FIRE Calculator
FIRE — Financial Independence, Retire Early — is a movement built on one idea: save aggressively, invest wisely, and reach the point where work becomes optional decades before traditional retirement age.
Your FIRE number
Your FIRE number is the amount you need invested to live off forever, using the 4% rule: 25 times your annual expenses. Spend R20,000/month (R240,000/year)? Your FIRE number is R6 million.
| Monthly expenses | FIRE number |
|---|---|
| R15,000 | R4.5m |
| R20,000 | R6m |
| R25,000 | R7.5m |
| R30,000 | R9m |
Try it with your own numbers:
Calculate your FIRE number →Savings rate is everything
In FIRE, your savings rate determines how soon you get there — more than your income. Save 50% of your income and you can reach independence in roughly 17 years from zero. Save 60–70% and it drops below 15 years.
| Savings rate | Years to FIRE (approx) |
|---|---|
| 20% | ~37 years |
| 40% | ~22 years |
| 50% | ~17 years |
| 65% | ~10.5 years |
How South Africans pursue FIRE
- Maximise tax-advantaged accounts — RA and TFSA
- Invest in low-cost index funds / ETFs
- Keep lifestyle costs low and avoid lifestyle inflation
- Build multiple income streams where possible
Work out your timeline with the FIRE calculator and see how a higher savings rate changes everything with the financial coach scenario simulator.