Blog - Finance calculators

A FIRE number is only useful if it reflects real spending, inflation, and withdrawal assumptions. This guide explains how to calculate your FIRE number more realistically and avoid common planning mistakes.

Coast FIRE sounds simple, but the number depends on assumptions about growth, spending, and inflation. This guide explains what Coast FIRE means and how to calculate it more realistically.

Barista FIRE offers a middle ground between full-time work and full retirement. This guide explains what Barista FIRE means, how it changes your FIRE number, and where people underestimate the risk.

Extra mortgage payments can save years of interest, but they are not always the best use of cash. This guide explains when paying extra on your mortgage makes sense and when it may not.

Debt snowball and debt avalanche both help you pay off debt faster, but they work differently. This guide explains how each method works, when each makes sense, and how to choose the better payoff strategy.

Paying off debt early feels safe, but investing can sometimes win mathematically. This guide explains how to compare loan payoff against investing, interest rates, inflation, and peace of mind.

Daily standups can improve alignment or quietly drain time and budget. This guide explains how to calculate standup cost, when the meeting pays off, and when it becomes expensive routine.

Client calls, review meetings, and project check-ins take real time. This guide explains how freelancers should charge for meetings, protect their hourly rate, and avoid unpaid calendar work.

Meetings rarely cost only the hour on the calendar. This guide explains how to calculate meeting cost, value lost to interruptions, and when meeting-heavy work starts hurting budgets.