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 Cognitive Load Score: Measuring Mental Bandwidth for Better Decision Making
Learn to quantify your mental capacity throughout the day and optimize your schedule by calculating cognitive load scores. This guide shows you how to measure mental fatigue, allocate demanding tasks to peak hours, and create a sustainable workflow that matches your brain's natural energy cycles.
May 3, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal 401(k) Contribution Strategy: Employer Match, Tax Benefits, and IRA Backdoor Conversion Timing
Learn to maximize your 401(k) benefits by calculating the optimal contribution amount that balances employer matching, tax advantages, and investment flexibility. Includes strategies for high earners facing contribution limits and backdoor Roth conversions.
May 3, 2026How to Calculate Your Habit Formation Timeline: Data-Driven Approach to Building Lasting Productivity Routines
Learn how to scientifically measure and predict how long it takes to form new productivity habits, track progress milestones, and calculate the optimal reinforcement schedule for lasting behavioral change.
May 3, 2026How to Calculate Your Investment Property Cash Flow: BRRRR Strategy, Cap Rates, and ROI Analysis
Master the math behind real estate investing with step-by-step calculations for cash flow, cap rates, cash-on-cash returns, and the BRRRR method. Learn how to evaluate rental properties like a pro and avoid common calculation mistakes that cost investors thousands.
May 2, 2026How to Calculate Your Digital Tool Consolidation Savings: Streamlining Apps and Subscriptions for Maximum Efficiency
Learn to measure the time and cost benefits of consolidating your productivity apps, subscriptions, and digital tools. Calculate switching costs, feature overlap, and long-term efficiency gains to optimize your digital workspace.
May 2, 2026How to Calculate Your Minimum Viable Income: The Lean FIRE Number That Covers Essential Expenses Only
Discover how to calculate the absolute minimum income you need to maintain your lifestyle, creating a baseline for career changes, early retirement planning, or financial stress testing. Learn the difference between wants vs. needs and how geographic arbitrage affects your lean FIRE number.
May 1, 2026How to Calculate Your Ideal Template Creation Time: Building Reusable Systems That Save Hours
Learn how to measure the upfront time investment needed to create templates and standardized processes, then calculate the long-term time savings to determine which templates are worth building for maximum productivity gains.
May 1, 2026How to Calculate Your Home Equity Loan vs. HELOC Break-Even Point: Interest Rates, Fees, and Repayment Strategies
Learn how to calculate whether a home equity loan or HELOC makes more financial sense for your specific situation, including interest rate comparisons, closing costs, and long-term payment analysis.
Apr 30, 2026How to Calculate Your Multitasking Penalty: The Hidden Productivity Cost of Juggling Multiple Projects
Discover the real time cost of multitasking with step-by-step calculations to measure efficiency loss, context switching penalties, and how to optimize your workflow for single-task focus.
Apr 30, 2026How to Calculate Your Personal Inflation Rate: Why the CPI Doesn't Reflect Your Real Spending
Learn how to track your personal inflation rate by analyzing your actual spending categories versus national averages. Discover why your real cost of living increases may be higher or lower than official inflation reports and how to adjust your financial planning accordingly.
Apr 29, 2026How to Calculate Your Procrastination Pattern: Data-Driven Analysis of Delay Triggers and Recovery Time
Learn to measure your procrastination habits using time tracking data, identify specific delay triggers, and calculate the exact recovery time needed to get back on track. Includes formulas for quantifying procrastination costs and building personalized intervention strategies.
Apr 29, 2026How to Calculate Your Social Security Break-Even Age: When to Claim Benefits for Maximum Lifetime Value
Learn how to calculate the optimal age to claim Social Security benefits by comparing early retirement at 62, full retirement age, and delayed retirement credits until 70. Includes break-even analysis, life expectancy factors, and strategies for married couples.
Apr 29, 2026