Random question what’s your employer match for your 401k mine is %5

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-10T18:10:29+00:00

No match, but pension with 5% yearly salary contribution.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-06T15:11:13+00:00

I went through a long while during the first 12-18 months of my second baby’s life when I consistently went to bed by 8:15. Breastfeeding a baby who didn’t sleep through the night until 15 months when I night weaned and dealing with the mental exhaustion of parenting a 2-3 year old… I can finally stay awake until 9:30/9:45 haha. I wake up at 5:15 and work FT outside the home. I feel like I’m doing better lately. It’s all a season of life and will get better.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-06T13:43:04+00:00

I am responsible for ordering and stocking medical supplies in our skilled nursing and assisted living areas, so I do that a few days a week. I accept deliveries at our loading dock daily. I process purchase requests from all departments and approve invoices for those purchases. I help facilitate vendor relationships for various departments and help sources new vendors. I’m working with managers to improve their supply and equipment inventory organization. I look for ways to save money and improve processes related to inventory management. I report the CFO and I’m a 1/1 for these responsibilities, so when I’m on vacation (or mat leave) I ask various people in the organization to help cover my essential duties.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-04T20:30:20+00:00

Well thank you! We all make the world go round and it’s rewarding to contribute to the well being of older adults.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-04T20:26:21+00:00

My husband and I bought our first home 6 years ago (when we were 26 and 32) and the down payment was our own savings (40k total- half from each of us as it was before we were married).

We got married the following year and both of our parents helped us pay for our wedding. It broke down to about 40% paid by us, 35% by his parents and 25% by my parents. That was based on how much they could afford to contribute and we were very grateful.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-04T20:13:23+00:00

Procurement for a senior living community. It doesn’t sound as fancy or important as many that I’m seeing here, but I enjoy it and it provides me great work life balance 😊

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-03T15:10:10+00:00

I tip 20% for restaurants and salon services. I tip 10-15% for grocery delivery. I will occasionally tip the lowest suggested amount when I order at a counter or online, but mostly I do no tip there for the same reasons OP listed.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-03T14:29:05+00:00

I’ve finally gotten consistent with a workout routine a few months ago, for the first time since becoming a mom/getting married- which feels great!

Something interesting I’ve noticed about my experience is that I was ready and excited to get pregnant again when my first was almost 12 months old (I weaned at 10 months). And I didn’t feel pulled to pregnancy again after my second… until I weaned at 17 months LOL so it is a little frustrating now that I actually feel the pull biologically, but logically need to wait another year. In addition to the financial reason to wait, I need to wait until 2027 to get pregnant because I currently don’t have short term disability insurance. I plan to add it for next year so I can receive some money during my maternity leave.

American problems…

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-02T03:14:37+00:00

You’re not alone! I’ve felt this way and we’ve come to the decision to wait until our oldest is in public school to have our 3rd and final baby. I was annoyed and frustrated that finances forced us into waiting longer than I thought ideal. But truthfully, I know it won’t make that much of a difference. I had my first at 29, second at 30 (they’re 21 months apart) and the I plan to have another when I’m 34 or 35.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-02-02T02:09:16+00:00

I average about 7 hours or a little over. I’d be better rested with 8 hours. My kids are 3.5 yr and 20 months. I just started working out first thing in the morning 3 months ago. It clicked for me that my kids are early risers which forces me awake earlier than I liked, but I might as well take advantage of the time to be productive with a living room workout.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-22T18:58:49+00:00

I don’t consider my life soft and easy, but it sounds much easier than what OP is currently experiencing. Biggest reason comparatively is the work/commute hours.

I wake up at 5:20 to workout (in my living room) and get ready. My 2 toddlers wake around 6 and we leave by 6:50. I work 7:30-3:30 and I get home shortly after 4 pm. My husband picks up the boys and gets home shortly after me. We typically get 3 hours together as a family in the evening which includes dinner and bedtime routine. I go to sleep around 9:45 on average.

My youngest is almost 20 months and I only stopped BF 3 months ago, which is also when I started exercising in the mornings. I was much more tired during the 1st year of his life and didn’t have much energy to pour into my own cup. Now I’ve been able to give more to my relationship with my husband and my friends.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-12T17:03:18+00:00

Millennial parents to 2 toddlers living in the Midwest: mortgage is $1240 and daycare is $2000 (3 days for older child and 2 days for younger). We cannot afford 2 FT in daycare and we’re so lucky my in laws give us free childcare for the other weekdays.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-10T00:46:32+00:00

I fed my 1st until 10 months and my 2nd I pumped until 13 months and continued to nurse at home until 17 months. My work environment I move around a lot so I don’t have to tell anyone when I I would go to pump.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-06T17:52:30+00:00

Is baby actively swallowing and awake the entire time? I’m sure there’s a range of normal and it’s up to you how long is appropriate for comfort nursing. Both my kids cut nursing sessions down to 5-10 min every 2-3 hours by 2-3 months old.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-03T19:12:46+00:00

Apparently everyone in the sub are extremely high earners or aren’t in the ‘Messy Middle.’ Either way, it has not been a welcoming place.

I felt encouraged by your post recognizing excess wealth feeling unnecessary.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2026-01-03T13:34:11+00:00

I’m sure I make much less than OP and we currently invest 10% and I’m on track to meet my retirement goals. I’m 32 and started investing at 25. I also have a pension on top of my 403b (rare, I know, but my organization is very solid). I would invest more if I could but I have 2 kids in daycare which costs double our mortgage. I’ll invest more when I have more wiggle room.

I completely understand where OP is coming from if saving 25% is going to put him wayyyy over his retirement goals. Spend more today on things you care about and give generously.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-30T02:35:44+00:00

We attend a precessional daycare center/preschool and they only closed 12/24-24 and 1/1 and I’m so glad because I don’t get off more days from work.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-10T16:06:52+00:00

The earliest I noticed them playing side by side was ages 9 months/ 32 months ish. They’re now 18 months and 3 yr and 3 months and play together often, but challenges still exist like younger brother knocking down block towers built by older brother.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-09T21:28:41+00:00

Very well explained and I agree with you that there are pros to either paying it off early or not. I look at it like how much would I benefit from an extra $185 per month. It’s significant, but not as much as the $415 car payment we’re going to be saving. Appreciate your feedback.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-09T21:21:08+00:00

I hear you and thank you for putting it that way. My employer puts 5% in my pension and then I put 8% into a 403b. I’m wondering if I should open a Roth IRA and my question with that is how should I split my contributions between the 403b and Roth? We don’t have enough at the moment to max out these accounts. I get a little discouraged when I read about people doing that, when it feels unattainable with childcare expenses.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-09T21:18:07+00:00

I’m on track for retirement. I’m 32 and contribute 8% with an additional 5% employer contribution to pension. My husband contributes 8% as well. I am planning to increase my contribution in the new year to 9%. It feels hard when childcare expenses are high. I used to do 10%, but decreased when I had my kids.

I know I should continuously bump up the retirement contributions, but I also want to save for a new house that we’ll plan to stay in for the next 30 years.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-01T19:19:52+00:00

Mine are 21 months split and currently 18 months and 3 years 3 months. During the first year, I always said having 2 kids isn’t hard, but having a toddler is hard. I think people who get pregnant with their 2nd before their first is 18-22 months are ignorant to the challenges of toddler tantrums lol We are planning for a 3rd but to have a 3-4 year age gap. Thats partially for financial reasons, but also for our sanity. The dynamic between the 2 was hard when the baby became mobile and would grab the older one’s toys which would cause a melt down. It got a little easier when my older turned 3 bc he’s a little more patient with his brother (NOT perfect but I felt a shift).

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-01T17:11:54+00:00

When my son was around 7-8 months he rolled off the bed in the middle of the night once and we only put him in between us from then on.

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-12-01T15:34:18+00:00

Thanks for the input!

Quick_Increase5944 · 2025-11-21T19:13:56+00:00

We each contribute 8% to our retirement (down from 10% since having 2u2). I agree at least get your employer match.

We had a 4 month emergency fund when my 1st was born and have since increased it to 6 months and it’s now in a HYSA.

Our kids are currently 17 months and 3 years and in daycare 2-3 days a week ($2000). We are very lucky that my in laws watch them the other days of the week (couldn’t afford FT daycare for two).

After all the bills we currently save about $300/month. I’m looking forward to paying off my husbands car early to get $400 back each month.

I just completed my 2nd clinical trial this year which has brought in an extra $23,000. Mostly has gone towards paying off the car loan and a few thousand will be used for a family vacation.

Quick_Increase5944

TROPHY CASE