Home / FIRE basics / Lean, regular, fat, coast and barista FIRE compared
FIRE basicsLean, regular, fat, coast and barista FIRE compared
For the same household (35, $100,000 invested, saving $25,000 a year at 5% after inflation), lean FIRE arrives at 47.9, regular FIRE at 53.8 and fat FIRE at 68.0. Coast FIRE lets it stop saving at 41.2, and barista FIRE with $20,000 of part-time income gets there at 45.5.
The five types in one table
Every row uses the same assumptions: 35 years old, $100,000 invested, saving $25,000 a year, 5% a year after inflation and a 4% withdrawal rate. Only the goal changes.
| Type | Portfolio pays | Portfolio needed | Reached at age | Work after that |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lean FIRE | $25,000 a year | $625,000 | 47.9 | None needed |
| Regular FIRE | $40,000 a year | $1,000,000 | 53.8 | None needed |
| Fat FIRE | $100,000 a year | $2,500,000 | 68.0 | None needed |
| Coast FIRE | $40,000 a year from 65 | $313,841 | 41.2 | Earn your spending until 65, with no more saving |
| Barista FIRE | $20,000 a year | $500,000 | 45.5 | Part-time work that pays $20,000 a year |
With these numbers the household passes coast FIRE at 41.2, barista FIRE at 45.5, lean FIRE at 47.9 and regular FIRE at 53.8. The types can be read as checkpoints on one path as well as separate goals.
Lean FIRE
A budget close to essentials, here $25,000 a year. It is the earliest full exit in the table, at 47.9, and the one with the least room for surprises: every $5,000 of extra yearly cost needs $125,000 more in the portfolio.
Regular FIRE
Your expected spending, here $40,000 a year, paid entirely by the portfolio: $1,000,000, reached at 53.8. For a retirement that could last 40 or 50 years, a lower withdrawal rate is worth testing: at 3.5% the goal becomes $1,142,857 and the age 55.6.
Fat FIRE
A generous budget, here $100,000 a year. It needs $2,500,000, two and a half times the regular goal, and at the same saving rate arrives at 68.0. Getting there before 60 would take saving about $45,300 a year.
Coast FIRE
Save until the portfolio can grow to the regular goal by 65 on its own, then stop saving. This household gets there at 41.2 with $313,841. Work still has to pay all the spending until 65, so it suits people who want a lower-paid or less demanding job rather than no job. The risk is the return: if the portfolio earns 4% a year after inflation instead of 5% once saving stops, it reaches $796,686 at 65, $203,314 short. The coast FIRE guide has the amount you need at each age.
Barista FIRE
Part-time work pays part of the spending, here $20,000 of the $40,000, and the portfolio pays the rest: $20,000 a year needs $500,000, reached at 45.5. It depends on keeping that income. If the job paid $10,000 instead, the portfolio would need $750,000, reached at 50.0. Some part-time jobs also come with benefits such as health insurance, which matters before Medicare at 65.
How saving more changes each path
The age each type is reached, at three saving levels and the same other assumptions:
| Saving a year | Coast | Barista | Lean | Regular | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | 46.8 | 49.2 | 52.2 | 59.2 | 74.9 |
| $25,000 | 41.2 | 45.5 | 47.9 | 53.8 | 68.0 |
| $35,000 | 39.3 | 43.3 | 45.3 | 50.4 | 63.4 |
An extra $10,000 a year moves regular FIRE from 53.8 to 50.4. The gain is largest for the biggest goal, because the extra saving has longer to grow.
These figures are illustrations worked out from stated assumptions, not forecasts. Real returns vary from year to year, and taxes, fees and the order of good and bad years change the outcome. See the disclaimer.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between fat FIRE and lean FIRE?
The budget. Here fat FIRE spends $75,000 a year more than lean FIRE, which takes $1,875,000 more in the portfolio and 20.1 more years of saving.
What is coast FIRE vs barista FIRE?
Coast FIRE stops the saving and keeps the full-time job until 65. Barista FIRE leaves full-time work and covers part of the spending with part-time pay. For this household coast comes first, at 41.2 with $313,841, and barista at 45.5 with $500,000.
What are the five FIRE types?
Lean, regular, fat, coast and barista FIRE, as in the table above. Some lists add chubby FIRE, a budget between regular and fat: at $70,000 a year it needs $1,750,000, reached here at 62.1.
Which one fits your numbers?
Three questions decide it: how much you will really spend, how long you are willing to keep working, and how much risk of having to earn again you can accept. Try your answers in the FIRE calculator (lean, regular and fat with the same assumptions) and the coast FIRE calculator.
Sources
- William P. Bengen, "Determining Withdrawal Rates Using Historical Data", Journal of Financial Planning, October 1994.
- Philip L. Cooley, Carl M. Hubbard and Daniel T. Walz, "Retirement Savings: Choosing a Withdrawal Rate That Is Sustainable", AAII Journal, February 1998 (the Trinity study).
- Amy C. Arnott, "How Much Can You Safely Withdraw If You Retire Early?", Morningstar, September 15, 2026 (data as of September 30, 2025).
Last reviewed by Asier Fernández, editor, on . Educational information only, not financial advice. How we calculate