Barista FIRE Calculator
Enter your annual spending, your part-time or side income, and a safe withdrawal rate to see the nest egg Barista FIRE needs. Because side income covers part of your costs, the target is smaller than full FIRE.
How it works
What Barista FIRE is
Instead of stopping work entirely, you keep some part-time or side work and let that income cover a slice of your living costs. Your portfolio then only has to fund the gap your side income does not cover, so the nest egg you need shrinks accordingly.
How the number is derived
First find the gap = annual spending − part-time income. Divide that gap by your withdrawal rate (often 4%) to get the Barista FIRE number. The full FIRE number assumes no side income, so it divides your entire spending by the same rate.
A worked example
With $40,000 of spending, $20,000 of side income, and a 4% rate, the gap is $20,000. Dividing by 4% gives a Barista FIRE number of $500,000, while full FIRE would be $1,000,000. Because side income covers half the spending, the nest egg you need is cut in half.
Things to keep in mind
This math assumes your side income keeps coming in. If health or the economy ends that work, your portfolio drains faster. The 4% rule is also a US historical guideline, not a guarantee, and in some countries health coverage tied to employment is a separate cost to plan for.
Read next
FIRE and financial independence: the basics →
Frequently Asked Questions
How is Barista FIRE different from Coast FIRE?
Barista FIRE uses ongoing side income to cover part of your spending right now, so you can retire on a smaller nest egg. Coast FIRE means you have saved enough that your existing investments grow on their own to your target by retirement age, with no further contributions. Coast is about stopping new savings; Barista is about a side income filling the gap.
What counts as part-time income?
Any reliable earned income works — part-time wages, freelance work, or small business income are common examples. Treat one-off bonuses or highly variable income conservatively, since the plan leans on it continuing.
What withdrawal rate should I use?
Many people start with 4%. Use 3% to 3.5% to be more conservative, or a bit higher for a short retirement horizon. The lower the rate, the larger the nest egg you need.
What if my part-time income stops?
Your portfolio then has to cover all your spending, so it drains faster. Many people guard against this by building closer to the full FIRE number or keeping a larger cash buffer.
What happens if I raise my side income?
The gap to fund shrinks, so the nest egg you need gets smaller. If side income covered all your spending, you would in theory need no extra portfolio — but you would also depend entirely on that income.
Can I quit my job based on this number alone?
No — treat it as a starting point. You also need to weigh taxes, health costs, inflation, and market swings, and check the figure against your own situation.
This calculator is an educational tool, not individual financial advice.