Retirement provision and children's education in financing?

And about my bonus child I can say, financed studies for years, but no degree after 10 years.

very cool, I now also have such a bonus child as a student assistant who was hired by an incompetent manager.

The bonus child is at an elite university. What did my colleague say, the kids there go with scholarships or mom and dad’s wallet. We got the latter. Incapable of handling a task independently. He already fails in the attempt. Zero independence

Whereas you, I believe, misunderstand the term Bonuskind. Or is the assistant the child of your spouse?

The big wish-list package won’t be available for my children either, but I believe that their father and I should support them enough so that they can study properly. That means food, a bit of social life, and a room in a medium-sized city should be covered. For extra luxuries, they can work. I’m not paying for Munich, their own horse, or the year-long trip around the world.

PS: 400€ single apartment in Jena? Maybe in a block, otherwise by now you’d probably get a shared flat room for that... Maybe one of them will stay at home... But I have to plan so that another, “normal” study location (not Munich) is possible if the travel bug strikes. Otherwise, Jena also offers many opportunities.

I think the children can definitely come to terms with such a compromise if there is a good relationship. I would also at least encourage them to find a part-time job. It would be great if it fits their field of study. Beyond that, the support should be such that the studies don’t suffer, possibly even increase during certain phases. That is at least the perspective.

Maybe I have underestimated Jena a bit; when I studied for the first time, there were still some places that weren’t quite so expensive. Jena, Greifswald, and some other East German cities were always the target.

Anecdote: We rented my apartment with one other person for 460€ warm (2004). Funny enough, I saw a current listing for it one or two years ago. Meanwhile, the 2.5 rooms have become three rooms and the rent is 850€ cold.

Yes, I also lived 15-20 years ago for 268 EUR gross cold rent in 50m² in Berlin Wilmersdorf. And until 5 years ago even one in F'hain for 368 gross cold rent. But that no longer exists today with new rentals.

It's quite interesting that I didn't succeed in my first two degree programs, which were practically still "paid" by my parents, while I passed the third degree program with excellent grades, which I completed alongside my job and was paid for by my employer (so clearly more demanding).

Surely has nothing to do with having money or having your studies paid for. After presumably 20 semesters, you've gone over a lot 2-3 times. ;)

Don't know what you mean by that. I assume, if I had to stand completely on my own feet from the start or finance it with a student loan, then I would have either dropped out earlier or would have still managed to finish.