Career Break Runway
Turn your savings into a clear plan. The full plan behind the number.
- Break-mode budget, category by category
- Month-by-month runway
- Best, base and worst case scenarios
- A return plan and a pre-break checklist
- Career Break Playbook, a 12-page PDF
One-time payment. Instant download. No account needed.
The calculator gives you the number. This gives you the plan.
Budget, month-by-month runway, scenarios and a return plan - built so the break stays a choice, not a scramble.
Every screen, in one file.
One screen with your runway, your status, and the numbers that drive them.
From your numbers to your next steps.
- 01
Start with your numbers.
Savings, safety buffer, one-off costs and what the break costs per month. The runway updates as you type.
- 02
See what changes when you stop earning.
Your cost of living by category, now versus during the break, so you know what actually moves the number.
- 03
Plan the way back.
Set a job-search length and a bridge buffer. The sheet tells you when to start applying.
- 04
Handle the practical parts.
Notice period, insurance, subscriptions - the list that derails a break when it is missed.
Watch the runway play out, month by month.
Every month of the break laid out with a running balance, flagged the moment the numbers call for a decision instead of a surprise.
Stress-test the plan before you commit.
Adjust a few gold cells - higher spending, extra income, an emergency cost - and see how far each one moves your runway.
Eight tabs, plus the Playbook.
A 12-page PDF companion that walks through the decisions behind the numbers - not another spreadsheet tab, the reasoning that goes with it.
- StartOne screen with your runway, your status, and the numbers that drive them.
- Savings & RunwayEvery account and buffer in one place, feeding the same runway math as the free calculator - with room for more detail.
- Break-Mode BudgetThe monthly cost the calculator asks for in one number, broken into categories so you know what actually moves it.
- Month-by-MonthYour runway laid out month by month, with flags on the ones that need a decision instead of a guess.
- ScenariosHigher costs, a surprise bill, extra income - see how far each one moves your runway.
- Return PlanA structured way back to income - timeline, job search milestones, and the budget shift that comes with it.
- ChecklistThe practical, unglamorous list: accounts to check, dates to set, people to tell, before the break starts.
- How it worksThe method in plain language: the formulas behind every tab, the assumptions they make, and where their limits are.
- Career Break Playbook12-page PDF
Questions, answered.
Everything worth knowing before you buy.
What do I get?
One Excel file with 8 tabs - Start, Savings & Runway, Break-Mode Budget, Month-by-Month, Scenarios, Return Plan, Checklist and How it works - plus the Career Break Playbook, a 12-page PDF that walks through the decisions behind the numbers. The file opens with example numbers, so you can see how it works before typing your own.
Does it work in Google Sheets?
Career Break Runway is an Excel file (.xlsx), built and checked in Microsoft Excel. A Google Sheets version isn't included - charts and formulas behave differently there, and we'd rather not sell a format we haven't tested.
Do I need Microsoft Excel?
Yes, a desktop version of Microsoft Excel is what it's built and tested in. Other spreadsheet apps such as Numbers or LibreOffice may open the file, but charts and formatting can look different there.
Can I use it on my phone or tablet?
It's made for a computer. Eight tabs of tables and charts need a proper screen, so plan to fill it in on a laptop or desktop.
How do I get the files after I buy?
It's an instant digital download. As soon as your payment goes through on Etsy, the Excel file and the PDF are ready to download from your Etsy purchases. Nothing is shipped.
How much does it cost - is it a subscription?
It's a one-time payment, with no subscription and no account to create. The current price is shown on the Etsy listing.
Can I get a refund?
Digital downloads on Etsy usually can't be returned, because a file can't be sent back. That's why this page shows every tab before you buy. If a file won't open, contact the shop through your Etsy order.
How is it different from the free calculator?
The calculator gives you one number: how many months your savings cover. Career Break Runway gives you the plan around it - a budget broken into categories, the runway month by month, best, base and worst case scenarios, a return plan and a practical checklist.
Which currency does it use?
Any. The file never assumes a currency - pick the one you plan in and enter every amount in it.
Will it work in a non-English version of Excel?
Yes. The formulas are stored in Excel's language-neutral form, and the file has been checked in a non-English Excel installation.
Does it account for tax, inflation or interest?
No, and it says so. Enter every amount after tax. The plan assumes no inflation and no interest or investment growth on your savings, and it doesn't model debt repayments or mortgages. The How it works tab lists every assumption in plain English.
What if my costs aren't the same every month?
The plan uses one monthly cost for the whole break. To see what a rougher month or an emergency cost does to it, use the Scenarios tab - it runs the same plan under five different assumptions, side by side.
Where do my numbers go?
Nowhere. It's a file on your own computer - there's no Bright Sorted account, no sign-up, and nothing you type is sent to us.
Can I print it?
Yes. Every tab is set up to print, or save as PDF, on landscape pages.
Is this financial advice?
No. Bright Sorted tools and products are for general planning purposes only. For guidance specific to your situation, talk to a qualified financial adviser.
Bright Sorted tools and products are for general planning purposes only and do not constitute financial advice. For guidance specific to your situation, talk to a qualified financial adviser.