Guides

Spend your hours wisely

Short, practical guides to understanding your pay and deciding what is worth buying.

• How to work out your real hourly wageYour salary divided by your hours is only the start. Add tax, commute time and work costs to find what an hour of your life really earns.
• Monthly salary to hourly: the formula and a quick tableConvert a monthly or yearly salary into an hourly rate, with ready-made tables that work in any currency.
• How to find your take-home percentageWork out what share of your gross pay you actually keep, using your payslip, so price comparisons use the money you really spend.
• The 24-hour rule: when to wait before you buyA simple waiting rule for impulse buys, matched to how many hours of work something costs.
• What small daily buys cost you in work hours a yearCoffee, lunches out and subscriptions look small. Here is what they add up to in hours of work over a year.
• Gross pay vs net pay, explained simplyWhat the two numbers on your payslip mean, and which one to use when you're deciding what to buy.
• How to save for something bigA simple plan for saving up for a phone, a trip or a laptop, without giving up everything else.
• Subscriptions audit: what your subscriptions cost in work hoursList every subscription, turn it into hours of work a year, and decide which ones earn their place.
• Is it cheaper to cook or eat out? Count it in work hoursCompare a home-cooked meal with takeaway or delivery, including the time it takes to cook.
• How to compare two job offers by real hourly wageA higher salary isn't always better pay. Compare offers by what an hour of your life actually earns.
• The 30-day rule for very big purchasesFor anything that costs weeks of work, a 30-day wait and a short checklist can save you from expensive regret.