Hi everyone,
My spouse and I are looking for advice on how to best invest our monthly surplus.
After all expenses, we have about $5k–$6k left each month. Currently, we’re only contributing ~3% to our 401(k), so we feel like we’re not optimizing things.
Some context:
Age: Early 30s
Dual income, stable jobs
Emergency fund: ~$25k
Upcoming financial commitment: ~$20k spread over the next 3 years
No high-interest debt
Planning a kid in next 2years
We enjoy traveling, so we do want to budget for that regularly
What we’re trying to figure out:
Should we prioritize increasing 401(k) contributions first? If so, how much?
Roth IRA vs Traditional IRA — which is better in our case?
How to split between retirement accounts and a taxable brokerage account?
Any simple, low-maintenance strategies (index funds, etc.)?
How to balance investing with short-term goals (travel + upcoming $20k expense)?
We’re aiming for steady, long-term growth without taking unnecessary risks, but also don’t want to miss out on enjoying life now.
Would really appreciate any guidance or frameworks you follow!
Thanks!