Happy Tuesday,

Angelo here! Welcome to New Money, where we go over weekly tips to help you build your wealth, one dollar at a time.

Today’s edition:

• The retirement strategy that gives you your life back.

• Find your CoastFIRE number and see how close you already are.

• Gold slides, the dollar surges, and more…

Read time: 3 min 15 seconds

🍎Wealth Tip of the Week

What if the money you invest today could retire you without you ever saving again? 

A single $100,000 invested at age 25 can grow to more than $1.6 million by age 65 without adding another dollar. 

It's the point where your retirement is already on track, your portfolio keeps growing, and you get your life back. 

It is called CoastFIRE.

Your job can keep paying your bills. Your investments take care of your future.

And there is a number for every age.

Let’s find out your version and your starting point.

1. What CoastFIRE Actually Means

Retirement is usually explained as a lifelong habit.

Save every paycheck. Invest every month. Repeat for forty years.

CoastFIRE flips the timeline.

You save aggressively early until your portfolio reaches one specific number.

From that point forward, retirement keeps growing even if you never contribute another dollar. Your investments aren't finished. They're just finally doing what they were designed to do.

Compounding takes over. Your job becomes a way to pay for today instead of funding tomorrow.

That's the entire idea. Reach the number and coast.

2. What Coasting Actually Looks Like

Here is how $100,000 turns into $1.6 million without you adding a dollar.

At a 7% average annual return, the long-term historical average of the S&P 500. Money roughly doubles every 10 years.

• $100,000 at 25 becomes ~$200,000 at 35.

• $200,000 becomes ~$400,000 at 45.

• $400,000 becomes ~$800,000 at 55.

• $800,000 becomes over ~$1.6 million at 65.

Nothing was added after age 25. Time created the difference. Compounding isn't impressive over one year. It's astonishing over forty.

This is the part that fascinated me: CoastFIRE isn't really about retiring early. It's about removing pressure.

Right now most people need their job to survive, to pay rent, buy food, cover bills. Every dollar matters. Every paycheck is spoken for before it arrives. 

After CoastFIRE your job still pays your bills. But your retirement is already handled. 

That creates options like:

• career change 

• lower-paying job you actually enjoy 

• starting a business 

• working fewer hours

• trying something new

You are not retired. But you are free in a way your job stops owning you.

3. Building Toward CoastFIRE 

Your target depends on your age. The younger you start, the smaller the number needs to be.

To make it easy, I built a free CoastFIRE Calculator that instantly calculates your personal CoastFIRE number and shows exactly how much progress you've already made.

👉 Calculate your CoastFIRE number here!

The number climbs with age because every year you wait your money has less time to compound. The math still works. You just need a bigger starting point. 

Getting to $100,000 by 25 from zero at 18 means investing roughly $800 a month for 7 years at a 7% return.

Getting to $140,000 by 30 from zero at 22 means investing roughly $1,100 a month for 8 years.

Both are aggressive. Neither is impossible with a real savings rate and no lifestyle inflation eating your income. 

The key is starting now. Time is the ingredient that makes the math work. 

Here is the sequence: 

Step 1 — Build your emergency fund first. Three to six months of expenses in a high-yield savings account. Money that's invested shouldn't also be your emergency plan.

I keep my emergency savings in a HYSA earning around 3.75% APY.

👉 Open your HYSA now!

Step 2 — Open a Roth IRA. Your primary retirement account. After-tax money, tax free growth. Fidelity and Charles Schwab both have no minimums. 

Step 3 — Invest in broad index funds. VOO, VTSAX or QQQM. No stock picking. No timing. Just consistent contributions and time. 

Step 4 — Automate everything. Set up automatic contributions on payday. You cannot rely on willpower for 7 to 10 years. You need a system. 

Step 5 — Track your number. Know your target based on your age. Check your progress every few months. 

Most people spend 40 years saving for a retirement they barely get to enjoy.

CoastFIRE is a different game. Hit your number early enough and your money does the work while you focus on living.

The question isn't whether you can reach CoastFIRE.

The question is: how far away are you today?

💬Quote of the Week

📉 Market Recap

Check out some of the biggest stories shaking up money, markets, and momentum this week.

👉 Gold is on track for its worst quarter since 2013

Gold has dropped 11.2% in June alone, heading for a fourth straight monthly fall as traders price in three Fed rate hikes this year.

Wallet Impact: This is a reminder that gold isn't a guaranteed safe haven. High interest rates make it less attractive since gold pays no yield while savings accounts and bonds now do.

👉 The US dollar hits a 13-month high as Fed rate hike bets grow

The dollar climbed for a third straight day as markets price in a 67% chance of a rate hike by September.

Wallet Impact: A stronger dollar makes imported goods and travel abroad cheaper, but it also makes US exports more expensive which can pressure company earnings.

👉 Oil drops to a four-month low as the Strait of Hormuz reopens fully

Brent crude fell to $76.17 and WTI to $72.36, down over 36% from the war's peak near $120 a barrel. Iran is back to exporting oil after a 60-day US sanctions waiver.

Wallet Impact: Gas prices should keep easing but don't expect this to last forever. Analysts see oil settling in the $65 to $75 range, not crashing further, so the relief at the pump has a ceiling.

👉 JPMorgan raises its S&P 500 target to 7,800, calling the earnings upgrade cycle unprecedented

JPMorgan says AI spending is driving the biggest round of earnings revisions typically only seen after a recession. The bank raised its 2026 EPS estimate to $350, implying 29% growth.

Wallet Impact: A bullish call from JPMorgan is good news if you're invested in broad index funds since the S&P 500 makes up most of them. But the warning about a possible flash crash in speculative and momentum stocks is the part to actually pay attention to. 

👀 In Case You Missed It

Seven figures didn't come from one lucky investment. In this video, I walk through the strategies, habits, and portfolio decisions that actually got me there.

 🌱More ways I can help build your wealth

See y’all next week 🫡

Angelo Castillo

Disclaimer: The content of this newsletter is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, legal, or tax advice. The views and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any business, employer, or other entity. Investing involves risks, including the potential loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Readers are advised to conduct their own research and consult with qualified professionals before making any investment, legal, or financial decisions. The information provided is believed to be accurate but cannot be guaranteed. The author and publisher disclaim any liability for actions taken based on the content of this newsletter. This newsletter is not an offer to buy or sell any security. By subscribing or continuing to read this newsletter, you acknowledge and accept these terms and conditions.

Some of the links are my affiliate links. If you click on these links and sign up/purchase something, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support me and allows me to continue creating content for you. I only promote products and services I genuinely believe in. Thank you for your support!