Barista FIRE Calculator
How much to switch to part-time?
Your Barista FIRE Number
$184,488
Barista Age
38
Time Left
8 years
FIRE Goal
$700,000
You'll reach Barista FIRE at age 38. After that, compound growth alone gets you to $700,000.
Part-time income needed: $46,000/year
Portfolio Projection
Year-by-Year Breakdown
| Age | Contributions | Growth | Withdrawals | Balance | FIRE % | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $18,000 | $3,500 | -- | $71,500 | 7.1% | Saving |
| 31 | $18,000 | $5,005 | -- | $94,505 | 10.2% | Saving |
| 32 | $18,000 | $6,615 | -- | $119,120 | 13.5% | Saving |
| 33 | $18,000 | $8,338 | -- | $145,459 | 17.0% | Saving |
| 34 | $18,000 | $10,182 | -- | $173,641 | 20.8% | Saving |
| 35 | $18,000 | $12,155 | -- | $203,796 | 24.8% | Saving |
| 36 | $18,000 | $14,266 | -- | $236,061 | 29.1% | Saving |
| 37 | $18,000 | $16,524 | -- | $270,586 | 33.7% | Saving |
| 38 | -- | $18,941 | -- | $289,527 | 38.7% | Coasting |
| 39 | -- | $20,267 | -- | $309,794 | 41.4% | Coasting |
What is Barista FIRE?
A financial independence strategy where your portfolio covers most expenses, and you work part-time to bridge the gap.
The term originated in the FIRE community, named after the idea of working part-time at Starbucks primarily to access their health insurance benefits, which are available to employees working 20+ hours per week.
How Barista FIRE Works
The math is straightforward:
Determine your annual retirement spending
e.g., $48,000/year
Estimate your part-time income
e.g., $20,000/year
Calculate the gap
$48,000 - $20,000 = $28,000
Divide by your SWR
$28,000 / 0.04 = $700,000
That $700,000 portfolio would generate $28,000/year at a 4% withdrawal rate, and combined with your $20,000 part-time income, you'd have $48,000 to live on.
Barista FIRE vs Other FIRE Types
You stop saving for retirement but still work full-time for current expenses.
Barista FIRE
You work part-time while your portfolio covers most expenses.
Full retirement on a frugal budget.
Full retirement with a comfortable lifestyle.