[sdegutis]

I know two sisters who each got married.

The older one practiced worldly prudence, courted during high school, got engaged at beginning of college, and waited almost a decade until after her fiancé graduated before they got married and started to have children. But now he can't get a job with his degree (pharmacist), she works at some retail job as a manager, and the whole family lives with her parents. He's in >$100,000 debt and briefly went to a medical facility during a nervous breakdown after realizing he realistically can't pay it back.

The younger sister had no such ambitions. Courted in high school, got engaged, married right out of high school, immediately started a family, he works at Walmart making higher than average money, and she stays at home raising the kids. They also live with her parents in the same house.

True stories. This all happened over the past 7 years.

I would say the prudence of the second couple vastly outshines the "prudence" of the first couple.

[sgslo]

I'm not sure your story proves a whole lot.

By the way you phrase it, the outcome of the older sister hinged upon the husband failing to get a job as a pharmacist. If he had successfully landed a job, the outcome of your story would be very different.

The same argument could be made for the younger sister. What happens when Walmart downsizes, and the husband is out of job with a background only in retail?

I'm not sure it is worth citing or criticizing the 'prudence' of either couple.

[rhizome]

Plus, I'm under the impression that "can't get a job as a pharmacist" is a rare problem.

[sdegutis]

The first couple waited almost a decade to start having a family, and accrued $100k in debt.

The second couple had a family immediately, have no debt, and are otherwise in the exact same situation as the first couple.

And the couple that had children sooner, are younger and more energetic, and also have less stressful jobs that allow them to spend more time and better quality time with them.

Also there is a real value in having the mom stay at home full time where she can teach their children their own values and guard them from bad practices or influences at such an impressionable age.

[irrational]

How is living at home with your parents an example of prudence?

[segmondy]

Where is this? There's no where in the US where you can't get a job as a pharmacist. No where. Retails are needed very much so, you have to stand and it pays really freaking well, except it's hard to cross over into other types. Again, in the USA, in any state in this country, working full time, at the very worse, you will make $90k/yr as a pharmacist.

[refurb]

It's changed. Check out r/pharmacy.

Getting a PharmD used to be a golden ticket. Then a ton of schools opened up and flooded the market. Wages are actually on the way down and from what I've heard, the retail jobs really suck.

[astura]

There's either something you don't know or aren't telling us. There has to be a specific reason why someone who holds a Doctor of Pharmacy would be unable to get a job.

[ambicapter]

Wow, neither of these examples are at all appetizing as an example of a life well lived!

[mmsimanga]

I am not sure how you come to that conclusion without knowing more details. What if the couples truly love each other and enjoy each other's company. What if they share looking after children thus having time for themselves and each other. There might be people who have good jobs are able to travel but hate their jobs, are lonely and don't like their spouse.