Side Hustle Break Even Hours Calculator

📖 Overview

This calculator turns a side project into concrete workload math.

It computes contribution margin required volume and real hours so you can decide if the goal fits your weekly capacity.

Use these default and higher-pressure example inputs to explore how sensitive this calculator is before using your real numbers.

Input	Base Case	Higher Pressure Case
Monthly Income Goal ($)	2,200	1,980
Average Revenue Per Client Or Order ($)	140	126
Variable Cost Per Client Or Order ($)	45	54
Fixed Monthly Side Hustle Costs ($)	320	384
Hours Per Client Or Order	2.5	3

Calculates workload required to hit a target monthly income after variable and fixed costs, expressed in units and hours.

The Formula

Units Needed = (Income Goal + Fixed Costs) ÷ (Revenue per Unit − Variable Cost per Unit)

Income Goal	Target monthly income contribution from the side hustle
Revenue per Unit	Average income per order/client
Variable Cost	Direct cost per order/client
Fixed Costs	Monthly recurring overhead not tied to each order
Hours per Unit	Execution time per order/client including admin overhead

💡This calculator is scenario-based. Better input quality leads to better decision quality.

⚠️If revenue per unit is not greater than variable cost per unit, no amount of volume creates healthy break-even progress.

Contribution / Unit	Goal + Fixed Costs	Units Needed	Hours Needed (2h/unit)
$40	$1,600	40	80h/mo
$60	$1,600	27	54h/mo
$90	$1,600	18	36h/mo

Use this tool when you need a fast decision during active planning or execution.
Use this before committing money, time, or tradeoffs that are hard to reverse.
Use this to compare options using the same assumptions across scenarios.

Results can be misleading if key inputs are missing, stale, or unrealistic.
Very small or very large values may amplify rounding effects and interpretation risk.
If assumptions change mid-decision, recalculate before acting.

💡 Track true hours per unit including communication and revisions.

💡 Improve contribution margin before scaling volume.

💡 Convert monthly hours into weekly reality before committing.

❓ Should taxes be included?

Yes, include an estimated tax reserve in fixed costs for realistic net targets.

❓ Can I use this for product and service businesses?

Yes, as long as you can estimate per-unit revenue, per-unit variable cost, and time.