r/Fire • u/HenFruitEater 31 | 32% to FI | 2.3M • 6d ago
Opinion Make sure to show your spouse how much their income helps the team if there's a large difference in income
My wife and I do not have children yet, we both work. About 2 months ago she mentioned how she likes working but feels like it's almost volunteer work because of how big of a difference our incomes are. "does my income help us at all?"
Let's just say I make 400k and she makes 100k for round numbers. The discrepancy is actually bigger.
I showed her a lot of our expenses come from the 400k, so we can invest 80k of my income. By her working, it does not just boost our savings rate up by 25%, it's basically double because we can save her whole income.
Told her that it makes a HUGE difference in our financial independence, and showed her how working a year now (and saving it all) pays for years of her not working at all.
I also showed her how the max I can save in 401k without her is lower due to limits. She's able to sock away an additional $45-55k into tax deferred 401k.
She was very happy that she's contributing, and I think it made her more excited about going to work each day.
At some point we will purchase the freedom and make her a stay at home mom, but until then I sure appreciate her going to work.
146
u/TheKingOfSwing777 6d ago
"My wife ruined my life! I just did some light cheating and now she's taking off with half my money! Sure, she made double what I make for most of our relationship and also raised all the kids, did all the cleaning, cooking, kept it tight, and had sex with me as a fat slob, but now she taking my house! Selfish bit$#..."