TL;DR: Are you working in or adjacent to a creative field? I'm looking at you: artists, marketers, communicators, public relations professionals, gaming professionals, writers, people in media and production, the list goes on... The economy is unpredictable and you are more vulnerable to layoffs, inflation, and rising interest rates than many other professions.
So if you want peace of mind, it’s time to start preparing your emergency fund, recession-proof your finances, and build a financial plan that’s adaptable to life’s curveballs. These three steps will get you ready before the next crisis hits.
In an economy that feels like it’s constantly shifting—AI-driven job disruption, unpredictable interest rates, political noise—having a plan isn’t just nice to have. It’s critical. If your career is in, or reliant on, a creative field, your finances need to be as flexible and resilient as your career. But how do you navigate a constantly changing landscape without feeling like you’re just waiting for the next disaster?
Here are actionable steps to prepare, with a focus on building a recession-proof financial plan. Here are three critical steps to help you build your emergency fund, automate your savings, and create a flexible Plan B for economic uncertainty.
Step 1: Know Your Number
Before you can prepare, you need to know your financial number—the amount of money you need to cover essential bills for six months. This is your lifeboat, your Safety Runway, and it’s the bare minimum you need to stay financially secure during tough times.
Here’s how to calculate it:
- List your non-negotiable bills: rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, healthcare, etc.
- Multiply the total by six. That’s your Safety Runway.
This number gives you clarity and helps avoid that “what if” stress when the economy is in flux. Knowing how much you need to cover your expenses is the first step toward building a recession-proof financial plan.
✨ Having a clear number means you're not guessing about your finances when things get tight. It’s all about confidence and preparedness.
Step 2: Automate Your Savings Cushion
Now that you know your financial safety number, it’s time to automate your savings. This isn’t about willpower—it’s about making saving as effortless as possible. Automated savings ensure that your emergency fund grows steadily, even when life gets busy.
Here’s how to set it up:
- 80% for lifestyle spending: The essentials and your lifestyle choices (groceries, rent, fun).
- 20% for savings: Automatically funnel 20% into a high-yield savings account or a short-term T-bill ladder for stability.
By automating your savings, you remove the mental strain of deciding every month how much to save. It builds momentum and keeps you on track, ensuring that your emergency fund grows even in uncertain times.
💡 Automation makes saving automatic and effortless. It’s the key to building financial resilience without stress.
Step 3: Sketch Your Plan B
You’ve got your Safety Runway, and your savings are automated. Now, let’s talk about a financial Plan B—a flexible income strategy you can lean on if your current job or income stream is disrupted.
A solid financial Plan B doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, a quick brainstorm could be all it takes to give you peace of mind. Ask yourself:
- With who in my network can I explore new opportunities?
- What freelance or part-time opportunities could I tap into based on my skills?
- Could I monetize a hobby or expertise quickly?
- How do I position my skills as transferrable to fields that are more recession-proof?
This isn’t about panic planning. It’s about ensuring you’ve got the ability to pivot if you need to. In creative fields, opportunities are everywhere if you know where to look and are ready to jump on them.
🔥 Building a Plan B is about control. You’re not waiting for the world to hand you opportunities—you’re creating them.
Here's the Truth
There’s no such thing as the “perfect time” to get your finances in order. If you wait for a crisis to start building your emergency fund or to recession-proof your finances, it might be too late. But you have the power to make that choice now.
If you're serious about financial planning, particularly those of you in creative industries, this is the time to take action. This plan will help you navigate uncertainty with confidence, knowing you have the safety net you need.
Ready to Build a Financial Plan That Works for You?
It’s easy to feel like financial preparedness is just for the “big players” or corporate types. But as a person who works in a creative field, you have the same right—and need—to ensure your money works for you.
📬 Now is the time to tighten up your plan before the next plot twist.
People Also Ask
1. How much should creatives save if their income is seasonal or project-based?
Even with unpredictable cash flow, a creative professional should aim to save at least 20% of each payment during high-earning periods. Build a separate account labeled “Safety Runway” and treat it as non-negotiable—just like a bill. This habit helps smooth out feast-or-famine cycles common in freelance or project-driven work.
2. Why is automating savings better than manual budgeting?
Automation removes decision fatigue. When you set it and forget it, savings grow in the background—even when life gets hectic. It also creates consistency, helping you build resilience without relying on willpower or perfect budgeting habits.
3. How do taxes affect my emergency fund if I’m self-employed?
If you're self-employed, your emergency fund should account for post-tax living expenses and include a separate reserve for estimated quarterly taxes. In a down period, you’ll still owe taxes from prior earnings—so it's crucial to factor that into your Safety Runway.
4. How can I avoid lifestyle inflation when my income spikes?
Set a fixed salary for yourself—even when you earn more. Automatically route any income beyond that “baseline” into savings or business investments. This creates long-term stability and cushions against future slow periods.