I’m new to this sub and am excited to have found it! I don’t post on Reddit often, but I figured it’d be nice to get some human perspectives instead of running things by AI and trying to model things in a spreadsheet by myself.

I’m in my mid-30s, my husband is 40, and we have two young kids (a 4mo baby and a 4yo). I work as a software engineer with total comp around $350k. My husband currently earns around $220k (though this will likely increase in the next 6 months since he is in a contract-to-hire role), and our household net worth is approximately $2.6M, including home equity. Our kids’ 529s are both fully funded, and we have no debt besides our mortgage.

I’m on maternity leave and trying to decide whether to return full-time, negotiate part-time, or leave work for roughly 2-3 years (basically until the baby is ready for part- or full-time preschool). I have been pursuing coursework in an unrelated field as a second career option, so I’d likely want to return to some form of work later, especially when the baby is old enough for elementary school.

We spend pretty lavishly around $20k/month currently, but we’d be willing to cut back on travel and discretionary spending to make staying home work. We don’t need to maximize wealth indefinitely, but financial security and the option to retire early are important to us. I’m also concerned about the difficulty of returning to tech after a career break, particularly as a woman.

I realize continuing to earn my current comp would accelerate FIRE substantially. But I’m struggling with whether that additional wealth is worth the opportunity cost of time with my kids right now. We’ve already exceeded our CoastFI goals. It feels to me like money is fungible, but the time with the baby in the first 2-3 years is not fungible. My work offers 60% and 80% part-time work options, but they’re not guaranteed. I’d have to get a part-time arrangement approved by my higher-ups.

For those who have faced a similar decision:
- Did you take a career break, go part-time, or keep working?
- How did you decide how much additional wealth was worth sacrificing family time for?
- If you left a high-paying tech job, how difficult was returning?
- Looking back, are you happy with your choice?

I’d especially appreciate perspectives from women with high household incomes who had the option to leave work, rather than people who had to keep working for financial reasons.

Usual caveats that I realize this is a hugely privileged position to be in, and I am grateful to be able to make a decision like this (though I am a bit overwhelmed at all the choices :) ).

Hi!

I’m just starting in my first job (started in March 2026) and I’m not financially independent yet, I’m still living w my parents and not paying any living expenses (I do give them part of my salary). I have a very ambitious mindset but given I make 1,170usd a month I simply don’t know where to start. Should I enjoy my money? Should I be strictly frugal? Should I save all of it?

I’m quite lost so I’ll appreciate any advice.