Maya Ellison
Personal-finance writer & recovering over-spender
Denver, CO
Maya writes about money the way she wishes someone had explained it to her at 22 — plainly, with real numbers and none of the jargon. She isn't a financial advisor; she's someone who spent her twenties digging out of credit-card debt, got a little obsessive about budgeting, and now turns intimidating financial math into decisions anyone can make. Everything she writes is meant to inform, not to be personal financial advice.
Articles by Maya Ellison
How to Calculate Your Optimal Bank Account Structure: Checking vs. Savings vs. Money Market Analysis
Discover how to structure your bank accounts for maximum efficiency, including the ideal number of accounts, interest optimization, and fee avoidance strategies. Learn to calculate when high-yield savings, money market accounts, or CDs make sense for different financial goals.
May 17, 2026How to Calculate Your Age in Different Units: Days, Hours, Minutes, and Beyond for Life Planning
Discover how calculating your age in various time units can provide powerful insights for goal setting, milestone tracking, and life perspective. Learn to convert years into days, hours, and minutes to better understand time value and create more meaningful life planning frameworks.
May 17, 2026How to Calculate Your Variable Income Budget: Freelancers, Contractors, and Commission-Based Workers Guide
Master budgeting with irregular income using the baseline method, percentage-based allocations, and income smoothing strategies. Includes seasonal adjustment calculations and emergency fund modifications for variable earners.
May 16, 2026How to Calculate Your Digital Subscription Audit: Finding Hidden Recurring Charges and Optimizing Your Tool Stack
Discover hidden recurring charges across all your digital subscriptions and calculate the true cost of your productivity tool stack. Learn systematic methods to audit monthly and annual fees, identify overlapping services, and optimize your software portfolio for maximum value and minimal waste.
May 16, 2026How to Calculate Your Estate Tax Planning Strategy: Federal vs. State Exemptions and Wealth Transfer Optimization
Master the complex calculations behind estate tax planning, including federal and state exemption limits, gift tax annual exclusions, generation-skipping transfer tax implications, and optimal wealth transfer timing strategies to minimize tax burden on your heirs.
May 15, 2026How to Calculate Your Personal Energy Budget: Mapping Mental and Physical Resources Throughout the Day
Learn to track and allocate your finite energy reserves like a financial budget. This comprehensive guide shows you how to measure your baseline energy levels, identify energy drains and gains, and create a sustainable daily energy spending plan for maximum productivity and well-being.
May 15, 2026How to Calculate Your Medicare Supplement Insurance Need: Medigap Plans, Out-of-Pocket Costs, and Coverage Gap Analysis
Navigate Medicare's complex landscape by calculating your actual coverage needs, comparing Medigap plan costs vs. potential medical expenses, and determining optimal supplemental insurance timing for retirement healthcare planning.
May 14, 2026How to Calculate Your Micro-Break Efficiency: Optimizing 5-Minute Rest Periods for Maximum Recovery
Discover the science behind micro-breaks and learn to calculate the optimal frequency, duration, and activity type for 5-minute rest periods that actually restore your energy and focus rather than disrupting your workflow.
May 14, 2026How to Calculate Your Car Replacement Fund: Depreciation, Maintenance Costs, and Optimal Trade-In Timing
Learn to build a strategic car replacement fund by calculating depreciation rates, maintenance escalation costs, and the optimal timing for trade-ins vs. repairs to minimize total transportation costs over time.
May 14, 2026How to Calculate Your Password Management Efficiency: Measuring Login Time and Security ROI
Discover how much time password resets and weak security practices cost you daily. Learn to calculate login efficiency, measure security tool ROI, and optimize your digital authentication workflow for maximum productivity.
May 13, 2026How to Calculate Your Cryptocurrency Tax Liability: DeFi, Staking Rewards, and Trading Strategies
Navigate complex crypto taxation including DeFi yield farming, staking rewards, NFT transactions, and wash sale rules. Learn to calculate your actual tax burden and optimize strategies for maximum after-tax returns.
May 13, 2026How to Calculate Your Noise Pollution Impact on Focus: Measuring Decibel Levels and Concentration Loss
Learn to measure ambient noise levels, calculate their impact on your cognitive performance, and determine the optimal acoustic environment for peak productivity using decibel measurements and focus metrics.
May 13, 2026