I wonder… pure swag here.
Leave 12k in cash, or a high yield savings account. Then put 12k in a 1yr CD. Maybe you can find a 2yr CD and put 12k there? Then find an index fund to park the rest. One that might not chase the market but is still above inflation. Once a year, pull 12k out.
The money that you don’t need for several years can be invested. Yes its a gamble but if you have a 2-3 years in cash at any time, when the market is down, don’t pull. When it is up, rebalance and increase your cash holdings. Maybe modify what I said above, maybe pull once a month (but only 1k) to replenish you cash, but when market is up, perhaps. Or maybe you pull regardless, the opposite of DCA.
CD rate might go down in the future, but for now, its a low risk ”gamble” for money you will need in short order. May have to change plan in the future if the rate drops—or not, since its money that you can’t have losses in.