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Barista FIRE calculator
How much you need invested when part-time work pays part of your spending, and when you get there.
Spending $50,000 a year with $25,000 from part-time work, the portfolio only has to pay $25,000: at 4% that is $625,000 instead of $1,250,000. In the example you reach it at 47.8, 9.8 years before full FIRE.
Barista FIRE number
$625,000
($50,000 − $25,000 part-time income) ÷ 4%.
You reach it at 47.8, 9.8 years before full FIRE at 57.5.
| Part-time income a year | Portfolio needed | Reached at |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $1,250,000 | 57.5 |
| $10,000 | $1,000,000 | 54.1 |
| $20,000 | $750,000 | 50.1 |
| $25,000 | $625,000 | 47.8 |
| $30,000 | $500,000 | 45.1 |
| $40,000 | $250,000 | 38.4 |
The formula
Barista FIRE number = (spending − part-time income) ÷ withdrawal rate
Every $10,000 of yearly income lowers the number by $250,000 at 4%. The income has to last for the years you count on it; health insurance through the job, if it comes with one, is part of the value.
Questions people ask
What is barista FIRE?
Leaving full-time work once your portfolio covers part of your spending, and earning the rest with part-time or lower-paid work you enjoy. The name comes from the idea of a part-time coffee shop job with benefits.
How much do I need to barista FIRE?
Your spending minus your part-time income, divided by your withdrawal rate. With $50,000 of spending and $20,000 of income at 4%, that is $750,000.
What is barista FIRE vs coast FIRE?
With barista FIRE the portfolio starts paying part of your spending now. With coast FIRE it pays nothing until a normal retirement age, but you stop saving and your earnings cover all your spending until then. Lean, fat, coast and barista FIRE compares them for one household.
Related
Barista FIRE explained with worked examples, and the coast FIRE calculator.
Last reviewed by Asier Fernández, editor, on . Educational information only, not financial advice. How we calculate