Hey all,

I’m a 31-year-old with a stable job, making about $83k annually. I’d say I’m pretty good at what I do, so I'm optimistic about seeing some income growth over time. I'm married and have an 11-month-old, and life emotionally , socially overall feels pretty stable. My only debts are a mortgage 500 k and about $10k on a credit card.

Recently, I received a $50k gift from a parent. I really want to use this money wisely, and I'd love some advice on how best to go about it! When I say “life-changing,” I don’t mean I’m looking to get rich; I’m more focused on improving our quality of life and reducing financial stress.

A bit of background:

We’ve been living paycheck to paycheck for a while, so vacations, family time, and other quality-of-life things have always been limited.

Financial stress has always been a burden, and having some stability would be huge for us.

If you've been in a similar position or have insights, I'd appreciate any advice on where to start! Whether it’s paying down debt, investing, saving, or something I haven’t thought of, I’m open to ideas.

Thanks in advance!