Barista FIRE Calculator

What is Barista FIRE?

Barista FIRE is a halfway point to full early retirement. You build a portfolio large enough to cover part of your living costs, then step back to part-time or lower-stress work that covers the remainder (the name comes from people who take a barista-style job, often for the benefits plus some income). You get much of the freedom of FIRE far sooner, and your investments can keep growing because you're not yet drawing on them fully.

How the Barista FIRE number works

The key difference from full FIRE is the part-time income. We subtract what your part-time work covers from your annual expenses, then apply your safe withdrawal rate to the remainder. Because your portfolio only has to cover the gap, the nest egg you need can be dramatically smaller — often hundreds of thousands of dollars less.

Barista FIRE vs. Coast FIRE

They're cousins. Coast FIRE means you've saved enough to stop contributing and let it grow to full retirement. Barista FIRE means you draw a little now while part-time work covers the rest. Many people pass through both on the way to full financial independence — model the income side with the dividend income calculator.