Choice - A 43-year-old woman in teaching (retirement/cash: ~$495K) and her engineer husband (~$750K), both in a DINK household earning $215K, have built just under $1.8M net worth (94th percentile) in a mid-high cost-of-living area. Assets include two paid-off properties (one rental), strong cash reserves, and a focus on index investing and frugal-but-comfortable living. She meticulously tracks expenses, budgets for travel and pets, but also wrestles with “enough,” guilt around luxury, and their unique path of having chosen not to have children. With financial independence achieved, their biggest reward is the flexibility and freedom to live life on their own terms whether that’s work, play, or travel.