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Educator: I can't manage to save
barbaz:
"I can't save for retirement. If I had more money, I would spend it on my car."
http://www.zeit.de/arbeit/2017-09/erzieherin-wohngruppe-jugendliche-gehaltsprotokoll
German article, Google translate below
--- Quote ---Educator: "I can not manage to save"
What can an educator do? Florentine, 31, earned 1,590 euros net. She spends 230 euros a month for fuel and repairs on her bus
My job
Occupation: Educator in a residential group for young people in Berlin
Education: Educator at the Rudolf Steiner Institute for Social Pedagogy in Kassel
Weekly working hours: 30 hours. I have four night services and a weekend service a month. At night services, I usually sleep only briefly. Otherwise, I almost exclusively late service, which ends at 11pm.
My income
Gross income: 2,190 euros
Net income: 1,590 euros
My expenses
Rental price: 470 Euro. I live with three friends in Berlin-Neukölln. Our apartment has four large rooms. I can not imagine living alone, just because of the shifts and because I work when other people are free. When I get home, we often sit together on our balcony. I am very happy here.
Additional costs: 40 Euro
INSURANCE: I have neither private retirement nor insurance, which go beyond the compulsory insurance which is deducted from my salary.
Food: about 300 euros. We buy everything for our flat-sharing community in the organic shop. It is important to me to support agriculture, and it is self-evident to eat organic. I grew up with it. I do not eat out often, but rather cook at home, for example, thai soup, curries or even lasagna.
Mobile phone: 25 euros for a mobile phone contract
Travel expenses: For bus and train I give 30 euros. Most of the time I ride the bike.
Vacation expenses: about 230 euros. I travel almost exclusively with my vintage bus which I share with a friend. Unfortunately, we always have to buy spare parts such as brakes or new metal sheets. This is expensive and we try to repair as much as possible ourselves. In addition, the bus consumes a lot of fuel, in total we spend about 70 euros per month. Last summer we were on the bus six weeks in Portugal, this year we had unfortunately only time for weekend trips: We went to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the Mecklenburg Lake District.
Clothes: 60 euros. I buy my clothes secondhand.
Body care: 30 euros. Here, too, I mainly buy biological care products; alone the daily cream costs 15 euros.
Books and music: 70 euros. I love bookstores. Most of the time, I read novels, biographies or specialist literature. At the moment, I read rubble and trauma , a book by Bernd Ruf on pedagogical approaches, such as traumatized adolescents who come from a war zone, for example. For music, I spend around 40 euros, I often go to hip-hop concerts and sometimes buy a CD.
Hobbies and leisure: 210 euros. I spend 45 euros for a hip-hop dance course - which I visit about once a week, because of the shifts I can unfortunately not go there regularly. For movies, pubs, and festivals I spend about 120 euros. I also have a lot to do with my sewing machine: clothes and pants for my niece and my nephews or for myself. For fabrics, I spend about 35 euros. In addition, I donate five euros to a club: the bicycle repair wheels and gives them to people who can afford no. Sometimes I help myself repair.
So much remains in the end
About 100 euros. I can not make money on my side. If I could afford it, I would go on holiday with my bus more often.
--- End quote ---
Kimera757:
I think we need a little clarification, for those of us not familiar with German policies.
--- Quote from: barbaz on October 09, 2017, 01:33:05 PM ---Additional costs: 40 Euro
INSURANCE: I have neither private retirement nor insurance, which go beyond the compulsory insurance which is deducted from my salary.
--- End quote ---
What sort of insurance? Renter's? Health? Pension?
--- Quote ---Food: about 300 euros. We buy everything for our WG in the organic shop. It is important to me to support agriculture, and it is self-evident to eat organic. I grew up with it. I do not eat out often, but rather cook at home, for example, thai soup, curries or even lasagna.
--- End quote ---
That sounds expensive. A euro is more than an American dollar. Maybe food is really expensive in Germany?
--- Quote ---Mobile phone: 25 euros for a mobile phone contract
Travel expenses: For bus and train I give 30 euros. Most of the time I ride the bike.
--- End quote ---
Alright to the first, very good for the second.
--- Quote ---Vacation expenses: about 230 euros. I travel almost exclusively with my bus, a classic car, which I share with a friend. Unfortunately, we always have to buy spare parts such as brakes or new metal sheets. This is expensive and we try to repair as much as possible ourselves. In addition, the bus consumes a lot of fuel, in total we spend about 70 euros per month. Last summer we were on the bus six weeks in Portugal, this year we had unfortunately only time for weekend trips: We went to the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and the Mecklenburg Lake District.
--- End quote ---
"My bus, a classic car..." I'm thinking there might be a translation issue there.
In any event, 230 euros per month? How do you afford a six week vacation when you only work 30 hours per week?
The educator should consider selling their bus (if that's what is is) or their expensive car (if that's what it is) or both (if they have both!) and get a more fuel-efficient beater. I'm mystified why someone who buys organic food and organic skin care products wouldn't get something fuel-efficient. And if they take climate change is hot air... they'd still be saving money!
I would also try to avoid taking such an unreliable vehicle so far from home.
--- Quote ---Clothes: 60 euros. I buy my clothes secondhand.
--- End quote ---
It's hard to say if this is rational or not. I don't think you normally need to spend 60 euros per month on clothing.
--- Quote ---Body care: 30 euros. Here, too, I mainly buy biological care products; alone the daily cream costs 15 euros.
--- End quote ---
That might not be too crazy.
--- Quote ---Books and music: 70 euros. I love bookstores. Most of the time, I read novels, biographies or specialist literature. At the moment, I read rubble and trauma , a book by Bernd Ruf on pedagogical approaches, such as traumatized adolescents who come from a war zone, for example. For music, I spend around 40 euros, I often go to hip-hop concerts and sometimes buy a CD.
--- End quote ---
The teacher should see if Germany has Overdrive or similar technologies to borrow books online from a library for free. There's also Openlibrary, etc. The amount spent on music seems pretty high for someone who is Just About Managing as well.
--- Quote ---Hobbies and leisure: 210 euros. I spend 45 euros for a hip-hop dance course - which I visit about once a week, because of the shifts I can unfortunately not go there regularly. For movies, pubs, and festivals I spend about 120 euros.
--- End quote ---
That is way too much. The educator cannot afford this on their salary.
--- Quote ---I also have a lot to do with my sewing machine: clothes and pants for my niece and my nephews or for myself. For fabrics, I spend about 35 euros. In addition, I donate five euros to a club: the bicycle repair wheels and gives them to people who can afford no. Sometimes I help myself repair.
--- End quote ---
This doesn't seem too crazy. Especially sewing clothing!
--- Quote ---About 100 euros. I can not make money on my side.
--- End quote ---
They're working only 30 hours per week... yes they can make money on the side.
Hula Hoop:
I get the feeling that this is a bad Google translate. I'm really confused. So many questions! :)
barbaz:
--- Quote from: Kimera757 on October 09, 2017, 02:23:35 PM ---I think we need a little clarification, for those of us not familiar with German policies.
--- Quote from: barbaz on October 09, 2017, 01:33:05 PM ---INSURANCE: I have neither private retirement nor insurance, which go beyond the compulsory insurance which is deducted from my salary.
--- End quote ---
What sort of insurance? Renter's? Health? Pension?
--- End quote ---
Public insurance includes health, social security and pension, although she won't get much out of the last one. At her income level, public pension will cover living, health, and food, and that's it.
--- Quote ---
--- Quote ---Food: about 300 euros. We buy everything for our WG in the organic shop. It is important to me to support agriculture, and it is self-evident to eat organic. I grew up with it. I do not eat out often, but rather cook at home, for example, thai soup, curries or even lasagna.
--- End quote ---
That sounds expensive. A euro is more than an American dollar. Maybe food is really expensive in Germany?
--- End quote ---
Food is generally cheaper here than in the US, 300€ can feed a family of 3, even if you buy organic. "Organic Shops" sell luxury food to high-income people, you can get organic food for a fraction of the price at discounters like Aldi.
--- Quote ---"My bus, a classic car..." I'm thinking there might be a translation issue there.
In any event, 230 euros per month? How do you afford a six week vacation when you only work 30 hours per week?
The educator should consider selling their bus (if that's what is is) or their expensive car (if that's what it is) or both (if they have both!) and get a more fuel-efficient beater. I'm mystified why someone who buys organic food and organic skin care products wouldn't get something fuel-efficient. And if they take climate change is hot air... they'd still be saving money!
I would also try to avoid taking such an unreliable vehicle so far from home.
--- End quote ---
Maybe "vintage bus" is the better translation. You can see it in the first picture. It's old, high maintenance, low MPG, and way too big unless you have 7 children.
--- Quote ---
--- Quote ---Books and music: 70 euros. I love bookstores. Most of the time, I read novels, biographies or specialist literature. At the moment, I read rubble and trauma , a book by Bernd Ruf on pedagogical approaches, such as traumatized adolescents who come from a war zone, for example. For music, I spend around 40 euros, I often go to hip-hop concerts and sometimes buy a CD.
--- End quote ---
The teacher should see if Germany has Overdrive or similar technologies to borrow books online from a library for free. There's also Openlibrary, etc. The amount spent on music seems pretty high for someone who is Just About Managing as well.
--- End quote ---
Membership in a library is 10€ per year. This also gives you access to movies, CDs and ebooks.
Linea_Norway:
"I cannot save because I drive a money-draining buss and make other expensive choices."
Was this an article in a new paper about how difficult it is for young people to make a living? It would have been nice with some redactional notes, summarizing how your choices influence your ability to save, and how working 30 hours a week is not very much. It would be a good idea of they would teach basic finance in schools at several levels, so that this kind of people would not have learned these habits.
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