Account separation
Operating money, personal money, savings, and taxes should not blur together.
Freelancers
When income changes every month, clarity matters more
Freelancers usually need more than spending categories. They need to understand irregular income, multiple accounts, liquidity, and net worth at the same time.
Variable incomeMultiple accountsCash buffer
What freelancers usually need
Variable-income context
Monthly numbers need more interpretation when invoices land unevenly.
Cash protection
Net worth matters, but available liquidity matters just as much.
How Neto helps
- Create several accounts, each in its own currency.
- Log income and expenses with categories and context.
- Combine budgets, savings goals and investments in one view.
- It doesn't depend on a bank connection, so it reflects how you actually work.
The problem is not how much comes in, it is how much is yours
The most expensive mistake new freelancers make is not overspending: it is treating money as theirs when it is not. A €3,000 invoice plus VAT is not €3,630 of yours. It is €3,000 minus the income tax you will owe, plus €630 you are holding for the tax office.
When that money sits in the same account as everything else, next quarter a payment appears that nobody planned for, and nobody planned for it because the balance said otherwise. Separating it from day one turns the quarter into paperwork instead of a shock.
- Set VAT aside the moment you get paid, not when the quarter arrives.
- Hold back a fixed percentage for income tax: having too much is easier to fix than having too little.
- What is left after both is your real income, and it is the only figure worth planning on.
How to smooth out irregular months
With income that changes every month, a budget is not built on the average: it is built on the worst of the last six months. Anything extra in a good month is not spent, it is kept for the month when nothing comes in.
The trick that works best is paying yourself a fixed salary: a constant amount moving from the business account to the personal one every month, set on the worst case. Your life stops rising and falling with your invoices, and the irregularity stays where it belongs, in the business account.
Frequently asked questions
Does it work for mixing personal and business finances?
It works for seeing both, but in separate accounts. That separation is what gives you the clarity.
What if I'm paid in several currencies?
Neto supports multiple currencies, which helps when you work with clients in different countries.
Does it replace accounting software?
No. Neto is an app for financial control and visibility, not a professional tax or accounting tool.
How much buffer does a freelancer need?
More than an employee: the calculator starts at three months and adds three more for variable income, because there is no severance and unemployment cover is limited. With dependants, more.
Does VAT count as income?
No. The VAT you charge is never yours: it is money you collect on behalf of the tax office. Counting it as income is exactly what causes the quarterly shock.
Do I need a separate bank account?
Not always legally required, but it helps enormously: mixing the two flows is what makes it impossible to know what you actually earn.