Figure out how many months of savings you need before making the leap to full-time
This tool is for anyone considering leaving their day job to go full-time with their side hustle. It helps you calculate how much savings you need as a safety buffer, how long that runway will last, and what income milestones you should hit before making the leap. This is about making the transition as safe and strategic as possible.
Important: This tool provides educational estimates only and is not financial, investment, or career advice. Consult with qualified professionals before making major financial decisions.
The Runway & Risk Calculator will be embedded here. Users will input their expenses, current savings, side hustle income, and risk tolerance to calculate their financial runway.
Enter your monthly expenses: Include rent/mortgage, utilities, food, insurance, debt payments, and a buffer for unexpected costs.
Input your current savings: How much do you have set aside specifically for this transition? Don't include retirement accounts you can't easily access.
Share your side hustle income: What are you currently earning per month? Be realistic—use your average from the past 3-6 months.
Set your risk tolerance: Choose conservative (12+ months runway), moderate (6-9 months), or aggressive (3-6 months) based on your comfort level and circumstances.
Get your runway report: See how many months your savings will last, whether you're ready to make the leap, and what milestones to hit first if you're not.
Meet Priya S. – Social media manager considering going full-time
Priya's inputs:
Priya's results:
Recommendation: Priya has enough runway to make the transition safely. Her 12.9-month buffer exceeds the moderate risk threshold.
Next steps: Before quitting, Priya should aim to increase her side hustle income to $3,000/month to reduce the monthly shortfall and extend her runway even further.
It depends on your risk tolerance and circumstances. Conservative: 12+ months. Moderate: 6-9 months. Aggressive: 3-6 months. Consider factors like dependents, health insurance, debt, and how quickly you can ramp up income.
No. Your emergency fund should remain separate and untouched. The savings you input here should be money specifically set aside for this career transition, not your general safety net.
Focus on two strategies: (1) Increase your side hustle income while still employed, and (2) Reduce your monthly expenses. Even small changes can significantly extend your runway. You can also consider a part-time job instead of going full-time immediately.
Include everything: housing, utilities, food, transportation, insurance (especially health insurance if you're leaving employer coverage), debt payments, subscriptions, and a 10-20% buffer for unexpected costs. Be realistic, not optimistic.
Possibly, but be cautious. Fast growth can stall or reverse. If your side hustle income has been consistently increasing for 6+ months and you have a strong pipeline of clients or customers, you might accept a shorter runway—but never less than 3 months.
If your partner's income can cover all or most household expenses, your runway calculation changes significantly. You can be more aggressive since you have a built-in safety net. However, make sure both partners are aligned on this plan.
Ready to plan your full transition? Use the Job Replacement Calculator to see exactly what income you need to hit.
Rent, utilities, food, insurance, debt payments
Money set aside specifically for this transition
Average monthly income from your side hustle
Cost if you lose employer coverage
401k match, gym membership, etc.