As the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement has grown, so have the different paths people take to reach more freedom. One of which you may have heard of is Coast FIRE, but another similar path is the focus of this website Semi-Retire FIRE.
At first glance they can sound similar — both involve stepping away from the traditional full-time grind before normal retirement age. But in practice there are a few differences.
In this post, I’ll explain the difference between Semi-Retire FIRE and Coast FIRE, how each works, and which might be the better fit depending on your goals and lifestyle.
What Is Coast FIRE?
Coast FIRE means you have already saved and invested enough that, if you never added another pound, your investments would still grow to support you at traditional retirement age.
At that point, you can:
- Stop aggressive saving
- “Coast” in a lower-stress job
- Use your income only to cover current living expenses
Key idea:
You are still working in some form, but you no longer need to save for retirement.
What Is Semi-Retire FIRE?
Semi-Retire FIRE is about reducing how much you work by combining investment income with ongoing work income.
Instead of waiting for your portfolio to cover all future expenses, you:
- Build enough assets to partially support your lifestyle and expenses
- Work part-time, freelance, or seasonally
- Use flexible income to top up investment withdrawals
Key idea:
You work less, maybe for longer but with a better work life balance.
Semi-Retirement vs Coast FIRE: A Side-by-Side Comparison
| Feature | Semi-Retirement FIRE | Coast FIRE |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Reduce working hours | Stop retirement saving |
| Work required | Part-time / flexible | Full time then flexible |
| Investment withdrawals | Yes (partial) | At full retirement |
| Lifestyle change | Flexible | Delayed |
| Time freedom | Medium | Medium |
| Best for | People wanting some time freedom sooner but willing to work part time for longer | People happy working and saving hard to begin with and then ‘coasting’ to their desired retirement age |
The Biggest Difference: Time Freedom vs Financial Momentum
The biggest difference between semi-retire FIRE and Coast FIRE is when you get your freedom.
- With Coast FIRE, freedom comes later — you reduce financial pressure, but your day-to-day life may look very similar to before.
- With semi-retirement, freedom can come sooner — for example if you are happy to reduce just one or two days a week working, you may not need such a substantial investment portfolio to make the change.
How Much Do You Need for Each?
Coast FIRE
You need enough invested early for compound growth to do the rest of the work.
This usually requires:
- High savings in your 20s or 30s
- A long investment runway
- Stable employment for many years
Semi-Retire FIRE
You need less invested upfront because you’re not relying on your portfolio alone.
Instead:
- Investments cover part of your expenses
- Flexible work covers the rest
- The total “number” is much lower
This makes semi-retirement more achievable for average earners.
Risk Considerations
Coast FIRE Risks
- You’re still dependent on full-time work whilst accumulating investments and savings
- Job loss or burnout can derail plans
- You don’t reduce lifestyle stress immediately
Semi-Retire FIRE Risks
- Investment withdrawals introduce sequence-of-returns risk
- Income may be less predictable
- Requires flexibility and adaptability
Neither approach is risk-free — they just carry different types of risk.
Which Is Better: Semi-Retire FIRE or Coast FIRE?
There’s no universal answer, but here’s a simple way to decide:
Choose Coast FIRE if:
- You don’t mind working full-time and saving hard to begin with
- You have investments and savings but not yet compounded enough to retire completely
- You value long-term security over immediate freedom
Choose Semi-Retire FIRE if:
- You feel burnt out by full-time work and would like a better work life balance
- You have investments and savings but not enough to quit work entirely
- You’re open to doing part-time or flexible work, possibly until your regular retirement age
Many people also blend the two — reaching Coast FIRE first, then transitioning into semi-retirement later.
For me, though both paths are very similar, semi-retire FIRE felt like a more balanced and realistic approach. It allowed me to reclaim time without waiting decades or sacrificing too much of the present.
That doesn’t make it better for everyone — I’d love to hear what you think.. And if you would like some more inspiration and ideas of how to get started then you can read some more posts here.
Semi-Retire FIRE 