Evaluation of our 120% financing

650 euros for four people is completely normal in my eyes. We need that too. And that without baker, DM and we also buy almost nothing except groceries at the supermarket. 3xx euros I find crazy shit. Crazy little. And I think the OP is rather around the average household than spare money.

Grocery shopping nowadays covers many areas of consumption that go far beyond the mere procurement of basic foodstuffs. For example, if the shopping costs 100EUR, one might think: "oh crap, half a shopping cart for 100EUR!". However, the fact that, for example, a sweater costing 19.99EUR already accounts for 1/5 of the price distorts the statistics here.

Thank you very much for your opinions. This is really a great forum here

I have just taken a closer look at the expenses of the last few months again. There are really a few larger items in there that distort the whole thing a bit:
September: One week vacation at the Baltic Sea
October: No additional expenses, therefore a significantly higher surplus
November: Second refrigerator for 170 EUR (We only have a small built-in fridge and sometimes it gets so tight that we can hardly buy things in stock)
Bike repair - 550 EUR (New battery + various wear parts replaced. I ride to work about 3 times a week = approx. 6,000 km per year. This saves us the second car)
December: Christmas

Well, still expenses that are always there ... or no more Baltic Sea, Christmas abolished and walking to work

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

We are also a family of four. Ok, our boys are only 2 and 4. But we spend 310€.
Yes, we also have a garden from which some things are harvested, but we partly shop at the organic store/Demeter store and about 70 to 80% of our purchases are organic.

If eating out is included and you do that often, okay, then I understand it. But only supermarket?

Basically, I think you can do that.
But you really should check where these 3000€ monthly go.

We are at about 1700 including additional costs for electricity, water, gas, etc.
Yes, well, I know, we are certainly below average. But anyone who wants to take on a house loan should still be way under 3000€. Unless, of course, they have massively a lot of money, which I don't see with you right now...

Regards
Specki

Hello Specki,

I find the way you live very extreme! You live below Hartz 4 level in terms of food! If I understand correctly and you spend 310€ for all of you in the supermarket! Or do you have additional food costs? Canteen etc...
Although it is from 2018, not much has changed there.
„That is included in the 416 euro standard rate (since) for an adult: 145.04 euros for food and non-alcoholic beverages = 4.77 euros/day“

Hello Specki,

I find the way you live really extreme! You live food-wise below Hartz 4 level!

Interesting that you find it extreme. For me, it’s normal

No, I don’t go to the canteen, there really is all food available there, except maybe eating out about 5 times a year.
The only savings are occasionally a bit through Foodsharing and, well, a personal vegetable garden. That probably saves me about 25€ per month spread over the year.
As I said, actually 70 to 80% of it is organic. We buy Alb-Leisa lentils, which are grown on the Swabian Alb, in 25 kg sacks.
We buy ancient spelt grains directly from the farmer. Always 2 x 12.5 kg sacks, so it’s not too expensive. We make pasta ourselves from that and the lentils (2/3 to 1/3). The eggs come from our own chickens (breed chickens, not laying hens). So 500g of pasta costs me about €1.20. So not really big savings either, you can also buy pasta for 39 cents....
Otherwise fresh sauerkraut from the Demeter farmer, lots of fruit and vegetables.
But no meat.
As healthy an eating as possible with as original products as possible, without much processed junk food etc.

Regards
Specki