Why Barista Fire seems like the right plan for us

If you've been exploring financial independence, you've probably come across Barista FIRE—a lifestyle that blends the freedom of early retirement with the flexibility of part-time work. Unlike traditional FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early), where you completely stop working, Barista FIRE allows you to cover your essential living expenses with passive income while working a low-stress, enjoyable job to fund luxuries. Lets break it down why we would prefer this over full retirement? See here how we started out.

Why Choose Barista FIRE?

1. Full Retirement Can Get Boring Fast

Many people dream of quitting their jobs forever, but the reality is that complete early retirement can become monotonous. Without structure, purpose, or social interaction, many retirees find themselves unfulfilled. This is especially the case when all of your friends and family are still stuck in the rat race. Barista FIRE offers the best of both worlds— you have the social contacts with your job, own company, or volunteer work, but also increased luxury because of the incoming salaries.

2. Financial Security Without Overworking

Instead of grinding for decades to amass a massive nest egg, Barista FIRE lets you reach financial independence faster. By covering all fixed living costs (housing, food, utilities) with passive income from investments, you only need to work enough to cover a luxury lifestyle. This means that if you want to take a year off, you can without it causing any stress, but if you want to work a year to buy that sports car, or campervan then that is also a choice. It is the freedom of choice that is the goal.

3. Access to Healthcare and Benefits

For the American readers, many part-time jobs, including those in retail and hospitality, offer health insurance and other benefits. For most of the European readers this is not really an issue because most of us are not insured via our employer.

4. More Time for Passion Projects

Since your job is no longer about survival, you can choose part-time work in an industry you're passionate about. You can finally try to start that business you were always dreaming of but was too afraid to start. Or open your own B&B and join one of those real-life television programs. No matter what you choose, you can spend time on things that genuinely interest you without financial stress.

5. Avoiding Burnout While Still Earning

Barista FIRE ensures that you don’t have to stay in a high-stress job just to achieve full FIRE. Also a lot of the FIRE alternatives are too focused on an extreme savingsrate, which just causes you to delay living you life right at this moment also. By enjoying your life now and focusing on being financially free in the future, you can achieve Barista Fire at a quite early age. We hope to achieve this level before our 50th birthday.

How to Achieve Barista FIRE

• Save & Invest Aggressively: Aim to cover all necessary expenses with passive income from investments (stocks, rental properties, dividends, etc.).

• Choose Low-Stress, Enjoyable Work: Find a part-time job that aligns with your interests and lifestyle. (Most likely after F.I)

• Live Below Your Means: Keeping fixed costs low allows you to enjoy financial freedom sooner. (But not too much, also enjoy your time now!)

• Stay Flexible: Barista FIRE is all about balance. If your expenses rise, you can adjust your work hours accordingly.

Final Thoughts

Barista FIRE is the perfect middle ground between financial independence and staying active in the workforce, whether your work for yourself or for a company. By securing your essential living costs through investments and working only for extras, you can live a stress-free, fulfilling life without the boredom that often comes with early retirement. If you’re looking for a sustainable, enjoyable way to achieve financial freedom, Barista FIRE might be your best option.

Let's us know in the comments what you think about Barista Fire!