My home financing 2025 is bursting against reality

In 5 years, I have 15,000.- left over, which I would like to invest, for example, in comfort inside the house.

Yeah, in a guest WC.

But try to find a cleaning lady who doesn’t work off the books. You’re more likely to find a nuclear power plant engineer with a double PhD than a legal cleaning lady. At least here in the Lower Rhine region. It was just a description of the situation from me.

That was once! Outdated info from someone who doesn’t come from this social environment.
Times have changed because cleaning helpers nowadays also know that they have to do something for their pension.

Yeah, in a guest bathroom.

Yes exactly, that’s how it was meant! And there, please with a Ming vase, what else?
By the way "vases" , we picked up one of your very old but still good ideas on the subject of "vases" in the upper windows of the gallery. Part of it is already in place, the rest is coming soon. Woe betide if it looks bad.

That some people here really have cleaning help shows me once again that the forum does not fully reflect reality and I always have to keep that in mind when I read here.

That was once! Outdated info from someone who does not come from this social structure. Times have changed because even cleaning assistants nowadays know that they have to do something for their pension.

Have you read the current figures? 90% work off the books. And that it’s exactly the other way around, too? Fewer and fewer registered household assistants? As of 12/2024 I do not find outdated.

The fact that some people really have cleaning help here shows me again that the forum does not quite reflect reality, and I always have to keep that in mind when I read here.

Right. When I talk about it, it’s not meant to imply that this is now standard. On the other hand, as a dual income household without children: why not? I can’t think of a single reason not to.

That was once! Outdated info from someone who is not from this social context. Times have changed because cleaning helpers now also know that they have to do something for their pension.

Hm well. If that were true, there wouldn’t be so many offers from people who only want to work off the books. We were able to get someone registered, but it was a certain dry spell.

Right. When I talk about it, I don't mean it as if it's become standard by now. On the other hand, as a dual high earner without children: why not? I can't think of a single reason against it.

Here too, I rather see it as an individual preference in how one makes life more comfortable; I don't necessarily consider it decadent. How many people are smokers or spend a lot of money in other ways, and if someone then looks for aid for that, why not? I don't see anything wrong with that.
The money is available in society, as you can see everywhere in consumption behavior; I would rather get such help than waste my money on smoking or leave it in at best mediocre restaurants (I say this today as an old bone).