How long have you been saving equity for your house?

We are talking about €80,000 gross annual income.

The thread is about 80k net, right??

We are talking about €80,000 gross annual income. So about €45,000 net / 12 = €3,750 monthly where the child benefit of about €350 from back then is already included. But if there are loans for a car, etc., they have to be deducted. And if the next university is 80 km away, there is no money left to finance the child's studies. I don't want to complain, I wouldn't accept money for my studies from my parents, even if they had it. Why should I? They spent enough money on me over the 20 years+.

But here €80,000 household income (net) was meant..

Those are two teacher salaries. No leadership position, hardly any promotion opportunities, but a great, well-paid profession that is fortunately tenured.

Well, there is automatic step advancement (as well as marriage and child bonuses). Of course, one can go into leadership positions, and then A14, A15, and even A16 are possible. So promotion opportunities are definitely available. ;)

That's true, you don’t just get the job like that, that’s why I also financially exposed myself during my studies and ended up with a high student loan. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. Maybe it also depends on perspective. In my circle of friends, there are many academics who have the same qualifications (completed degree, etc.) and earn significantly more, which I acknowledge as their achievement without any envy. Perhaps this causes the view of the normal to be somewhat lost. I didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. If that happened, I apologize.

Definitely – I also see that in my circle of acquaintances. It feels like everyone in my circle of friends has studied as well, the problem is that there aren’t nearly as many positions in the "desired" field :D So some still have to settle for "only" 2,500€ net at the end of their twenties. Not everyone ultimately makes it "all the way to the top"... There just aren’t that many jobs.

You should appreciate it if you ever earn over 3k net, regardless of whether you studied for what feels like 10 years or not, because ultimately that only matters to a limited extent, everyone knows that too...

As if having an 80k household net income makes you one of the normal people

Sure, the much-cited teacher couple fulfills all the clichés of the normal middle class. Are they no longer "normal people"?

It's funny that now it's just as wrong to demand equal opportunity through Bafög. Instead, neoliberal slogans come up, saying you should work more before pursuing your interests in your studies:

Work? I don't see the "unreasonableness" of a part-time job. Especially since I would like to see the claim to study exactly that one dream orchid subject somewhat relativized.

So what now? Earning too much is wrong, earning too little is wrong, not working is wrong, working is the main thing, not studying the wrong subject... how about a socialist or communist system to establish maximum equality? Let me guess, that's wrong too?

Of course, the much-cited teacher couple fulfills all the clichés of the normal middle class. Aren't they "normalos" anymore?

No, purely FINANCIALLY teachers are not normalos for me – there has always been a lot of money involved. Whether it is deserved or not? That is beside the point and is not discussed. The teacher's salary has always "fascinated" many, and I believe that this is also a reason why many study education. So yes, purely financially you definitely cannot count teachers as middle class :D

One should really appreciate it when earning over 3k net, whether one feels like having studied for 10 years for it or not, in the end that only matters to a limited extent, everyone knows that...

Believe me, I appreciate that happily every day. I didn’t want to come across as arrogant either, but it seems to be going that way more and more. :(

So to clarify: I have realized that my monthly net income is not considered financially "normal" or "average." According to the median wage, we belong to the wealthy half. My consciousness disorder may come from the fact that we have not yet had the pleasure of both earning this money at the same time; it is only the prospect for 2022, since training salary/parental allowance have been the reality so far.

With this statement, I am withdrawing for now.