I’m Building a FIRE Tool — and I Need Your Input
6 years ago, when I started this blog I had a goal of retiring and spending part of my free time building tools and community for the FIRE audience. Many things have changed, goals have been met, even exceeded, but my desire to continue to give back to the FIRE community is still there. I achieved FI by earning a decent salary as a high earning 9-5 employee, being financially active, not overspending, and repeating that for 15 years. Nothing special.
Over the years I’ve personally engaged with over 120 of you for at least an hour through a phone call or financial coaching session. If there’s one thing that stood out, it’s that we are all navigating the same life struggles – finding a good job, learning how to invest, debating on how big of a house to buy, and how much to invest in our kids.
The biggest gap was never information, though. It was execution.
We know how to calculate savings rates, invest in ETFs, and forecast FIRE dates. But what’s missing is a partner that helps us stay on track — catching our blind spots, surfacing personalized insights based on our unique circumstances, and keeping the journey frictionless.
So instead of just writing about FIRE, I’ve started to build. I’m building a tool for the FIRE community. And I need your help shaping what it becomes.
What I’m Thinking About Building
These are the three main options of the first version. I’d love your feedback on which matters most and how you’d use it.
1. Personalized FI Coaching
A smart, ongoing “coach” that:
Spots blind spots (identify if you’re getting underpaid, tax drag, under-saving).
Helps you navigate major financial moments — job changes, RSUs, home purchases, kids, relocations.
Acts as a check-in partner, nudging progress and helping you think long-term.
Think of it as your FIRE co-pilot — objective, data-driven, but tailored to you.
2. Personalized Budgeting & Continuous Insights
You’ve seen my posts like How Much Did I Spend in 2020. Now imagine getting that same report for yourself, automatically — quarterly or yearly — without spreadsheet chaos.
The idea:
Securely connect your accounts – or you upload whatever data you’re comfortable with
Get clean, visual insights: category drift, savings rate, trendlines.
Receive nudges when something’s off or worth celebrating.
Less time wrangling CSVs, more time understanding what actually moves your FIRE timeline.
3. FIRE Planning Tool
An intelligent FIRE planner that adapts as your life changes.
It would:
Combine spend, income, and investment data to project your FIRE date.
Compare your net worth trajectory to peers and historical data.
Model scenarios: “What if I take a job that pays $20k less?” “What if my return rate drops to 5%?”
The goal is a dynamic view of your path — not just a static target.
Where You Come In
Before I go too far down the rabbit hole, I need your input. Which of these features matters most to you? What’s missing? What would make this tool something you’d actually use?
I’ve put together a quick form to gather your thoughts and invite early testers. It only takes 2–3 minutes to fill out:
👉 Click here to share your thoughts and join the beta waitlist
If you check “Add me to the waitlist” at the end, I’ll keep you updated on progress and reach out when the first beta version is ready.
The Goal
I hope that this tool becomes the thing I always wished existed when I started:
Smart enough to guide you.
Simple enough to not overwhelm you.
Honest enough to keep you accountable.
I’ll be building in public — just like I’ve written this blog. Expect updates, data, prototypes, and early user stories as this evolves.
Thanks for following along my own road to FIRE. Now, let’s build something that helps everyone else stay on theirs.
