Variable loan possible / sensible?

Just a question: Why does your husband have the car? Does he urgently need it within that price range? I would probably sell the car (assuming it is still worth about as much as the remaining debt), buy a car for 10k, and thus benefit threefold. There is a bit more money available, the depreciation is lower, and there is more money available monthly. I'm slowly getting the feeling that you don't really want to restrict yourselves.

I think the amount calculated and meant was rather a rate of €1000 for the land, with €400 interest (~2.5%) and then the €600 repayment.

Where all your money is leaking to remains a mystery to me.

Rounded numbers from post 1: Income: €4300 (man €2750, self-employment €250, woman €1100 parental allowance, €200 child benefit) Expenses: €1260 (€280 car, €100 consumer credit, €880 warm rent) Rest: €3000 per month (plus more from self-employment, 13th salary etc.)

Is it so unreasonable to save €1500 to €2000 once in a while?

Let’s compare more numbers together: - Real estate financing for a single-family house with a €600-800 rate - Your current cold rent of €660 for a 65 m² apartment. To me this comparison sounds like something can’t be right. How does it sound to you? Or am I overlooking something?

So, mom, first breakdown of the household budget:

Net man: €2730 Net I: €1830 Total: €4560 Without 13th salary, self-employment etc.

Fixed costs man:

€280 - car loan Rent: €880 (including electricity, internet) Cell phone contract: €0 (runs through the family company) Underground parking: €68 Insurance (household contents, ADAC, GEZ): roughly €50 Fuel: €100-150 Car insurance: €300 per year + €100 taxes per year: €35 / month

Food: €400-500 (without restaurants) So, without normal other expenses that are unavoidable in life (sometimes gifts for friends, sometimes vet, etc.) only €900 remains!

Net I: €1837 (from March €1050 + €200 child benefit = €1200)

Fixed costs I:

2 small installments: €100 total Cell phone contract: €45 Fitness studio (now cancelled as of this month): €45 Car insurance: €300 / quarter: €100 / month Fuel for car: €70 a month (but usually covered by my husband)

Food: €200

Total expenses: €515 with food.

We have consciously not done without everything that belongs to normal life so far. In addition, many major purchases have been made recently such as stroller €1500, child seat €160, furnishing the nursery (probably another €1000 I don’t know), maternity clothing, etc. Now we have already bought these big things and will see how it goes in the next months, but yes, everyone lives differently and has different demands / standards. Ours are rather higher, even without shopping & traveling, we certainly don’t live on frozen pizza and don’t shop second hand, and surely we won’t skimp on the baby.

If such a “life” is in prospect for the next years, then no house in the world is worth it.

I didn’t understand the thing with the rent and single-family house?? The €600-800 monthly rate referred to the variable loan, as what we roughly would have available monthly for it during my parental leave (at least)

Just a question: Why does your husband have the car? Does he urgently need it within that price range?

I find the question more interesting about what happens at the end of the car loan? How old is the car, how long will it run without endlessly expensive repairs, and when will a new car need to be financed? At the end of the day, a permanent amount is due for a car, either as a loan installment or as savings for a new or used car purchase.

Ok, finally, it has become absolutely clear to us that we have completely different ideas of quality of life and living standards from most of those who got in touch. There is no point in discussing it further. We will continue with our calculation, and if it turns out that we have to watch the price of carrots at the supermarket for the house or visit H&M once a year during the clearance sale for clothes, then the topic of the house is clearly off the table for us. Then it will just be a condominium, but with the joy of life and the will to give the child something: good books, Disneyland, good clothes, developmental groups, etc. But at least in this regard, this discussion has helped me a lot and contributed to seeing things more clearly, or to comparing what others sometimes have to sacrifice for the house. It's definitely worth having a bit of a reality check.

Ok, finally, it has become absolutely clear to us that we have completely different ideas about quality of life and living standards compared to most of those who responded. There is no point in discussing this further. We will continue our calculations, and if it turns out that we have to watch the price of carrots at the supermarket for the house or visit H&M’s clearance sale once a year for clothing, then the whole house topic is definitely off the table for us. Then it will just be a condominium, but with the joy of life and the will to enable the child: good books, Disneyland, nice clothes, development groups, etc. But at least this discussion has helped me a lot to see things more clearly or to compare what others sometimes have to sacrifice for the house. That’s really worth having a reality check once in a while.

Which for me is absolutely understandable and completely okay. Currently, with an average income, you really have to limit yourself for a new build. Especially in Berlin and its immediate surroundings. I wouldn’t want it to that extent either. But for me, things like the right to an expensive financed car, the €1500 stroller (WOW), and other comforts come to mind, which then compete with the desire for a house. Consider this: with rent, you buy freedom, flexibility, and living space. Ownership is not necessarily always the best choice. I really lived carefree renting. Paying and no worries. If something happens now, it is usually immediately expensive. A house also involves obligations.

what others sometimes have to sacrifice for the house.

In my opinion, this is where your problem lies. Your current mindset (warning, my opinion, and not meant to be judgmental) does not fit the topic of building a house. No one here is certainly "forced" to "sacrifice". Building a house is not a decision that is made "just like that," but a path that involves a somewhat longer-term maturation and preparation process. You can take this path – but you don't have to. But then you must not complain later if at the end of the day you are left empty-handed / "only" renting.