Semi-retire sooner. With a little part-time income, your investments only need to cover the gap — so the number you need drops sharply. Free, private, no sign-up.
Barista FIRE is a halfway step to full independence: you leave the high-stress career but keep light part-time work — famously the kind that comes with health insurance — to cover part of your costs. Your portfolio only has to fund the gap between your expenses and that part-time income, so the number you need can be a fraction of full FIRE.
It's semi-retirement — freedom from the career grind while still earning a little. Many people use it as a bridge to full FIRE.
What happens when I stop the part-time work?Then you need the full FIRE number. Model both phases — and whether the money lasts — in the full planner.