This Is All You Need to Retire Early (Shocking Math)

What does it really cost to retire early in a high-cost area near New York City? After several months of involuntary early retirement, I break down our real monthly expenses as a family of four—and the numbers might surprise you. In this video, I share a transparent look at our FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) lifestyle, including housing, food, healthcare, transportation, utilities, and more. Despite living in a high cost of living (HCOL) suburb, we’re comfortably living on under $5,000 per month, a fraction of what I earned in Big Tech. Here’s the key: no debt, no mortgage, and fully owned vehicles. That dramatically reduces our baseline expenses to about $3,564/month, with total spending around $4,964/month including lifestyle and entertainment. You’ll learn: How we keep housing costs under $900/month Why groceries and home cooking save us thousands The real cost of healthcare post-layoff (COBRA vs ACA) How to optimize transportation and utilities What a realistic FIRE budget looks like in 2026 I also walk through a powerful thought experiment: using the 4% rule, how much you actually need to retire early. For many families, $1 million invested could be enough to sustain a comfortable lifestyle long-term. If you’re a software engineer, tech worker, or anyone worried about layoffs, this video is a wake-up call. The path to financial independence is closer than you think, especially if you start investing early and live intentionally. Whether you're pursuing lean FIRE, coast FIRE, or full early retirement, this breakdown will give you a realistic, actionable framework. Watch now to see how much you really need to retire and why your future self will thank you. Timestamps: 0:00 Intro 0:40 Our Monthly Expenses 5:45 Baseline Expenses and Fun stuff 6:39 Total Expenses 7:10 A thought experiment 10:15 Conclusion Join this channel to get access to perks: @asiandadenergy Buy me a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/codeslingem Subscribe to my Newsletter: https://asiandadenergy.substack.com/ Book a coaching session with me: https://calendly.com/codeslinger1 Buy my merch: https://asian-dad-energy-shop.fourthw... My Journaling Equipment Action Camera https://amzn.to/45bZu9c Webcam https://amzn.to/3SeaXlF Shotgun Mic https://amzn.to/3RzZ3Cx Lavelier Mic https://amzn.to/4fSEFo2 Wireless Mic https://amzn.to/4xlB0X4 Camera Tripod https://amzn.to/3Ty7PBD Selfie Stick https://amzn.to/4zh4RSv Lighting Setup https://amzn.to/45EygIr Phone Camera Lens https://amzn.to/4wIgD6D Mac Mini https://amzn.to/4pYaL6r Keyboard https://amzn.to/45LbbUo Mouse https://amzn.to/4w8DFCA Monitor https://amzn.to/45LbpuI Interesting Books Your Money Or Your Life https://amzn.to/4wbTCrI Atomic Habits https://amzn.to/4fQWcgl The Little Book of Common Sense Investing https://amzn.to/4xfjeoi Man's Search for Meaning https://amzn.to/3Sgw9HI The Millionaire Next Door https://amzn.to/4cohUHF The Richest Man in Babylon https://amzn.to/4cjuyrm #layoffs #softwareengineer #earlyretirement #bigtech #developerlife #retireearly