How much money do you have on the edge?

I also keep a household budget and have assigned all expenses meticulously with budgets derived from the "Bedarf" averaged over longer periods. About 20% of the net income remains at the end of the month. At least on average. Since I am already paying a lot of interest, I am almost at the same costs I will have after my move. From that, I then pay for vacation and "Luxus" (that is, everything that could be forgone and I treat myself to). And hopefully the rest remains.

Some of us have been letting the outdoor area grow over the years.
- it is carried out in EL
- only as much is done as money is available
- ensuring that the 6,000 euro labor costs for the tax office are not exceeded
- not everyone wants to take on as much debt as possible
Whether the driveway is gravelled or paved makes no practical difference. It is just aesthetics

We don’t do everything at once. It just grows

Leftover in the month about 25% some of it goes into the outdoor area and whatever is needed from the lawn mower to the flower box
20-25% divided into two one-time payments, one special repayment and one is set aside

We usually have nothing or only a little left over. Because when it looks like there might be something left, then something gets paid for that was previously postponed, or there always come such nice things like a broken car or whatever, there's always something. But for some time now I've been trying to put aside at least €200 or more per month for savings, to build up reserves. The house purchase has left a very deep hole in our finances, and only now (1.5 years later) are we starting to recover financially from it.

I can only dream at night of numbers like those of others^^. We have almost €3800 available and there are 4 of us.

Yes, these small never-ending bills add up.

Sometimes I am almost glad that we have so little available compared to many others. That makes some things easier because, for example, it is clear that we will now (meaning in the next 1-2 years) lay paving stones (ourselves), which we like but are inexpensive (max. €25/sqm), and at some point in a few years/decades maybe repave with a paving stone that would be even more our dream but is currently beyond our financial means. It is like that with several things, and in a certain way, that makes it simple.

As I said, you don't always have to have the best right away.