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I hit $10,000 in my business savings account and it felt like a mistake

I've been freelancing for about 18 months, and I just checked my separate business bank account balance. It was over ten grand, which is more than I've ever had just sitting there. It mattered because it means my 'pay myself last' system is actually working, and I'm not scrambling for tax money anymore. Has anyone else hit a number that made you stop and actually feel secure for a minute?
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4 Comments
the_patricia
What's the first thing you'll do with that buffer?
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terry_carter15
That tax buffer you mentioned is actually the smartest part of the whole thing, not the main number itself. Too many freelancers forget that the government gets their cut first, so seeing $10k might only mean $7k or $8k after you set aside what you owe. Your "pay yourself last" system is doing exactly what it should, but just make sure you're actually moving that tax money to a separate account or you might get a rude surprise in April.
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dakotawood
dakotawood1mo ago
Yeah, that April surprise is a brutal one for sure.
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joelh64
joelh641mo ago
Yeah my buddy who does web design had that same shock. He was always just getting by, then one day he saw five figures in his account and just stared at his screen. He said it was the first time he didn't feel a pit in his stomach thinking about quarterly taxes. That buffer changed his whole mindset, like he could finally breathe and plan ahead instead of just reacting. It's a wild feeling when your system actually starts working for you.
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