u/niamhceras

My husband and I got married a few weeks ago, and we were extremely lucky to receive a significant amount of cash gifts. Rather than spending this money, we'd like to use it as the start of a "nest egg" that will gain interest and value and set us up for the future.

We're American, both in our 30s, full time employed in relatively stable paths. We own a home and have a budget to manage our mortgage payments, bills, student loans, etc while still having fun money. While we're definitely "comfortable," we are already looking toward a future where I could retire early due to my chronic illness.

Happy to take any and all advice on how best to invest this money, or recommendations for HYSAs. We want this money to make money as easily as possible.

I'm sure many of you can relate to what I'm about to share, and I'm hoping that opening up this discussion might help us support one another — or at the very least, remind us that we're not going through this alone.

I've spent the last eight years working as an academic librarian, and I've hit a wall. The constant struggle to justify my worth at institutions that simply don't prioritize libraries or the people who run them has worn me down. The pay barely covers my expenses, and I find myself questioning whether it's worth it. The students I serve seem disengaged — many lack foundational literacy skills — and I don't have the tools or energy to truly move the needle for them. And honestly, even if those resources existed, you can't force someone to care about information literacy or academic integrity. Given everything going on in the world, I can't say I'm entirely surprised they don't.

I've started seriously thinking about leaving the field. As a reference librarian, my background isn't especially tech-heavy, and I'm struggling to figure out how to translate the skills I do have into a career that can actually support my household financially. I'm open to returning to school if that's what it takes. Has anyone successfully transitioned out of librarianship? If so, where did you land?