Evaluation of our 120% financing

I really find it impressive what some people put themselves through just to own a house. Over 50% of net income just for the item housing (if that’s even enough for you) wouldn’t be worth it for me personally. But you have my respect, even if you can’t buy anything with it.

I have to correct that. We don’t put ourselves through anything for the house. Even without the house, we would live like this and the money would just be sitting in the bank or invested elsewhere. But because of the house, I have a 1600 sqm property. Of that, 200 sqm are fruit trees and berry bushes, 220 sqm chicken coop, 110 sqm vegetable garden with 50 tomato plants and many others. Our kids have a huge playground in the garden with trampoline, table tennis table, swing, slide, stilt house, sandbox, etc. They have space for playing soccer, running around, throwing boomerangs, etc.

I wouldn’t have had any of this without the house purchase back then. BUT I would live just as frugally. I don’t need much consumption or (for me unnecessary) luxury. I want to have a nice life and try to design it as little as possible at the expense of our planet.

Regards Specki

I unfortunately have to correct that. We do not take on anything for the house. Even without the house, we would live like this and the money would just lie in the account or be invested elsewhere. But because of the house, I have a 1600 sqm plot. Of that, 200 sqm are fruit trees and berry bushes, 220 sqm chicken coop, 110 sqm vegetable garden with 50 tomato plants and many others. Our kids have a huge playground in the garden with trampoline, table tennis table, swing, slide, stilt house, sandbox etc. They have space to play football, romp around, throw boomerangs etc. I wouldn’t have had all this without the house purchase back then. BUT I would live just as frugally. I don’t need much consumption or (for me unnecessary) luxury. I want to have a nice life and try to shape it as little as possible at the expense of our planet. Regards Specki

You don’t need to “correct” that, everyone can handle it as they like. The fact is, however, that the majority of your income goes towards the property. Whether that is 300, 500, or 2000 sqm doesn’t matter at all. You yourself say at the end why this is only possible at all. Because you as parents forego consumption and, in your view, unnecessary luxury. As already said, for us that’s not an option. Of course, if you already followed a rather modest lifestyle before, then that’s no problem. That also somehow fits your information about living costs of 310€ for 4 people (including drugstore items). That’s not enough for the two of us, and we go up to 50% organic shopping including relatively expensive meat from the last remaining local butcher. No one can tell me that they can feed 4 people healthily, sustainably, and mainly with organic products on a 310€ budget. I just don’t believe that.

We don’t have any meat. Regional organic lentils, as well as spelt grains, are bought from the producer in 25 kg sacks in Bioland or Demeter quality. (Still more expensive than EU organic in the supermarket). And we don’t forgo certain things, we simply don’t need them. Our life just has different priorities that don’t require a lot of money. And yes, we already lived like this before the house. I reduced my working hours to 75% at the beginning of the year. Otherwise, everything would be paid off even faster, but free time is more important to me. So it will just take 15 years for the house instead of 12. But well, not everyone understands this lifestyle. Not everyone has to understand it either. For us, it is perfect this way.

Awesome stuff! How do you manage that? I still see a lot of potential there.

But well, not everyone understands this lifestyle. Not everyone has to understand it. For us, it’s perfect that way.

That’s exactly it. You say you have different priorities, but call monthly grocery shopping for 650 "awesome stuff" and calculate how little you spend. Not everyone can or wants to manage/live like that. So it’s great that you are so frugal – but then you can belittle the lifestyle of others (which is not really excessive).

I find it rather odd when someone stands in front of designing a home financing plan and says that he only spends 150 euros per month on food, but that is just a rough estimate from the man whose wife goes shopping and makes sure the fridge is full. Or those who have spent 600 euros so far but want to reduce that to 300 when the financing starts *laugh*

I wrote that I don't see us as a benchmark. But I do find double that amount crazy. Unless you have so much money that you can spend it freely. But I don't see that with that income and loan request. It's not just black and white, but something in between. I would consider anything between €400 and €500 as normal. But well, I've given my opinion, there's no need to dwell on it forever now. It's just my opinion and my perspective.

We are also four people and spend around 600€/month. With 400€ we will never ever make it. I consider 300€ extremely low. And when I look at exactly what we eat and whether there would actually be potential there... No, that wouldn't be possible without lowering the "standard." And the standard is not luxury, but mainly at penny etc. meat is rather rare.