As developers, we often get caught up in complex technical challenges while overlooking simpler problems that could benefit from elegant solutions. That's exactly what happened when I discovered the Coast FIRE concept and realized there wasn't a straightforward calculator available online.
What is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE is a financial strategy where you save aggressively early in your career until you reach a target amount that will grow (through compound interest) to fund your retirement at a traditional age. Once you hit this "coast number," you can stop saving for retirement and focus on covering current expenses.
The math is straightforward, but doing the calculations manually is tedious and error-prone.
The Problem
Most FIRE calculators focus on traditional early retirement scenarios. Few tools specifically address the Coast FIRE calculation, which requires:
- Working backward from retirement needs
- Factoring in compound growth over decades
- Adjusting for inflation and safe withdrawal rates
- Providing clear, actionable results
The Solution: CoastFireCalc.org
I built CoastFireCalc.org as a focused, single-purpose tool that does one thing well: calculates your Coast FIRE number.
Key Features
Simple Interface: Just input your current age, desired retirement age, expected annual retirement expenses, and basic assumptions about investment returns.
Instant Results: Get your Coast FIRE target amount immediately, along with helpful context about what that number means.
Visual Feedback: See how your inputs affect the calculation in real-time, making it easy to explore different scenarios.
Mobile-Responsive: Works seamlessly on any device, because financial planning shouldn't be limited to desktop computers.
Technical Stack
- Frontend: Vanilla JavaScript for simplicity and speed
- Styling: Clean, minimal CSS focusing on usability
- Hosting: Static hosting for maximum performance
- No Dependencies: Keeps the tool lightweight and fast-loading
Why This Matters for Developers
Financial literacy is crucial in our industry, especially given the relatively high earning potential early in tech careers. Coast FIRE is particularly relevant for developers because:
- High Early Earnings: Tech salaries often peak early, making aggressive initial saving feasible
- Burnout Prevention: Knowing your retirement is secured can reduce career pressure
- Career Flexibility: Freedom to pursue passion projects, startups, or lower-paying but fulfilling roles
Lessons Learned
Building a focused financial tool taught me several things:
- Simplicity Wins: Users don't want complexity—they want answers
- Real-World Impact: Sometimes the most valuable projects solve everyday problems
- Validation Matters: Input validation is crucial when dealing with financial calculations
- Progressive Enhancement: Start with core functionality, then add features
Open Source Opportunity
The calculator is intentionally simple, but there's room for enhancement:
- Historical market data integration
- Monte Carlo simulations for risk analysis
- Export functionality for personal records
- Integration with popular budgeting APIs
If you're interested in contributing or have suggestions, the project could benefit from community input.
Try It Out
Check out CoastFireCalc.org and see how close you might be to financial flexibility. Even if Coast FIRE isn't your goal, understanding the mathematics of compound growth can inform better financial decisions.
Sometimes the best side projects are the ones that solve real problems we face ourselves. What financial or life challenge could you solve with code?
Have you built tools to solve personal finance problems? Share your projects in the comments below!
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