Construction costs are currently skyrocketing

No, one could also simply stay grounded and look outside of one’s bubble to see what else is possible. Whether you apparently have a problem with that is up to you.

Did you see the smiley? I am also affected and look enviously and bewildered at the "problem" with only €7000.

If this generally continues like this, 7k net will be a "low" income for quite a while. Sure, it's enough for everyday life. But 3x on vacation + children and the associated consumption will have to be dropped at first and the money will have to be used more deliberately. Whatever one's own priorities may be.

you don't know what a low income is.

Some people are so far removed from reality. With 7k net, one child, and both working 80% part-time, you probably belong more to the forum middle class (irony), but by far do not have a low income. We all here are just doing too well. "With 7k net, it will be difficult in the future to go on vacation three times a year" - so what? If those are our problems, then we don't have to worry..

. Things are just too good for all of us here. "With 7k net, it will be difficult in the future to go on vacation three times a year" - so what? If these are our problems, then we don't need to worry..

Aha, so "we" have to be worse off? Is that desirable? Why - because Eva ate the apple or we nailed Jesus to the cross? Or didn't buy enough indulgences?

I think the point was more that we are slowly losing it here, if three vacations a year are now assumed to be the standard of living of the middle class ...

In a construction forum, the average income of the participants is probably higher than the overall German average. Nevertheless, it doesn't hurt to not lose sight beyond one's own horizon. And if someone describes 7K net as a "middle" or "low" income, I can recommend one or another documentary on YT that grounds them. And I believe even here among the construction enthusiasts there are some people who have fulfilled their dream with significantly smaller net income. We belong to that group too. I can even, with our smaller net income - with which we still belong to the top 10% earners in the country according to surveys - probably like most of you others as well - go on vacation three times a year. You can't only vacation in the Caribbean; the Harz is supposed to be quite nice too.