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 True Refinancing Break-Even Point: Closing Costs, Rate Reduction, and Remaining Loan Term Analysis
Most homeowners focus only on the new interest rate when refinancing, but the real math is far more complex. Learn how to calculate your exact break-even month by factoring in closing costs, loan term resets, private mortgage insurance changes, and opportunity cost of capital — so you never refinance at the wrong time again.
Jul 19, 2026How to Calculate Your Print vs. Digital Workflow Cost: Measuring Ink, Paper, and Time Expenses Against Paperless Productivity
Still printing documents or gone fully paperless? Learn how to calculate the true cost of your print workflow—factoring in ink cartridges, paper reams, printer maintenance, and time spent scanning—versus a fully digital system. Includes a step-by-step formula to determine your break-even point and annual savings from switching.
Jul 19, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal I-Bond Allocation: Inflation Protection, Purchase Limits, and Liquidity Trade-Off Analysis
I-Bonds offer government-backed inflation protection, but annual purchase caps and one-year lock-up periods create real trade-offs. Learn how to calculate whether I-Bonds belong in your portfolio, how much to allocate based on your emergency fund size and inflation exposure, and how to time purchases for maximum yield relative to TIPS, HYSAs, and short-term Treasuries.
Jul 19, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal Meeting-Free Block Length: Measuring Deep Work Capacity Against Calendar Fragmentation
Discover how to quantify the minimum uninterrupted time block you need for meaningful deep work, measure how calendar fragmentation is shrinking your focus windows, and build a data-driven case for protecting your most productive hours from scheduling creep.
Jul 18, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal Charitable Giving Budget: Tax Deductions, QCDs, and Maximizing Social Impact per Dollar
Discover how to build a tax-efficient charitable giving strategy by calculating your deduction threshold, comparing qualified charitable distributions from IRAs, bunching donations into high-income years, and measuring actual after-tax cost of giving to maximize both social impact and financial benefit.
Jul 17, 2026How to Calculate Your Browser Tab Overload Cost: Measuring Memory Usage, Cognitive Load, and Lost Focus Time
Discover how to quantify the hidden productivity tax of keeping dozens of browser tabs open simultaneously. Learn to measure RAM consumption per tab, calculate the cognitive overhead of visual clutter, and determine exactly how much time you lose refinding information versus bookmarking it properly — with a step-by-step framework for finding your personal optimal tab limit.
Jul 17, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal Umbrella Insurance Coverage Need: Asset Protection, Liability Gaps, and Net Worth Analysis
Most people with growing net worth are dangerously underinsured against liability risks. Learn how to calculate the exact umbrella insurance coverage amount you need based on your total exposed assets, existing policy limits, occupation risk factors, and the hidden gaps between your auto and homeowners policies — before a lawsuit wipes out years of wealth building.
Jul 15, 2026How to Calculate Your Ideal Task Deadline Spacing: Measuring the Optimal Gap Between Due Dates to Prevent Burnout and Bottlenecks
Back-to-back deadlines drain focus and spike stress, but too much spacing kills momentum. Learn how to calculate the ideal time gap between project due dates using workload density, task complexity scores, and recovery time formulas — so you can build a deadline calendar that sustains output without burning out.
Jul 13, 2026How to Calculate Your Windfall Money Allocation Strategy: Bonuses, Inheritances, and Tax Refunds
Receiving a large sum of money unexpectedly can be overwhelming without a clear plan. Learn how to calculate the optimal split between debt payoff, investing, emergency funds, and lifestyle spending using percentage-based frameworks and net present value analysis — so a one-time windfall creates lasting financial momentum.
Jul 11, 2026How to Calculate Your Video Call Fatigue Score: Measuring the Hidden Energy Cost of Back-to-Back Virtual Meetings
Discover how to quantify the mental exhaustion caused by consecutive video calls, calculate your optimal meeting-to-recovery ratio, and use data-driven strategies to restructure your virtual schedule for sustained energy and focus throughout the workday.
Jul 11, 2026How to Calculate Your Optimal Roth vs. Traditional 401(k) Split: After-Tax Income, Future Tax Rate Predictions, and Flexibility Analysis
Choosing between Roth and Traditional 401(k) contributions isn't a simple either/or decision. Learn how to calculate the exact split that minimizes your lifetime tax burden by modeling future tax bracket scenarios, required minimum distributions, and withdrawal flexibility—with step-by-step formulas you can apply to your own paycheck today.
Jul 10, 2026How to Calculate Your Desk Clutter Index: Measuring Physical Workspace Organization and Its Impact on Focus Time
Discover how to quantify your physical workspace clutter using a simple scoring system, then measure the direct correlation between surface disorganization and the minutes lost each day to searching, distraction, and decision fatigue. Includes a step-by-step audit formula and declutter ROI calculator.
Jul 9, 2026