Time-Cost of Money & Life-Hours
Convert monetary expenses into actual hours and minutes of your life worked to curb impulse spending and make mindful purchasing decisions.
Overview & Concept
Section titled “Overview & Concept”Money is a store of your life energy. The Time-Cost of Money framework translates monetary price tags into the exact hours and minutes you had to work to earn that money.
Why it Works
Section titled “Why it Works”- Impulse Control: Seeing a $150 item as “6 hours of work” alters your emotional perception of price.
- Mindful Spending: Helps align your daily spending with your long-term life values.
- Real Wage Transparency: Uncovers your actual net hourly rate after deducting work-related expenses like commuting, work meals, and mandatory work gear.
Salary & Hourly Wage Setup
Section titled “Salary & Hourly Wage Setup”To calculate accurate life-hours, set up your salary profile in Settings > Salary & Hourly Wage Calculator.
1. Calculation Methodologies
Section titled “1. Calculation Methodologies”Simple Pay Mode
Section titled “Simple Pay Mode”Calculates your hourly rate based on simple gross or net monthly income divided by average working hours.
Hourly rate = monthly net income ÷ (weekly work hours × 4.333)
Real Wage Mode (YMOYL Methodology)
Section titled “Real Wage Mode (YMOYL Methodology)”Based on Your Money or Your Life principles. Deducts non-reimbursed work overhead to reveal your true net rate:
- Commute Expenses: Monthly gas, tolls, bus/train passes.
- Commute Time: Unpaid hours spent traveling to/from work.
- Work Meals & Coffee: Extra food costs incurred because of work.
- Job Overhead: Attire, tech, uniforms, professional dues.
Real hourly rate = (monthly net income − work expenses) ÷ (monthly work hours + commute hours)
Purchase Calculator & Badges
Section titled “Purchase Calculator & Badges”Standalone Calculator
Section titled “Standalone Calculator”Access the standalone Time-Cost Calculator from the app bar in Settings to calculate life-hours for any item price before buying.
Transaction Entry Badges
Section titled “Transaction Entry Badges”When enabled, an inline Life-Hours Badge automatically displays below the amount field while entering transactions (e.g. ⏱️ ≈ 3h 15m of work), providing real-time feedback before you save an expense.