What else can we afford?
Controller (31): Groceries are too expensive
06/04/2023, 2:15 p.m
Energy and food in particular have become significantly more expensive. Inflation averaged 6.9 percent last year. Bei ntv.de betray regularly people from all salary brackets what that means for their everyday life – what they earn, what they spend how much money on and what is left over at the end of the month. Today:
A controller in elderly care
Surname: I want to remain anonymous*
Age: 31 years
Residence: district of Gütersloh
Education: Dual studies in industrial engineering / wholesale and foreign trade clerk
Working time per week: 37.25 hours
Monthly gross salary: 3,956 euros
Holiday and/or Christmas bonus: 3,956 euros
Marital status: married
Household net income per month: 6,400 euros together with my spouse
Loan repayment for our house: 1,200 euros plus around 150 euros in taxes and fees for waste, water, etc.
Monthly costs for heating: 65 euros for the gas heating – we can save gas with our stove. We get wood from my in-laws. In addition, we prefer to dress warmer than to heat too much, and our new building is well insulated.
How much our heating costs have risen during the energy crisis: by around 20 percent
Monthly electricity costs: 55 euros
How these have changed over the course of the energy crisis: dropped by around eight percent due to the elimination of the EEG surcharge
Other monthly fixed costs of our household:
- Car: around 500 to 600 euros
- Internet/telephone/mobile: around 60 euros
- Streaming: 16 euros
- Broadcasting fee (GEZ): the equivalent of 18 euros
- Insurance: 850 euros for legal protection, household effects, life insurance as well as disability and home insurance, etc.
- Private pension insurance: 125 euros
The bottom line is disposable household income for groceries, hygiene, leisure, clothing, holidays, etc.: just under 3,300 euros
How much more we have to spend on groceries than a year ago: around 200 to 300 euros more per month
What we spend the most money on: Groceries cost 600 to 700 euros a month and drugstore items cost around 100 euros
Where we save: I try to save on groceries – never looked for specials before, but now I pay attention and buy bulky items on sale if I know we’ll eat/drink them often.
The details of these most important incomes and expenses are based on self-disclosures and do not claim to be complete.
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Special expenses:
- For our cat we spend about 55 euros per month on food and average vet costs
- Football tickets for 1,400 euros a year, so an average of around 116 euros a month
How much is left at the end of the month: around 2,400 euros, i.e. around 1,200 euros per person for leisure activities, clothing, holidays
How much we spend on vacation: 6,000 to 7,000 euros a year, i.e. the equivalent of a good 550 euros a month
How much we reserve: each maximum 100 euros per month
Wishes to politicians: Food costs urgently need to come down again
*The name is known to the editors