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"Littletoobig"... you are in a good place now as far as earnings are concerned. You and your dh are also standing at the very beginning of a long road that will take you places you can't imagine now. I know. I am the spouse of a military officer. We started out in the DC area, too. We felt rich. I was determined to work, no-matter where we were stationed.
But you never know what opportunities will come your way, and they don't all involve employment or big paychecks. My advice would be to set yourself up with some flexibility and financial stability so you can take advantage of the sort of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that pop-up in the military lifestyle. Save now, both for retirement as well as a general fund that could be used as a downpayment for a house or to pay off a big chunk of the SLs. Get to your new duty station and give yourself plenty of time to get to know the area, including schools, neighborhoods, commutes, etc. before you even consider buying a house. Don't rely on realtors. Some may try to help you, but most don't really know what military life is like.
We started out feeling rich and then got sent someplace where I couldn't get any job at all, much less one in my field. We lived overseas and I took the opportunity to teach English and immerse myself and my child in the local culture, building friendships that are still strong 14 years later. We've bought/sold 2 houses, but only after we'd had enough time/experience in the military to know what would work for us. I currently homeschool my kids simply to allow us the freedom to hop on a Space A flight and travel when we want. Flexibility. Put $ into stability and flexibility. And allow yourselves the chance to really live in the new places you'll be sent.
But you never know what opportunities will come your way, and they don't all involve employment or big paychecks. My advice would be to set yourself up with some flexibility and financial stability so you can take advantage of the sort of once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that pop-up in the military lifestyle. Save now, both for retirement as well as a general fund that could be used as a downpayment for a house or to pay off a big chunk of the SLs. Get to your new duty station and give yourself plenty of time to get to know the area, including schools, neighborhoods, commutes, etc. before you even consider buying a house. Don't rely on realtors. Some may try to help you, but most don't really know what military life is like.
We started out feeling rich and then got sent someplace where I couldn't get any job at all, much less one in my field. We lived overseas and I took the opportunity to teach English and immerse myself and my child in the local culture, building friendships that are still strong 14 years later. We've bought/sold 2 houses, but only after we'd had enough time/experience in the military to know what would work for us. I currently homeschool my kids simply to allow us the freedom to hop on a Space A flight and travel when we want. Flexibility. Put $ into stability and flexibility. And allow yourselves the chance to really live in the new places you'll be sent.
cutting the college savings back to $50/month, reducing as many living expenses as possible and banking as much cash as possible. When we get where we're going, we will have to re-assess everything. At least this lifestyle keeps things interesting! Thanks again everyone for your help!
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