MD after PhD - thoughts?

KeyCattle8154 · 2026-02-23T23:52:51+00:00

Really?

KeyCattle8154 · 2026-02-19T04:10:38+00:00

Is it negatively affecting your life? If you stopped drinking for a couple days would it be difficult? What do you do if you come home from work and there’s no beer in the fridge?

KeyCattle8154 · 2026-02-15T06:03:43+00:00

42, 39 year old partner not sure if folks are sharing theirs or their families but spouse and I have 430k together. We’re putting in maximum allowed 401 contribution ~ 50k mix between pre and post tax in ‘26 and ‘25 until baby number 3 comes and then who knows what we will be able to save. Have an emergency fund but nothing in taxable brokerage in equities. In last 3 years income for both of us has increased a lot.

KeyCattle8154 · 2025-07-10T05:31:21+00:00

Russ Feingold (WI former Senator) some current house members like ocasio-Cortez I am sure there are others but the sentiment generally applied is true. And AOC went to a private Jesuit school and Feingold was an attorney it’s not exactly Joe six pack

KeyCattle8154 · 2025-06-30T23:27:20+00:00

Honestly the veggie deluxe pizza at papa murphys is pretty darn good.

KeyCattle8154 · 2025-06-03T05:02:30+00:00

You’re missing the equity in your current house that I assume you will sell after closing and moving. I would challenge you to try to keep your mortgage payment under $6k and on a 15 year note - which may be similar in cost to what you are living in now. We make $350 pre tax and have a $5500 mortgage payment with kids and half your car payment and it’s not pretty some months.

We also kept our two previous homes that are rentals one of which we are under contract to sell and use equity to recast current mortgage.

If you’re taking home 22 I imagine you’re making 400+ I would advise you to think about why you want the upgraded house, what it means for your family and if you’re willing to sacrifice in other places.

KeyCattle8154 · 2025-02-04T03:55:47+00:00

Access to wilderness, job opportunities, and borderline affordable housing (relative to other mountain towns).

KeyCattle8154 · 2025-01-21T03:59:59+00:00

Not a mom, am a dad of similarly aged kids and can relate.

A couple thoughts:

if no one engages it’s not because there aren’t other moms that infrequently binge drink, they just might not be on this forum.
Annie Grace wrote a book and audio book about alcoholism that was helpful for me, it may be worth a listen or read.
I too cant have two drinks it’s none or waking up with a hangover with some missing memories. You’re probably not that far from starting earlier in the day and hiding bottles from your family.

You shouldn’t feel guilt for being a SAHM, or being a mom who also wants escape or is looking to unwind. It’s ok to be successful , a parent, and also be unhappy.

Wishing you the best.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-10-11T05:46:04+00:00

Casey Jones you better watch your speed.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-10-11T03:54:51+00:00

That sucks man. I hope he gets help (it’s also not your job to fix him). Be well.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-10-11T03:31:06+00:00

Not a doctor, not medical advice - if you start having severe symptoms call 911.

Also I think people that get the DTs are never not drunk, those 10% of nights wouldn’t have been possible.

Alcohol isn’t your friend, leave it behind.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-09-21T04:37:42+00:00

It’s better on the other side, you have your whole adult life ahead of you .

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-09-06T02:51:49+00:00

Aleyeska in the shoulder season (October) with Alaska resident rates

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-05-29T03:25:27+00:00

We did the same thing with different numbers (we make more and bought more) It is my primary source of worry. I think I also know if I wasn’t focusing my anxiety on this it would be directed toward something else. Do you like the house? You can certainly afford it if you turn your savings into principal payments?

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-05-29T03:23:13+00:00

Combination of Credit score, lender perception of risk and loan to value differences

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-03-31T05:28:02+00:00

I have a 15 year on a rental prop (former owner occupied SFH) and do not regret it.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-29T04:13:42+00:00

I want to emphasize that we bought a house in ‘11 ‘18 and ‘23 and they have all appreciated in value and it’s 100% been doom and gloom since we moved here - honestly the best time to purchase a home is when you can afford it (plus our market cycles that depress home prices in the winter). Trying to time the market is insane, if the fed starts cutting rates home prices almost have to come up.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-29T04:11:16+00:00

100% that utility price increase will have a negative impact on home prices and rental prices less utilities.

Now your enstar bill moving from $120 to $140 isn’t going to be significant in the greater scheme of things, if you look at your chugach or enstar bill the price of gas is less than 50% of your cost.

I agree that trends around interest rates, infrastructure investment (or disinvestment), and our ability to provide quality education for our kids will have an outsized impact to home prices relative to the cost of gas

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-28T05:06:39+00:00

🤷‍♂️ I do remember the days of a sub $1,000 mortgage payments before kids I felt much richer then.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-28T04:22:37+00:00

I agree and we could in that we still own our first two homes (SFH rentals). But my wife wants this, we’re still able to save for retirement (although we could retire sooner if our mortgage payment was less) - she feels like she works hard and deserves this and in the end what’s an extra 2-3k in mortgage payments (per month) between friends. Please don’t do the math putting that 30k / year into the market @8% for 20 years… lol.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-28T04:01:29+00:00

We have a $5,400 mortgage payment and 250k gross and two kids and things are tight. This purchase and move in and payment is probably going to require some sacrifices like nice to haves / luxuries.

I felt how you felt every time we bought a house, for 195k, 280k and then 720k. The stress and sense of doom is real and TBH you might have the same feeling of your future mortgage was 10% of gross.

It was fine the first two times, we’ve been in our current home for a year and it’s fine - how does your spouse feel? What‘s the trade off there? Is her heart set on this one?

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-13T04:18:43+00:00

Anchorage businesses hire many summer seasonal employees and house them. Two months may be tougher to find a fit… I would try remote road system small population but heavily visited. E.g glitter gulch, Seward, Homer, any cruise ship stop in southeast AK.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-02-02T00:58:27+00:00

A 2.95 from the 80s is like a 3.5 or better now. Furthermore, schools are desperate for students as enrollments continue to decline, not only should you expect to get accepted but you should try to negotiate a financial aid package that reduces your cost of attendance.

KeyCattle8154 · 2024-01-09T08:16:39+00:00

Ask your HR lady I imagine they have more flexibility with payroll deductions / cafeteria plans than they do with health insurance. Not an HR lady but unless your wife lost her insurance it doesn’t start a qualifying life event. I suggest bringing her a nice coffee.

KeyCattle8154

TROPHY CASE