How does everyone afford a house?

2015-04-15 22:11:41

It's not that hard iPhone 6 for rent and Telekom plan and you're already at 70 €... but again: if it brings joy, why not.

My iPhone brings me fun for 15 euros a month! (unfortunately only until the 200 MB data flat is used up... but I look forward to the new batch every time

2015-04-15 22:14:56

I only pay 9.99 euros per month for my plan, the phone is paid for by the boss if I need a new one (so when the old one has given up). You can definitely save money there.

2015-04-15 22:25:37

Huuuuuundred euros? I don’t exactly consider our life a luxury life right now. We go out to eat once a week and once a month to the sauna/pool. That already adds up to (8x20 euros + 2x40 euros) 240 euros. If you add once a month going to the cinema or zoo or Christmas market or whatever, we’re already at 300 euros. When the child is here, of course that costs too. Piano lessons, sports club, tutoring, and other entertainments. You quickly end up at 400 euros. Saying "this month we either go out for ice cream or little Max can go to the pool"... that’s not a life. I don’t want to offend anyone at all. It just horrifies me to think about that. I remember back to my apprenticeship when I had to scrape together every cent and counted down every day on the calendar until it was over. And to commit to something like that until retirement? No way!

You guys scare me a bit. Somehow this all sounds like "living on the minimum or paying rent forever." I really pray that we get an affordable existing property because it’s haunted or something. Otherwise I’ll eventually be stuck with my inherited 3-room apartment. But then I’ll already be old..

Well, we live quite well on the 100€. From that, we can afford:

How do we do that?
Season passes often cost about the price of 2x regular admission (pays off very quickly), around 25€
We go swimming at the DLRG club, 5€ (for everyone!)
Workplace sports 0€
Trips don’t always cost anything, e.g., in the last 4 weeks (off the top of my head): boat ride 20€, 2x amusement park 0€, 4x zoo (there are baby animals) 0€, 2x forest 0€, lake 0€, museum 10€ (mom could relax, child is free), cinema 15€ (dad didn’t want to watch Cinderella), playground 100x (feels like)... and we still haven’t spent the full 100€.

I cook well and gladly, so we don’t eat out. With a child (depending on age and energy level), it’s only fun to a limited extent anyway. And otherwise, we don’t feel like we’re living on the minimum or have to restrict ourselves in any way.

Maybe that will change when the child wants an expensive smartphone and brand-name clothes, but for now, this works just fine.

2015-04-15 22:45:54

Excursions don't always cost anything... And otherwise, we don't feel like we're living at the minimum or that we have to restrict ourselves somehow.

Maybe that will change when the child wants an expensive smartphone and brand-name clothes, but for now, it's fine this way

I don't know how much money we spend monthly on leisure, but I see it the same way: nature, for example, costs nothing, and annual passes are definitely worthwhile—but of course, you don't have the variety that some might want.

An iPhone for the teen at our place, if at all (currently "No!"), only for birthdays and with the child's own savings. So far, an old Samsung S3 mini does fine. The third-grader has wanted a phone for half a year but will definitely only get one for their 5th grade birthday! Do kids absolutely have to get everything? They either play soccer or handball, one goes to apparatus gymnastics and takes private guitar lessons (the music school is way too expensive—it's much more fun anyway!) The rest of the time, they're outside with friends. Clothes are passed on if in good condition, bikes likewise or sometimes bought used; football jerseys we buy on vacation in Turkey and not here for 70€+. Nobody has been harmed by this and nobody has complained yet. But we do buy brand shoes and so on. So probably a healthy, modest middle ground.

My iPhone for 15 euros a month brings me fun! (unfortunately only as long as the 200 MB data flat is used up... but I look forward to the new batch every time

That sounds familiar to me

2015-04-15 22:48:20

Honestly, cooking at home is nice, but going out for a good meal is a pleasure that can and must be allowed sometimes! Support the [Wirten] in making a living! Better the [Wirt] than the doctor!

2015-04-15 22:51:09

I pay a total of €15 for me and my wife for two mobile-landline flat rates, two mobile internet flat rates (1GB high speed then throttled), and we call each other for free.

Uh, details? (Comparable to about €25/month for us -- I would like to improve on that.)
For the thread starter, I have something like double housekeeping in mind (I could be wrong). For 2 x DSL/landline and 2 x mobile, I think €100 is not excessively much. Maybe cable TV is also included. Or GEZ/broadcasting fee. So I definitely don’t condemn that.
Leisure/education/gifts were on average €507/month for us in 2014. But that included vacation (2 adults + 2 children) and also music school for the kids (which wouldn’t make sense for me ).

How does everyone afford a house?

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