How long have you been saving equity for your house?

(scnr) Except maybe your supplemental benefits and later the pension? Or did you voluntarily join the statutory health insurance as a full contributor? ;) Otherwise – teaching requires 5 years of study and the two years of teacher training are paid halfway decently – a luxury that is (in my opinion, unfortunately) not granted to educators. When looking at the civil service, I always recommend taking the civil servant’s net salary from the pay tables and entering it into an inverse salary calculator for employees. Beyond the IGM, IG BCE & co. salaries, a corresponding net without career and leadership position is often hard to achieve there. If you include pension-equivalent reserves on the employee’s side, you end up even higher. In short: as a teacher with A12/A13, you are pretty well provided for, deployable everywhere regionally, and secured. So definitely not average, but very comfortable.

I wrote that too. But I do not get the supplementary benefits as a gift either, since my income tax deduction corresponds to that of an employee. I am privately insured, yes, and I benefit from the supplementary benefits scheme. Still, due to various risk factors, €500 per month go away from the net. After insurance, I have €2700 net. That’s also what a salaried teacher with E13 gets. The big advantage is the pension. The net average salary in Germany is about €2100/month. I am not so far from that that I have to compare myself with

And then the people who have €80k net and count themselves as lower middle class like Friedrich Merz. Poor civil servants.

Friedrich Merz.

I studied for 6 years because I had started 3 semesters of medicine first but was not able to complete it successfully. I then switched back to my original career choice.

Hm. What do salaried teachers say? Do they do a worse job than you? You get (sorry) really (!) a lot handed to you.

Did I say that in any way? That there are no compensation regulations for the salaried colleagues who were not granted civil servant status due to the age regulation in our federal state is unacceptable. But do I get something as a gift because I chose this career path? If you see it that way, then I gladly reflect on it myself. But my everyday life doesn’t include a single paid overtime hour, whether I do my 42 mandatory hours or have to work 50+ hours at peak times.

Summary of the last 2 1/2 pages: The “gifts” that I receive as a civil servant from your point of view I earned through studying and teacher training. I live very comfortably and have never claimed otherwise, but that doesn’t make me someone who can lavishly spend big sums of money, nor could I, because I only finished my training in August 2020. That’s also why my wife and I didn’t have a huge amount of equity, to pick up the topic of the thread again.

We can discuss the civil servants/teachers issue gladly by PM or move it to another discussion area.

I’ll try to get back to the original question again.

I or rather we have never consciously saved. We were and are both 0.0 consumption-oriented. Whether electronics, cars, or clothes. Our expenses are somewhat higher, but in general, I find us almost 1:1 reflected in the expense list of . Only on vacations do we have higher expenses, but we love traveling with a backpack to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. and then traveling around there.

Accordingly, the money accumulated. Just because I earn amount X does not mean I have to spend it.
For my 18th birthday, I received a subsidy of €6,000 from my grandparents. For the renovation of the house, still the labor of my father. Without his experience, it definitely would not have been possible. The renovation and expansion of the interior was 100% done by ourselves.
In total, we have spent around €360,000. 27 months ago we took out €200,000 and of that, we have paid back €44,000 so far (30,000€ through special repayments). We are now 29 and 32 but already started working at 17 and 18 respectively.

And now something that some here will probably shake their heads about.
Excluding the private health insurance, we currently have €4,200 and feel genuinely rich with it. But that’s also because I don’t necessarily associate wealth with money. I prefer to define wealth and quality of life through time and freedoms. Porsche, Rolex, and the like don’t make me happy or satisfied, but a visit to the beer garden with the best buddies does. Everyone is just different.
Therefore, after my wife’s parental leave, we will both only work 70%. Then we will have roughly the same available as currently, and at the moment, my wife’s parental allowance almost entirely remains unused. In the long term, it will probably come down to reducing working hours even further. Because time spent at or with work cannot be spent with family or friends ;)

I’ll try to get back to the original question.

I, or rather we, have never consciously saved. We were and still are both 0.0 consumption-oriented. Whether electronics, cars, or clothes. Our expenses are somewhat higher, but generally, I find us almost 1:1 in the expense list of . Only with vacations do we have higher expenses, but we love to fly backpacking to Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc., and then travel around there.

Accordingly, the money accumulated. Just because I earn amount X doesn’t mean I have to spend it. For my 18th birthday, I received 6,000€ from my grandparents. During the renovation of the house, I had my father’s labor. Without his experience, it definitely wouldn’t have been possible. The renovation and interior expansion were done 100% on our own. In total, we spent around 360,000€. 27 months ago, we took out 200,000€, and so far, we have paid back 44,000€ (30,000€ through special repayments). We are now 29 and 32 but started working at 17 and 18, respectively.

And now something that some here will probably shake their heads at. We currently have, adjusted for the PKV, 4,200€ and feel downright rich with it. But that is also because I don’t necessarily link wealth with money. I prefer to define wealth and quality of life in terms of time and freedoms. Porsche, Rolex, and the like don’t make me happy or satisfied, but going to the beer garden with my best buddies does. Everyone is just different. Therefore, after my wife’s parental leave, we will both work only 70%. Then we will have about the same available as now, and currently, my wife’s parental allowance almost completely remains. In the long term, it will probably come down to us reducing working hours even further. Because time spent at or on work just can’t be spent with family or friends ;)

define wealth? Adjusted for PKV, I earn 4,200€ net alone. I worked for it and don’t feel overworked. I have time for kids’ soccer, family, sports. Weekends are free.

There are also professions where more is earned; sometimes overtime is done, and one earns very well.

In Germany, whenever the topic of money comes up, it always triggers a debate about envy. Everyone feels underpaid, no one really wishes others well. I would also give kindergarten teachers or caregivers more money. But that would probably trigger a cycle of price increases. You get used to money and find yourself still underpaid because you get 200€ more, but the other person does too.

The ratio stays the same.

define wealth? I earn, adjusted for private health insurance, alone 4,200 € net. I earned it myself and don't feel overworked. I have time for kids' soccer, family, sports. Weekends are free.

That's good then :)
A job where I have to coordinate with others regarding vacation would not be an option for me (which is the case for many).
If I want to finish work at 10 or 11, I just do it.
If I want to take a week off from one day to the next, I just take it.
If I want to leave work and the supervisor comes in and wants to discuss something, I say "sorry, come back tomorrow."

Even with full-time, I don't feel overworked, yet there are things I prefer doing rather than working 9 hours a day. I really like working myself, but like with everything, the dose makes the poison. In the long run, I find 6 hours daily completely sufficient, and I do them when I want and not when others want me to :D

define wealth? I earn, adjusted for private health insurance, 4,200 € net alone. I worked hard for it and don’t feel overworked. I have time for kids’ soccer, family, sports. Weekends are free.

There are also jobs where you earn more, and although there may be overtime, you earn very well.

In Germany, the topic of money always sparks a debate about envy. Everyone feels underpaid, no one is happy for anyone else. I would also give kindergarten teachers or nurses more money. But that would probably also trigger a circle of price increases. People get used to money and find themselves underpaid again because they get 200 € more, but others do too.

The ratio stays the same.

One person finds 4200 euros net a lot, another would be the unhappiest worm. That’s how the hedonic treadmill works – humans remain what they have always been: hunters (status, power, reputation) and gatherers (Porsche, villa, iMac). True satisfaction has nothing to do with material things – but many, unfortunately, define themselves by them and have no, absolutely no idea what they are missing.

I would definitely recommend that, especially because of your nickname. The occupational disability insurance is not for nothing considered one of THE most important insurances.
What about accident insurance? Especially if you are often active in sports?

But otherwise: quite frugal. Living rent-free with parents is worth it.

Well... There are indeed different opinions... Unfortunately, there are also tricky cases where the occupational disability insurance doesn't pay out a single cent, take a look at court rulings on this, etc... In my opinion, it’s a very, very difficult insurance that, when you need it, either doesn’t pay or only causes stress. You definitely don’t need that stress when you’re feeling really bad, for example. Is it a must?? No idea, as I said it depends on the attitude towards all these insurances and how the life situation looks.

My wife, for example, is a civil servant. So if I can’t work anymore, she just has to step in. There are always options... If things really get that bad, you just sell the house? But yeah... There really are many different opinions on this.

Is such a life even worth living? Pointless excessive consumption is certainly not desirable, but targeted purchases even in the high-priced segment are worthwhile in my opinion (this also includes a house with appropriate equipment)

Of course, that’s just my view, I find your way of life interesting.

Honestly, I also find it very interesting! I wouldn’t say this life isn’t worth living, even if I find it quite extreme! L

Yawn - always those people who think fulfillment is found in a leased Porsche, vacation on watu-watu and the iPhone 12 Pro.

And then people who earn 80k net and count themselves as lower middle class like Friedrich Merz. Poor civil servants. That at least made me laugh briefly, thanks for that. ;)

Everyone has their own lifestyle – lucky is the one who earns a lot and is satisfied with a simple life without needing great luxury to impress "friends". We belong to this group – and we are very proud to have earned it all ourselves. 60% savings rate and we love our life.

Exactly! :)