50% of every dollar earned for taxes; if that sounds excessive, save at least 30%.