Bootstrap Planner Toolkit
Back to HomeThis toolkit explains the key concepts and fields used in the Bootstrap Planner. Use it as a reference to understand how your numbers are calculated and what they mean for your financial journey as a founder.
Monthly Expenses
Your total recurring monthly costs (rent, food, transport, subscriptions, etc.).
Safety Buffer
An optional 25% added to your expenses for unexpected costs. Only affects your required income to quit, not runway.
Monthly War Chest
An extra monthly surplus goal for growth, reinvestment, or extra security. Only affects your required income to quit, not runway.
Freedom Number
The minimum monthly income you need to safely quit: Expenses + Buffer + War Chest.
Current Income
All your income sources combined (MRR, freelance, passive, salary, etc.).
Deficit / Surplus
How much you need to add (deficit) or have extra (surplus) per month to reach your freedom number.
Savings Used
The amount of cash savings used for runway calculation. If blank, defaults to 3× expenses.
Runway
How long you can last at your current burn rate (if deficit), or how long to build an emergency fund (if surplus).
Financial Freedom %
Current Income divided by Freedom Number, as a percentage. 100% means you can safely quit.
Growth Projection
This section visualizes how your income could grow over time, based on your current Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR), static income, and your chosen monthly MRR growth rate. It helps you see how long it might take to reach your Freedom Number, and what your financial trajectory looks like if you keep growing at your current pace.
- MRR Growth Rate: The percentage your MRR increases each month.
- Expense Growth Rate (optional): Models inflation or scaling costs.
- Freedom Point: The month when your income first meets or exceeds your Freedom Number.
- Chart Lines: Shows your projected income, expenses, and safety target over time.
- Insights: The chart summary highlights when you can safely quit, or if your current plan never reaches your goal.