Coast FIRE: save once and stop contributing

Coast FIRE is the point after which you can stop saving: what you already have will grow to the needed amount by retirement age on its own.

What it is

You save hard early on and then stop. From there you work only to cover current life while the capital grows through compounding. The freedom here is not “no work” but “no longer obliged to save”.

In numbers

The full target is $600,000. You are 30, with thirty years to 60. At 5% a year above inflation money grows about 4.3 times in 30 years. So about $140,000 today is enough — by 60 it becomes $600,000 without a single new contribution.

Who it suits

• Those who started saving early and want a calmer job.
• Those planning children or a business who know there will be nothing left to save.
• Those who value certainty in old age over an early exit.

Pros

• Reached much earlier than the other kinds.
• Removes pressure: retirement is already funded.
• You can choose work you like rather than work that pays most.

Cons and risks

• You still have to work — right up to retirement age.
• Everything rests on returns: if the market delivers less, the capital falls short.
• It is easy to stop too early and come up short.

Where to start

• Work out the full target: annual expenses × 25.
• Find how much you need today for it to grow on its own by 60.
• Save to that amount with a 10–20% margin and only then cut contributions.

Other kinds of FIRE

Barista FIRE · Lean FIRE · Regular FIRE · Fat FIRE

This article is educational and is not investment advice. The example is illustrative: expenses of $2,000 a month and the 4% rule.