Buying a house: realistic or are we overextending ourselves?

It's always like that, everyone understands something different by a relaxing vacation. There were also years when we didn't go away at all and just did some day trips locally. And I had indicated 2000-3000 and not stubbornly 3000€. It was simply an average of the last few years, although prices have definitely gone up a lot in the last two.

I generally believe that I lead a relatively simple life, which may also lead to the low expenses. I come from a family home that always has to watch the money, started with an underpaid apprenticeship like probably everyone, then continued my education part-time through technician training and a diploma degree, and have been in my current job with the corresponding income since 2018. But my standard of living is somehow still like before and I am happy with it.

The truth is also that so far it has only been the two of us and it certainly won't get cheaper in the future.

With the money, I am taking two vacations this year.
1. One week in Albania/Macedonia for two, including flights, accommodations, rental car, and meals.
2. One week in Sicily for four, including flights, rental car, accommodations. Meals will be tight.

Just saying, what you can get for the price during the holiday season (!!!).

For next year over Easter, the 2k is also enough for a 10-day trip for two to Zanzibar (including activities).

Some are real "survival artists."

Here are realistic, current prices for one week in Sardinia as a family with 2 small children after the official holiday season:

[*]Holiday apartment: €800
[*]Rental car (incl. 2 child seats): >€600
[*]Flights: €1,200
[*]Miscellaneous / meals: we’ll see…

Some are truly "survival artists."

Here are some realistic, current prices for a week in Sardinia

Sardinia is an expensive option for a family vacation. We haven't visited it yet because it's comparatively "too expensive." However, now that it's just the two of us, we could afford it, but we ultimately chose Rhodes or Spain instead.
That’s the topic of survival skills.

Sardinia is an expensive option for a family vacation. We haven't visited yet because, comparatively, it's "too expensive." However, now that there are two of us, we could afford it, but we decided on Rhodes or Spain instead. That’s about survival skills.

Unfortunately, we have also had to realize this now.

Based on these insights, I also have serious doubts that one can vacation in Sicily as a family with 2 small children for under €2,000 per week. That is impossible, unless perhaps you travel with your own car.

I find it interesting how different the "average costs" are here.

We seem to be the penny-pinchers faction in the forum, it seems: According to our household budget, the two of us spend less than €300 per month including restaurant visits. We treat ourselves to some regional but more expensive foods, and here and there organic. We buy non-perishable foods on sale; if the store brand is good quality, we go for that, and everyone enjoys their favorite items. We cook daily - consciously little meat, but it's not just water and dry bread.

Regarding vacations, I understand that there is no upper limit, especially the more dependent you are on the children's holiday times. We usually book late and in the off-season, ending up at less than €2,000 for 10-14 days, but we always travel to where the sun is.

I don't want to be polarizing with this, but just underline that, for example, €300/month for food doesn't have to be unrealistic. But in the end, it's a question of lifestyle that everyone chooses. We are happy.

Some are real "survival artists."

No. Just no "all inclusive" or "I get everything spoon-fed vacationers."

Here are some realistic, current prices for one week in Sardinia as a family with 2 small children after the official holiday season:

[*]Holiday apartment: €800 [*]Rental car (incl. 2 child seats): >€600 [*]Flights: €1,200 [*]Miscellaneous / catering: we'll see…

Albania/North Macedonia during the just finished Easter holidays. Realistic, as these are prices actually paid: - Flights for two from Brussels including luggage: €120 - Rental car for one week (mid-class sedan) including ALL imaginable insurances without deductible: €56 - Accommodations (holiday apartment directly by the sea in Albania, directly at Lake Ohrid with own jetty in North Macedonia): €340 - Self-catering (only breakfast, otherwise eating out every day): €150 Sicily during the autumn holidays is a bit more expensive since Italy (although on Sicily the rental car only costs €174 or the flights €650). You just have to watch a bit what you do, where you book, and what expectations you have. Club vacations are not for any of us. During the summer holidays, it’s going to Spain. There, €4,000 for a vacation for four can easily be spent. : How do you manage to book so expensively? It's really a mystery to me. I can only understand the price for the holiday apartment.