Is anyone’s DH proud and happy as provider with medium salary?

[Anonymous]

In the US, a 50 year old making $150k is in the top 8 percent of income earners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. I apologize for being so unclear in my OP. I was typing quickly on my phone and did not express myself clearly.

I was looking to hear stories about anyone who is part of a household where one and only one earner makes 150k or less.

I live in a much, much, much lower cost of living area and my DH makes 110k. I make 42k, but we will have a baby soon. We are just thinking carefully about our next steps.

I don't see myself permanently retiring (I like working despite my not-so-awesome income) but I would like to stay at home for a few years with children.

DH says he is ok with it (and our budget seems to allow for it), but at the same time part of me fears that it would be plain crazy to give up my income. I don't want my DH to say yes and then feel stressed out and resentful, hence the phrasing of my title.

I apologize again if I was confusing with my initial phrasing and lack of information.

You are asking if your DH would be okay with it.

But I suspect that your real issue is that you feel like he should be making more.

Men are generally cool with women staying at home when the kids are young. It’s when the kids are in school all day and she’s still not working that it can be an issue, or if she is a resentful mommy martyr about her “sacrifices.”

[Anonymous]

My husband is a blue collar medium earner and he is proud of his job, and I am also very proud of his job.

[Anonymous]

Single income family. DH makes enough for me to SAHM without ever having to go back to work. We have three kids. We can pay for kids tuition in state schools. We have got a lot of lucky breaks in life so we feel financially fortunate, but we recognize that not everyone has these breaks or same luck. How can you predict what life will give you? We live quite modestly and are prudent in how we spend our money but all of that can change in a minute. 100K a year is great salary. Here is our situation that enables us to live well on one salary.

No student debt. Very low mortgage. No fertility treatments (this took a toll financially on my cousin). Minimal daycare costs. Secure job with great benefits. No private school costs as kids went to public magnet schools. No special needs kids and we all are relatively healthy (another cousin has significant costs because her child needs speech therapy and other accommodations). Not taking care of elderly parents. Heavily insured. on track for retirement and college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back up. $150k is a "medium salary"? That's a high salary in the DC area.

Medium salary -- indeed median salary -- is $100K for DC.
https://www.deptofnumbers.com/income/district-of-columbia/washington/

That's median household income, not median salary. Median salary is about $75K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In the US, a 50 year old making $150k is in the top 8 percent of income earners.

Not in the DC metro.

My dh is pretty happy making in the low 100s and I currently stay home.due to health problems. We do own a house in the far our suburbs and can't really afford to travel or purchase much entertainment in the DC area, but are both generally happy.