Consume or save?

If it works out, live and let live! For example, I was lucky enough to fulfill the dream of a world trip - after having worked about 60+ hours a week for years! That really opened my eyes. But now the focus is fully on the family, many vacations and activities, and of course our project of building a house as well as maintaining the existing properties.

This will not change even after the project is completed... What matters is that everyone is healthy and can enjoy life.

is right: Since when does "living" = "consuming"? That's why the question makes little sense. In my life, most important things are not consumption. But yes, for the rest (e.g. cooking and eating out) I gladly spend money and would hardly limit myself here because it's a priority. Not even for a house.

how do you define living? Going on vacation?

Oh, that also shifts. We are neither sun worshippers who constantly take flights nor do we have high mobility costs. So, after housing, the probably largest typical cost drivers in the household budget are quite low. This makes it easier to live financially. That is the status quo. If I ever want a convertible, that’s possible too, or if there should be a big family vacation, no problem.

Currently, the focus is still very much on the house. There’s a lot that can be done just with the outdoor facilities. After 2-3 years, one can also think about the first renewal of the joints/cracks, etc. and to be honest, the interior paint already looked in need of renovation after a year (two small children, just 10 weeks of home care have left their marks).

What I find rather strange is the constant comparison and envy that exists around me. Oh look, he has a Porsche now, they are flying to Thailand again. So what, what does that have to do with me?

People rarely have written on their foreheads whether, where from, and how much/little money they have.

If we could no longer travel as far and as often (4-5x /year) or could no longer afford other things we love because the house was built, we would not have built it. So everything as usual after moving in, no restrictions, no changes.

Man rarely needs everything he wants. Needing and being able to need are two different things. I think it is important to consciously perceive the good. Whether that is the house or something more short-lived, everyone has to find out for themselves, and it can also change. I think it is important to stand behind your decision; then life is easier no matter where the priority was.

Wishing you a lucky hand with it, Gabriele

You can really set your watch by when HilfeHilfe creates a new topic or post to show how much money he can easily spend.

To make you feel much better now: We are so broke after building the house that there is at most a cheeseburger from Mecces for a restaurant visit left, vacation is done on the sand terrace / we will have money for paving work in a maximum of 5 years, I now ride the bike 30 km to work / the car had to be pawned because of lack of money. Early repayment? During Corona, we paused the repayment so that I can afford new clothes. I have already lost 40 kilos, the fridge is almost always empty too. A typical case of taking on too much. We read your posts every day and get stomach aches out of envy because you can spend so much money despite the loan and we are so poor. Luckily, I am a positive person and always think "better off poor than with an arm missing." I wish you lots of fun in the South and please keep us updated in 2021 about how much money you can spend despite financing. We simply need that so we don’t forget amid our own misery that there is also a better life. Maybe we’ll manage it too at 80 years old, when our loan is paid off.