68 guides · every one paired with a free calculator

Articles & Guides

The math behind freelancing and selling — fees, rates, cash flow, and pricing — explained with real numbers and a calculator at the end of each one. Estimates only; not financial or tax advice.

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Marketplace Fees 30

Marketplace Fees · 4 minAmazon FBA Fee Changes in 2026: Calculate Your SKU-Level ImpactSeparate Amazon’s average 2026 FBA increase from the April 17 surcharge, then calculate the actual cost change for your products without double counting. Marketplace Fees · 3 minAmazon’s $10 Referral-Fee Threshold: Eligible Categories and Price MathThe US Amazon 8% rate at $10 is category-specific. Compare eligible fee bands, shipping-inclusive totals and contribution near the threshold. Marketplace Fees · 3 minDoes eBay Charge Fees on Shipping? How to Recover Postage CostsCalculate eBay’s fee on buyer-paid shipping and gross up postage correctly. Compare free shipping at the same total price in a scoped US example. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Final-Value Fees on Sales Tax: Reconcile the Extra CostCalculate the eBay percentage fee on buyer sales tax and reconcile seller proceeds without deducting tax twice. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Trading Card Fees in 2026: Singles, Lots and Break-Even PricesUse the scoped 13.25% card-category rate with the correct order fee, postage and tax. Compare low-value singles with lots and check authentication separately. Marketplace Fees · 3 minAmazon Clothing Referral Fees: Whole-Price Bands at $15 and $20Calculate US Amazon clothing referral fees correctly: 5%, 10% or 17% applies to the whole sales price. A $25 item pays $4.25 before other costs. Marketplace Fees · 4 mineBay Promoted Listings in 2026: Any Buyer, Same Promoted ItemThe January 13 General campaign change can connect any buyer’s ad click to a later sale of the same promoted item. Understand its conditions and scope. Marketplace Fees · 4 minAre eBay Promoted Listings Worth It? Calculate Required Sales LiftA 5% ad fee against 30% pre-ad contribution needs 20% sales lift if all sales incur the fee. Derive the break-even and test your own campaign. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Sneaker Fees at $150: The Rate Break and Authentication RulesQualifying US athletic-shoe sales at $150 or more can use an 8% non-Store fee with no per-order charge. Keep fee eligibility separate from authentication. Marketplace Fees · 3 minAmazon Individual vs Professional: The 41-Item Fee CrossoverCompare Amazon’s $0.99 per-item and $39.99 monthly plans, including low-volume feature needs, seasonal sales and subscription timing. Marketplace Fees · 3 minAmazon Referral Fees Explained: Category, Fee Base and ProfitLearn how to identify the Amazon referral-fee category, apply percentage or minimum fees and keep referral proceeds separate from actual profit. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Fees on a $100 Sale: Reconcile Checkout and Seller ProceedsA simple US general-category $100 sale has $14 in final-value fees before tax effects and other costs. Reconcile item price, shipping, tax and contribution. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Fees on a $50 Sale: Set Your Maximum Sourcing CostCalculate fees and contribution on a $50 item with $7 shipping, then work backward to the most you can pay for inventory. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay vs Etsy vs Mercari Fees: Compare Seller Profit and Buyer TotalCompare a matched US physical-item scenario across eBay, Etsy and Mercari, including seller charges and Mercari’s separate buyer protection fee. Marketplace Fees · 4 minEtsy Digital vs Physical Fees: Compare Contribution and Creation CostsDigital and physical Etsy products share core fee categories, but labor, creation cost, postage and demand determine which format earns more. Marketplace Fees · 4 minHow Much Does Etsy Take From a $25 Digital Download?A US $25 digital order has about $2.83 in baseline Etsy fees. Compare tax and Offsite Ad effects, then account for support and creation costs. Marketplace Fees · 3 minEtsy Fees on Shipping and Gift Wrap: Calculate What You KeepWork through Etsy shipping and gift-wrap fees, correct the US processing calculation, and set add-on prices that cover costs. Marketplace Fees · 3 minEtsy Offsite Ads at $10,000: Eligibility, Timing and Lifetime ParticipationUnderstand what counts toward Etsy’s $10,000 Offsite Ads threshold, why qualification persists, and how to budget for attributed orders. Marketplace Fees · 4 minShould You Opt Out of Etsy Offsite Ads? A Contribution-Based DecisionUse contribution per order and incremental sales to assess Etsy Offsite Ads, with current opt-out steps and a worked break-even model. Marketplace Fees · 3 minAre Etsy Items Under $10 Worth Selling? Fees, Time and BundlesCalculate contribution on low-price Etsy products, allow for fulfillment time, and distinguish bundle listings from multiple-item orders. Marketplace Fees · 3 minEtsy vs eBay Fees: Compare Completed Orders and Listing CostsCompare scoped US Etsy and eBay fees with corrected order math, one listing-cohort example, and tax and advertising adjustments. Marketplace Fees · 3 mineBay Fees With Free Shipping: What the Seller Actually KeepsCalculate eBay fees, postage and contribution for free-shipping listings using a corrected $45 example and an equal-total comparison. Marketplace Fees · 3 minHow Much Does eBay Take? Build a Complete Order EstimateEstimate eBay final-value fees from the correct category and tax-inclusive base, then deduct fulfillment costs separately. Marketplace Fees · 3 minHow Much Does Etsy Take? US Fee Basics and Order ReconciliationSee what Etsy takes on a $100 US order, then account for shipping, buyer tax, listing quantities and advertising. Marketplace Fees · 3 minMercari’s 2025 Fee Change: Repair Your Old Pricing FormulaUnderstand the January 2025 Mercari US fee transition, remove stale processing charges, and include buyer-paid shipping in current estimates. Marketplace Fees · 3 minMercari Seller Fees: Calculate Proceeds and Your Minimum PriceUse Mercari’s current US seller fee base, separate buyer fees and shipping, and calculate a target price from your costs. Marketplace Fees · 4 minMercari vs eBay for Clothes Under $20: Compare Fees and Achieved PricesCompare corrected US clothing-order fees, paid shipping and buyer checkout costs, then calculate the price needed to offset a fee gap. Marketplace Fees · 3 minMercari vs Poshmark: The $15 Fee Boundary and Shipping EffectsUnderstand Poshmark’s $15 fee boundary, compare Mercari’s shipping-inclusive fee, and calculate the selling price needed to match proceeds. Marketplace Fees · 3 minPayment Processors for Marketplace Sellers Adding a Direct ChannelSeparate marketplace checkout from independent direct sales, then compare processor products and full channel costs without double-counting. Marketplace Fees · 4 minStripe vs PayPal vs Square Fees: Compare the Exact Payment ProductCompare scoped US card-processing products, calculate fees at $40 and $100, and evaluate paid-plan savings without assuming one universal rate.

Shipping & Travel 4

Shipping & Travel · 3 minCheapest Way to Ship a 5 lb Book: Compare the Packed ShipmentCompare Media Mail, Ground Advantage and Flat Rate for a 5 lb book. Check packed weight, eligibility, current postage and the cost you actually absorb. Shipping & Travel · 3 minUSPS Flat Rate Box Prices: Retail and Commercial ComparisonSee dated USPS Small, Medium and Large Flat Rate prices. Compare retail and commercial rates, calculate savings and check the actual label price before shipping. Shipping & Travel · 3 minUSPS Flat Rate vs Ground Advantage: Compare Two Real QuotesChoose between Flat Rate and Ground Advantage using packed weight, dimensions, actual label quotes and delivery needs. Includes a clear break-even calculation. Shipping & Travel · 3 minGSA M&IE Explained: Meals, Incidentals and the Travel-Day RateUnderstand GSA meals and incidental expenses, the FY2026 tiers, provided-meal adjustments and the difference between a travel estimate and reimbursement.

Personal Finance 10

Personal Finance · 3 minThe 50/30/20 Budget Rule: Calculate and Adjust Your SplitCalculate a 50/30/20 split from spendable income, classify expenses consistently, and adjust the percentages when essential costs exceed the guide. Personal Finance · 3 minHow to Budget Irregular Income: Bills, Baselines, and Cash TimingBuild a usable variable-income budget by cleaning receipt history, setting spending tiers, and forecasting when cash arrives and bills fall due. Personal Finance · 3 minHow to Calculate Business Runway from Available CashCalculate net cash burn and months of runway, exclude committed cash, and recognize when a monthly schedule is more useful than division. Personal Finance · 3 minDebt Snowball vs. Avalanche: Compare Order and InterestCompare smallest-balance and highest-rate repayment using the same payment budget, and understand which assumptions can change the result. Personal Finance · 3 minYour FIRE Number and the Limits of the 4% RuleCalculate a portfolio target from annual withdrawal needs, compare withdrawal assumptions, and understand why a 4% scenario is not guaranteed retirement income. Personal Finance · 3 minHow Freelance Income Smoothing WorksUse a reserve and a planned personal transfer to manage uneven receipts, and calculate the minimum seed cash required by a sample income sequence. Personal Finance · 3 minHow Much Emergency Fund Do You Need? Build a Cash TargetEstimate an emergency reserve from essential expenses and plausible interruptions, then calculate the saving gap and an affordable funding timeline. Personal Finance · 3 minHow to Calculate Net Worth Without Double CountingCreate an assets-minus-liabilities snapshot, value items consistently, and distinguish net worth from money available for bills or retirement. Personal Finance · 3 minCalculate the Monthly Contribution for a Savings GoalWork out a monthly savings amount from a target, starting balance, deadline, and explicit interest assumption, with a missed-payment adjustment. Personal Finance · 3 minWhat Are Sinking Funds? Save for Known Future BillsCreate sinking funds for predictable expenses by dividing each remaining cost across the actual saving dates before the bill arrives.

Pricing & Productivity 21

Pricing & Productivity · 3 minAgency Markup on Contractors: Price a Subcontracted ProjectBuild a subcontractor quote from supplier cost, project management, overhead, and profit, with a worked example that avoids double counting. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minBillable Hours and Utilization: Measure a Freelance WorkweekCalculate billable utilization with a consistent denominator, separate delivery from administration, and connect your time log to revenue. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minCost of Scope Creep: Measure the Damage After a Fixed-Fee ProjectSeparate added scope from estimation error, calculate the effective-rate decline, and turn a finished project's overruns into better estimates. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minCost-Plus Pricing Explained: Choose Markup or Margin CorrectlyCalculate a price from a complete cost base, convert markup to margin, and account for unit quantities and percentage selling fees. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minSet a Freelance Bookkeeping Rate: Hourly Floor and Monthly PackageBuild a bookkeeping rate from your income target, operating costs, and delivery hours, then quote monthly close work with clear limits. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minFreelance Capacity Planning: Decide Whether the Next Project FitsBuild a weekly commitment budget, reserve business time, and test a proposed project against its busiest week rather than an average month. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minSet a Freelance Day Rate and Define What the Booking IncludesTurn an hourly target into day and half-day prices, check preparation and expenses, and prevent a day booking from becoming unlimited access. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minHow Much Does a Meeting Cost? Compare Its Time Cost with Its PurposeEstimate meeting labor cost, then compare a shorter meeting, fewer attendees and an asynchronous alternative without claiming automatic cash savings. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minHow to Calculate a Freelance Hourly Rate from Revenue and Billable CapacityBuild an annual revenue requirement, estimate collectible billable hours and calculate a rate floor with clear assumptions about taxes, expenses and surplus. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minHow to Price a Freelance Project: Scope, Estimate and Stress-Test the FeeTurn deliverables into a fixed project fee using phase estimates, direct costs and explicit uncertainty. Distinguish markup from margin and define change control. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minHow to Price a Retainer Without Promising Unlimited WorkChoose an hour bank, recurring deliverables or reserved availability, then set a monthly fee with clear limits, overages and a review process. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minHow to Set Consulting Fees from Capacity, Scope and Client ValueBuild a consulting revenue floor, compare hourly, day and fixed-fee engagements, and test client value without treating a salary multiplier as a market rate. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minInvoice Late Fee Calculator: Check Rates, Dates and Partial PaymentsCalculate simple interest or a flat invoice charge with clear rate units and date assumptions. Reconcile partial payments and keep legal entitlement separate. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minNet 30 Cash Flow Impact: Estimate Receivables and the Startup GapCalculate cash tied up in receivables from annual invoicing and collection days, then build a dated forecast for payroll, expenses and owner withdrawals. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minProfit Margin vs. Markup: Convert a Cost into the Right PriceCalculate margin and markup, reverse a target percentage into a price, and see how discounts change your profit. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minHow to Quote Extra Work on a Fixed-Price ProjectSeparate a new request from an estimate overrun, price the change, and confirm its effect on scope, cost and delivery before work begins. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minScope Creep on a $3,000 Project: Rate Drop, Cost and Quote GapCalculate the different effects of extra hours: effective hourly rate, additional internal cost and the price needed to preserve the original rate. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minShould You Raise Your Freelance Rate? Test the Revenue Break-EvenCalculate how much billed work you can lose after a rate increase while preserving revenue, then test your actual client mix. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minHow to Price a Social Media Management Retainer from ScopeBuild a monthly social media fee from content units, production effort, approvals and support limits, then check your delivery capacity. Pricing & Productivity · 3 minTime to Money: Calculate When a Business Purchase Pays BackEstimate simple payback from incremental monthly cash flow, then account for delayed income, recurring costs and a slower scenario. Pricing & Productivity · 4 minValue-Based Pricing for Freelancers: Build a Defensible Client-Benefit EstimateUse incremental profit or realizable savings to discuss a fee, while checking delivery cost, uncertainty and the client’s alternatives.

Generators 3

Generators · 3 minFree Invoice Generator Without Sign-Up: Create and Save a PDFBuild an invoice without creating an account. Check line items, discounts and tax, save through browser print and keep a separate payment record. Generators · 3 minFreelance Quote Generator: Turn an Agreed Scope Into a Clear PriceBuild a freelance quote with deliverables, a checked total, deposit terms and an expiry date. See a worked example and know what the generator does not decide. Generators · 3 minFreelance Rate Card Template: Show Prices and Scope ClearlyBuild a freelance rate card with fixed, hourly, starting and custom prices. Use a practical service menu and keep it distinct from a project quote or invoice.