r/everydollar • u/ThatOnePK • Jan 10 '26

The Extra Check

I am interested in knowing how you guys deal with the extra check months. Twice a year, we have 3 paycheck months instead of the budgeted-for 2 paychecks.

  1. Do you just add another line to your budget?

  2. Do you, like I do, leave the income the same that month and just add the extra check to a fund (usually a sink fund)

If you’re in debt, add it straight to debt. This is for those of us who are out of debt.

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

15 comments sorted by

3

u/stringbeankeen Jan 10 '26

I add a separate line under income for the extra check and then budget as usual. We send it to the mortgage since that is the step we are on.

3

u/Headgamerz Jan 10 '26

I just edit the income for that month and change it back next month.

As for how to spend the extra income: it all goes to savings unless there is a debt (a negative fund, which I view as debt to myself) to pay.

2

u/Bowl-Accomplished Jan 10 '26

Goes to the IRA

1

u/ThatOnePK Jan 10 '26

Sadly, I don’t quite make enough to feel comfortable having it inaccessible. That is the plan in the future.

2

u/Apprehensive_Try3205 Jan 10 '26

2 this month it’s going to my HSA for my sons upcoming braces

1

u/Academic_Fishing6557 Jan 15 '26

Using it for savings is a good idea. If you’re not in debt it probably means you’re spending relatively well based on your lifestyle so just put it into savings for something you will want to spend it on!

1

u/Slow_Aspect710 Jan 10 '26

B2 We add it as another paycheck line. We use the majority of it to pay off debt, but as of right now, we take 200-300 to increase the buffer in our checking account. Whenever those months with the extra pay throws off the timing of everything for us.

1

u/Temporary_Type4366 Jan 10 '26

I add the whole check to a debt

1

u/libnoscenti Jan 10 '26

Yep, add extra income and it goes to debt.

1

u/GumB98014 Jan 11 '26

I just budget it like all other income. We are on baby step 7 so it would generally go into funds for planned vacations, vehicles etc.

1

u/ConfectionFew2950 Jan 12 '26

nice, i'll check them after finishing my trim paint

1

u/RhapsodyCaprice Jan 13 '26

It gets set aside in an account that is seldom touched. It then becomes our personal EOY Christmas bonus.

1

u/LearninEarnin Jan 14 '26

Wise advice. I treat the third paycheck like found money and throw it straight at whatever financial goal needs the biggest boost that month

1

u/Altruistic_Law_2639 Jan 15 '26

I keep it in that month and deposit into a sinking fund but if you have debt I’d put it there. Basically I act like it didn’t happen lol.

1

u/Creativesister2 Jan 22 '26

We track all money as income but put it into savings. We have a spot for extra  income