BiggerPockets Money Podcast Coast FI by 30 in a HCOL City (Here’s How He’s Doing it)
12 snips
Apr 21, 2026 
Eli Saperstein, a 24-year-old NYC accounting pro and FIRE advocate, explains his plan to reach coast-FI by 30. He talks income-maximizing career moves, strict expense control with $2,210 rent and a sub-$40k budget, and city-specific hacks for free experiences. He frames NYC as an earning opportunity and shares housing, networking, and lifestyle tactics to accelerate financial independence.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Control NYC Basics Instead Of Sacrificing City Life
- Control core expenses in NYC by prioritizing roommates, transit over car ownership, and employer perks instead of cutting city experiences.
- Eli keeps rent at $2,210, travel $134/month, groceries max $350, eating out $200, and leverages employer-paid food to lower costs.
Trade Time For Cheap City Perks
- Hunt for free or deeply discounted city experiences instead of full-price options.
- Eli uses apps for Broadway prescreens, volunteers for team dinners to access expensive restaurants, and collects Starbucks by getting coffee for his team.
Busy Season Feels Familiar Not Crushing
- Eli compares busy-season audit hours to past long-school days, finding intense work manageable due to familiarity.
- He reports off-peak days ~8am–7pm and peak season stretching to 2am with occasional weekends, yet sees it as a learning phase.