Financial Independence, Retire Early
What is Lean FIRE?
Lean FIRE uses a relatively modest spending budget. A lower annual spending target reduces the portfolio needed under the same withdrawal assumption. There is no universal dollar threshold: your costs and circumstances define what lean means.
How the target is calculated
Lean annual expenses ÷ withdrawal rate = Lean FIRE target
An illustrative example
A $30,000 annual budget with an illustrative 4% withdrawal rate gives a $750,000 target. This is an example budget, not a recommended spending level.
Explore Lean FIRE with your numbers
Choose Lean FIRE and adjust Lean annual expenses. Your contribution, return, inflation, and withdrawal assumptions still come from the shared plan adjustments.
Open the Lean FIRE calculatorWhat to keep in mind
A tighter budget leaves less room for unexpected expenses. Housing, healthcare, and changes in household needs can materially change the target.
These calculations are educational estimates. They use steady returns, not historical simulations, and do not model retirement withdrawals year by year. A 4% withdrawal rate is an illustrative assumption, not a guaranteed outcome.