The ideas I wanted to implement are not new brain farts that just come to me spontaneously, but were already desires present in the planning phase 3-4 years ago. I don’t see upgrading the house on the same level as the hundredth pair of shoes. Of course, it is consumption, but “more durable.”
Buying the big mommy SUV for 50k+ wouldn’t do anything for me now. We are completely satisfied with our family wagon and the Golf as a second car.
Everyone just has different priorities. Our standard of living is certainly not bad, but I reject the accusation that we blindly indulge in consumption here. Our luxury is mainly a cleaning and ironing lady and in the future a gardener twice a year, because we try to buy as much free time as possible. Surely, I now buy higher quality and am already looking forward to the new wardrobe from the carpenter, but we still have countless pieces of furniture from student days lying around here. Of course, we are replacing them gradually now, but I don’t just run aimlessly into the next furniture store and buy everything new. That develops over time.
We both had long educational paths with several courses of study, etc. Therefore, until 2.5 years ago, we were never double earners. Someone was always still in (a second) degree or on parental leave. That also means that we always had to and could handle money carefully.
It is clear that not everything should flow into the house. A growing portfolio also has its advantages.
We are aware that we have had a lot of luck in life so far. I do not believe that what we have achieved is solely based on our “performance,” but, for example, that I was at the right company at the right time and additionally had the luck to meet people willing to invest in me and also to take a small experiment. I can also reassure you, I am not unhappy ;-) and truly appreciate my wonderful children, my dream man, my equal partnership, and my profession.
Moving place is out of the question, by the way. I won’t put my children through a move anymore.
My thoughts currently lean toward adding a warm conservatory + remodeling the living/dining area with a fireplace and larger windows + new kitchen. But we probably won’t tackle that right now, maybe wait another 10-15 years. We are informing ourselves about retrofitting an air conditioning system; that will likely be implemented sooner.
But I do find it nice that some apparently have similarly situated ideas and can understand my train of thought.