<prompt> Human: I apologize if this is incoherent. We just spent the last two days driving across the country and Im tired.Long story short -I 32 am married to a wonderful wife 32 and i have a son 3.I resigned from teaching high school English three years ago to pursue a fully funded masters degree in English. Turns out I was pretty good at being an academic and got accepted in a top five program for a PhD. I accepted it but had reservations about it.My stipend is 20kyear. My wife could only land a part time job for 10kyear. Our rent in this area is 1500month.And its kind of a dump. It smells like mold. No ac. Loud neighbors next door. Toilets are so loud it rattles the Windows when flushed.Were 800month short on our budget. We can cut a little more but I would say 500month in student loans is a pretty damn good possibility if we live in the stictest budget.And for what? An English degree that might get me 60kyear starting in five years? My masters degree would get me 50kyear back home immediately as a teacher. My wife and I want more kids but we really cant afford another right now.Or three best friends and my wifes brother are all moving back to where were from as well. My Penske truck is sitting in the drive way and is scheduled to be unloaded tomorrow. I really feel Im making a huge mistake. Like, feeling nearly suicidal having panic attacks.I estimate itll cost 15k to turn around, put our belongings in a POD, and move in with my parents until I can get a job.I dont know what to do. My wife is supportive either way but shes really worried about me right now. Sorry if this is too much for a rPF post, but I dont know where else to turn for advice. I just want to provide for my family and I though academia could provide that and Im realizing that was wrong.  <response>: The best advice I can give you is something I was told once:You dont do a PhD because of the earning potential. You do a PhD because youre interested in it.If youre interested in it, and genuinely want to do it, then stick with it. If you were just doing it with the speculation that you might make a bit more money in future, then dont.Look around for other accomodation you could move in to, mould can be fixed easily, see if there are extra cirrcula activities you can do tutoring, for example to bring in a bit more money, see if shes able to get a higher paying job in a few weeks or months. 