Back

How to Optimize Your Income While Working From Home

December 10th, 2025
Chrissy Kapralos
Budgeting While Working From Home

Share

Earn up to 3.5% interest on every dollar of your savings

Working from home gives you more control over your time and spending.

Which means you have more ways to stretch and grow your income without necessarily earning a higher salary right away.

KOHO Everything to Make Every Dollar Work Harder

When you’re at home, a lot of your spending (groceries, takeout, subscriptions, transit when you do go out) still runs through your account.

With KOHO Everything, you can turn spending into extra money:

  • Grow your savings with 3.5% interest, one of the highest rates in Canada

  • Earn a 2% cash back rate on groceries, eating, drinking, and transportation and 0.5% cash back on everything else

  • There are no foreign exchange fees, so you save on international purchases and travel

  • Unlimited transactions and free e-transfers

  • No minimum balance required, ever.

1. Separate Work Related Spending

Create a simple system for anything tied to your job:

  • Use one primary card/account for recurring work tools (internet, software, phone).

  • Track these in a basic spreadsheet or budgeting app.

That makes it easier to:

  • See what’s truly “cost of working” vs. lifestyle spending.

  • Talk to a tax professional about possible deductions if you qualify.

2. Cut “Hidden” Work From Home Costs

Working from home can quietly get expensive.

Review:

  • Food delivery and coffee runs during work hours

  • Duplicate subscriptions you don’t really use

  • Upgrades you don’t need (extra monitors, gadgets, etc.)

Even trimming $50–$100 a month is like giving yourself a mini raise.

3. Automate Saving a Slice of Every Paycheque

When you get paid:

  • Move a fixed percentage (even 5–10%) into a separate savings bucket.

  • Let it sit in a high-interest setup, and only use it for goals or emergencies.

If your income is steady, autopilot saving is one of the easiest ways to optimize it.

4. Look for Low Effort Upside

From home, you may be able to:

  • Take on small freelance or contract tasks in your field.

  • Monetize a skill (design, writing, tutoring, language help).

Even a small side income can go straight into savings or investments instead of day-to-day bills.

Note: KOHO product information and/or features may have been updated since this blog post was published. Please refer to our KOHO Plans page for our most up to date account information!

About the author

Chrissy is a freelance writer and editor who is passionate about making financial education accessible. She is also a communications advisor for the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines. When she isn't writing, you can find her practicing yoga or watching horror movies.

Read more about this author