What is calculated
The spending effect and the reinvestment effect are calculated separately. Required capital equals annual spending divided by the selected withdrawal rate; the timeline uses a smooth deterministic growth path.
SPEND LESS · FIRE LEVEL 1+
What does this subscription really cost your freedom?
A recurring cost affects more than this month's budget. Compare your path if you keep it, or remove it for good.
YOUR ASSUMPTIONS
Start with one recurring cost.
Use today's money. The results are a planning illustration, not investment advice.
THE REAL PRICE OF THIS SUBSCRIPTION
$30,000 of required FIRE capitalRemoving it permanently lowers your target from $900,000 to $870,000.Reach FIRE1.0 years sooner18.0 instead of 19.0 years
Capital no longer needed$30,000At a 4.0% withdrawal rate
Cash redirected by FIRE$21,600Before investment growth
TWO PATHS, ONE VIEW
What changes over time.
Keep subscriptionCut subscription
Annual spending rises with 2.0% assumed inflation; the portfolio uses a 7.0% nominal return. Monthly investments also rise with inflation. The cut path invests $1,600 each month today.
HOW TO READ THIS
Lower needs are a form of wealth.
The calculator treats a permanent reduction in annual spending as a permanently lower FIRE target. Redirecting the saving into investments compounds the change—but it is optional, and the toggle lets you separate those two effects.
MODEL CARD
Check the model before you trust the result.
- Model version
- 1.1
- Last reviewed
Reproduce one result
$36,000 annual spending and a 4% withdrawal rate require $900,000. Removing a $100 monthly cost lowers annual spending by $1,200, the target to $870,000 and required capital by exactly $30,000.
What is not claimed
A cost only stays removed if behavior does not replace it elsewhere. Returns, inflation and withdrawals are assumptions; taxes, fees and market order are not simulated.
Reference material
Verification and changes
The production formulas above are covered by deterministic automated checks. Version 1.1 makes the evidence, reference case and limits visible; it does not change the default assumptions.
Material calculation corrections will update this version and review date. See our correction policy.
FIXED COST FIRE CALCULATOR EXPLAINED
How much can cutting one monthly expense shorten your path to FIRE?
A permanent monthly cost affects FIRE twice: it lowers the annual spending your portfolio must support and, if you invest the saving, increases the amount compounding toward the smaller target.
How to interpret the calculator result
Start with credible inputs
Use a recurring cost you could realistically remove for years, plus your current investments, monthly contribution, annual spending and withdrawal-rate assumption.
Read the result in context
Compare the FIRE target and estimated years with the cost kept versus removed. Separate the lower spending effect from the optional reinvestment effect.
Turn it into a decision
Use the estimate to rank recurring costs by freedom gained, not to justify cutting something that materially improves health, time or relationships.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions about this fixed cost FIRE calculator.
How does a monthly expense change my FIRE number?
Multiply the monthly expense by 12, then divide that annual amount by your withdrawal-rate assumption. At 4%, every permanent $100 monthly cost represents about $30,000 of portfolio target.
Should I assume every saving will be invested?
Only if that matches your behaviour. Run the calculator both ways so you can see the benefit of lower future spending separately from the benefit of additional investing.
EVIDENCE SNAPSHOT
What this tool is built on.
Fixed Cost Freedom Calculator. Shows how removing one recurring cost can lower a FIRE target and, optionally, add investable monthly cash flow.
This is implementation evidence, not professional certification. Assumptions and limits matter more than a badge. Correction policy.
- Model version
- 1.1
- Last reviewed
- Evidence basis
- Published formulas using your inputs
- Data status
- No live feed; results change only with your inputs
- Decision sensitivity
- Financial assumptions matter
CITE THIS TOOL
Let readers return to the same version.
This citation includes the tool name, model version, review date and stable URL. Citation does not imply Rich2Fire endorses third-party content.
Rich2Fire. (2026). Fixed Cost Freedom Calculator (model version 1.1, reviewed 2026-10-10). https://rich2fire.com/tools/fixed-cost-freedom-calculator