Reality check: Only with equity?

So, I'm just curious here about how this is possible. Don’t you have any insurances? So you actually don’t have a car? Ok, that certainly makes a big difference, 200-500 EUR for sure.

I can’t understand the thing with food – aside from Lieferando. Cooking fresh is more expensive than ready meals (unless everything is from Iglu and Frosta). That’s why the percentage of overweight people statistically also correlates proportionally to relative poverty. Vegetarian diets are more expensive than omnivorous ones, if the meat doesn’t consist only of organic meat and steaks and fillets. Muesli is more expensive than bread rolls. Unless you buy those exclusively at Bio Company for 1 EUR each (19 cents at Lidl).

What really hits us hard are soft drinks, the only thing my family drinks (I mainly drink sparkling Rohrperle, but I occasionally allow myself a ready-made iced tea). But I can’t get them off that. I know there is a wide range of consumption. I alone also spent significantly less (also per person) than after my family grew, but I still certainly needed 400 EUR just for myself for ongoing costs after rent/loan installment. So I don’t quite understand how this works for four people.

Costs alone that have nothing to do with consumption:

Deutschlandticket	34.3
PHV	5
Hausrat	27.5
RV	27.5
BU	124
AV	162.17
Telefon + Internet	78.31
Strom	100
Müll	21.43
Wasser	34.5

Total: 615 EUR

I have even more electricity costs, but that is rather unnaturally high. I don’t even want to discuss food here (because we also have pets), but those above are basically fixed costs that always occur. You may subtract trash and water because they would be included in the warm rent, but you’re still at over 500 EUR! Before food, before clothes, before toiletries. So I don’t get it.

We buy what we need and/or want.

We are both not fashionistas and have no desire to go shopping.

100 € for media consumption (Internet, mobile phone, Amazon Prime)

Well, that contradicts itself. Where are the items for "what we want"? And for media 100€: hats off, that's impressive.

We live in the city and cover most distances by bike. I also regularly use public transport with my job ticket.

So there are mobility costs?!

For the kids, there are plenty of clothes at kids' flea markets and on Vinted or passed on from acquaintances.

And you also spend money at flea markets or on Vinted. Drugstore costs and… insurances… lessons Do your homework and be honest with yourself. You don't have to pretend anything to us about whether you can manage your budget or have no hobbies. You have to answer to yourself.

don't you buy clothes, neither for yourselves nor the children? not to be misunderstood, but I doubt the value for the average monthly expenses. I was also extremely surprised myself at what you don't really have on your radar. you don't have a car?

It doesn't matter whether it's 400 or 600 euros a month for groceries, because what is told is the result and that looks extremely good when you consider the equity. I have no doubt that the calculation will work out. Plus two well-paid, crisis-proof jobs, what more do you want? I really respect such discipline. It was similar for us until we bought the house and the children started school. Since then, money has had a frighteningly high vapor pressure. For example, with two children, we have significantly higher grocery costs since we almost exclusively cook fresh ourselves every day and the children are fruit gourmets, to whom you better don't come with apples. We spend around 500 euros for four people at the discount store and then another 200 euros at the farm shop on top. Sometimes I wonder if the house will ever stop swallowing money. The garden alone seems to be a black hole.