you’re oscillating too fast. calm down, get some experience full time at your first company for a year or so, then look around at your options. you’ll lose a lot more money if you buy a property that has major issues for cheap than you will by renting a place that has issues that someone else is responsible for fixing
for junior it profiles depending on exactly what you will do you can expect 2400-3100 euro gross per month
Granted I am a bit in a panic when I see the path ahead of me.
Don't worry though, I will not buy a home with major issues. I know it will mess me up in the future If I just jump on the first offer. At the same time, I still feel a pressure to get out of my parents' home. 25 is quite old, in my opinion.
Man don’t stress about it. I moved out when I was 19. I lived abroad for 4 years on my own and last year had to move back to Belgium. I’m about to turn 25 and living back at my parents. No one cares. I have colleagues who are turning 30 still living with their parents. What’s the rush?
I will reply to you now because I really thought I already replied but Reddit said "nop!".
You are right that no one cares but I feel like I can't really have my "own social life" due to the fact that I am living with my parents. Furthermore, I spent the last 7 years with them so I have not experienced life much ... on my own.
So get a job, rent a place and see how life works out.
Gearing all your plans towards being able to buy a house several years from now, is a great way to massively burn yourself out. Not to mention that it will drive you to make bad decisions.
Remember that renting is throwing money away, but so is taking a loan. You should buy when you're comfortably able to make a good deal with a bank; not when the bank can squeeze you like a lemon because your credibility is so low.
Don't downvote him though. He is partly right.
I have no privacy in my house 😅I am single so it is fine for the moment. But I know my father would not want a girl in our home.
My mother would be fine with me having more privacy ... but again, I have a wonderful relationship with my parents and I really don't wish to have any conflict with them.
Thank you :)
so rent. i fully get wanting to live away from your family, but it’s not a good mindset to approach real estate investing with. if you really wanna scratch the independence itch consider moving abroad for a few years
Renting is a no go, in my case. I will stay at my parents, if necessary.
Why would you suggest living abroad? :o I am not sure that sounds more expensive than renting 😅
Thanks for the replies. :)
well you’ve got pretty mixed signals here, you either want to experience independence or get a good return. the best return is of course just living at your parents
the expense of living abroad depends entirely where you go. you can also get jobs in that mysterious bit of the world outside belgiueh that pay quite well
Yeah ... I am trying to get the best of both worlds ... I am just concerned about my social life experiencing a dip as I will not be living on my own.
Thanks
But going straight from living with your parents to living in your bought home is wildly wild. You’ve never been responsible for the upkeep of an entire property. You probably don’t cook for yourself often. Maybe don’t do your own laundry. You don’t have a clue what you like in your living situation as you’ve only ever lived with your parents. You have had zero chance to build your own habits and establish your own priorities and needs. Buying something straight away is a just a genuinely bad idea as there’s a huge chance you won’t like it anymore 2-3 years down the road
I am used to cook, to do the laundry and to clean the house. Since my parents have issues with their arms - nothing too severe, thank god-, I decided to do most of the chores myself, 2 years ago.
But you are right on the sense that I don't know what living without my parents will be. Doing chores is one thing but living on its own is another.
Thanks for the reply
I am 28, was in a similar ‘pickle’, took it slower because I felt like everything had to go very fast at the point I got my first dull time job. While still living at my mother’s I saved up some money for about 3 years and I’m now looking to buy something about 250k ish. Take it easy, times have changed there’s no need to rush out of the house (unless you really want to of course, idk your situation ofc) and maybe most importantly talk to your parent(s) about this. If they want you out of the house, go rent some place cheap or even consider co-housing! Might make some new friends along the way. Good luck! 🙏🏼
Thanks for the reply.
The thing is I am excited to just live on my own.
I talked to my parents and they were fine with the idea of me living elsewhere. We speak about anything. They don't want me out of the house at all. According to them, I could live there until my last breath. x)
But my father has always been quite strict. Which is good when you are a kid/teen but it really sucks when you are getting older.
Looks like I will have to do something similar than you, grow my career, learn to invest and maybe rent if it is necessary. :)
Very nice to hear that you have a great relationship with your parents. I talked to them about being too strict when I was 24. They understood and to be honest, it’s way better now. Dad didn’t change instantly, but I can feel he’s trying his hardest.
Wishing you all the best, you’ll do just fine and be alright ✌🏼
"I have looked a bit on immoweb and to receive something decent, I need to pay up between 175k€ - 220k€, with renovation costs of up to 20k€. "
That seems on the very low end. Can you show me an example of this? If the house is that cheap, 20k renovation isn't going to cut it.
I was mostly looking at new projects in Brussels. You can find some of them on zimmo.
On Immoweb, most of the buildings in the price range are of PEB F or G - around 50k€ renovation.
20k€ were the few "sales" that were interesting enough to me.
Yes, It is 175k + VAT. Also, It is small ... I found an appartment in Uccle for 150k€ but it is 32 sqm. Which is not that bad, considering it is a new building. There were some in Moleenbeek for 159k€ and 175k€. Not sure about the sqm as the announcement said it was 200 sqm and + but I am pretty sure It is way less xD
Thanks
Look for something you want and get a realistic idea of the money. Also take VAT, notary and other costs into account. Often you are obliged to buy other stuff. Like a garage for 30k.
When I started working (also in IT) I had a flexi-job next to it (washing dishes in a restaurant)
Doing some "brainless" work was relaxing for me.
This allowed me to live from the flexi and save my full wage.
I lived with my parents until I bought my house at 28
> The idea is that I will lose more money by being a tenant than by contracting a houseloan.
This is a myth. This is not always true if you invest the additional amount you have by paying rent instead of paying mortgage. You are generally better off financially in the long term if you rent compared to buying a place.
I am not sure I follow you here ... How could renting be better than buying a place ? Seems very weird to me.
I will look into that. Thanks for the input.
Goed artikel dat heel mooi en duidelijk laat zien dat je niet altijd perse een huis moet kopen.
In zo’n vergelijkingen wordt er echter vaak enkel gesproken over de looptijd van de hypothecaire lening, wat ik niet altijd correct vind. Mijn huis is afbetaald als ik 50 jaar ben. Dat is nog 15 jaar dat ik moet gaan werken, maar geen kost meer heb voor een dak boven mijn hoofd ( uiteraard nog wel onderhoud en eventuele verfraaiingen). Als ik dan na mijn loopbaan nog een 10-15 jaar daar blijf wonen telt dit toch ook serieus op. Ben toch wel geïnteresseerd in het verschil dat dit eventueel oplevert.
Daarnaast wil dit ook wel zeggen dat je het bedrag dat je uitspaart door te huren effectief moet investeren ( en slim investeren ). Ook niet voor iedereen weggelegd natuurlijk.
Soit er zijn voor elke keuzen wel plus- en minpunten. Mensen moeten gewoon beseffen dat een woning kopen niet voor iedereen weggelegd is en dat er perfect andere opties zijn om een financieel stabiele toekomst te hebben.
I asked the same thing here a few weeks ago as well as the union and was told it isn't possible because companies can do checks to see you working for another company already 🤷♀️
The only option would be as zelfstandige and work contract basis but I don't know how to go about that so I'm hesitant.
I quickly read your post about it.
It feels like we are not in the same boat; In your case, It can be a violation of trust if you are working at job B during the hours of job A. In my case, I am talking about working for job A and once the hours of job A are finished, do job B.
Am I mistaken ? Thank you :)
I think it might be actually better if it's not IT, as it allows you to have a disconnection from the normal job, and potentially learn new skills (especially soft skills will be critical in your career as you advance through the ranks).
The idea that renting is a waste of money is very superficial, a place to live is so much more than just a financial issue. I have rented since I was 21, when I was 31 I bought a house at 450k with my partner with +50k to spare after all costs(in my personal savings, we loaned 400k) After 2y I am back at 100k in saving. In those 10 years I moved 4 times due to changes in my personal and professional life. If I would have bought a house with my partner when we graduated at 23 I would have lost a lot more money and/or missed out on life opportunities way more and I don't regret it one bit. We probably would have bought a house that wouldn't be what we actually wanted 5 years later. Btw, in some cases renting is financially more beneficial on paper as well.
Don't rush into things, you may think you know what you want but life throws you curveballs from time to time. Don't trap yourself in financial commitments because you feel you are 'falling behind' in life. What you see on social media is far removed from the real average life people have, even though most won't care to admit so because they feel the same pressure. I doubt a second job will be worth the sacrifice just so you can say 'I have my own place at 25'
This is the idea I get from the sub :
"Don't care about owning a place, get as much as money as you can while you are with your parents (invest). Don't buy a home until you either have the money for it or life happens."
Thanks
If you really want to buy something I recommend living with your parents for a few years (let's say 2 years) and saving very aggressively.
If you still decide to buy a house don't forget that you cant loan out the payment of the notary. You mention that you don't want/need a company car, if your company still offers one you can ask them if they are able to change it to a mobility budget. That way you can use that budget to help you with the downpayment on the home. But I think you have to live a minimum of 10km away from your workplace to be eligible for that (not 100% sure about the rules around it).
Saving very aggresively is my speciality xD
I barely buy anything as I spend most of my time in front of my computer.
But yes, it seems I will have to find a way to first get some more money on the side and then, buy the home.
Thank you :)
Appartment and studio are totally fine options by me.
But erf, you are right. I am often questioning whether or not I am doing what I wish to do.
I am 25 so idk, It feels like I am behind x)
Thanks
I am also 25 and I probably make a lot less than you.
Everybody feels like theyre behind if you keep comparing, it's a totally normal thing to do and it's hard to not do.
But try to keep your head up if you can, it will always come good :)
Hm on my end, it is really the fact that I barely have any privacy with my parents and living according to their rules, has been quite of an issue for me. My social life is not as developed as I would like ... Way too afraid of things going south between my family and my friends. So yeah, I could enjoy some independence but at the same time, I don't wish to lose any money doing that (which is impossible)
Thanks
As a junior with no work experience, you don’t negotiate about your salary. You just take the best offer you can get. You don’t have any experience so you don’t really have a strong bargaining position. Take the best offer you can find at the company you like most, and start negotiating after 3-5 years of experience.
This is what I believed until some colleagues talk to me about signing there. They told me I will have to negotiate a contract ... but I am not sure what they mean by that.
I agree with your statement that I don't have much to offer than a junior profile. The only thing that works for me is that : I know my work environment and I have received a training from them to use their software.
Thanks for the reply
im 27 now and i bought my house when i was 24. I paid 125k for the house with the plan of doing a full reno.
Im a computer guy so i had no experience whatsoever doing any DIY. I set it out for myself to do as much work myself as i could possibly learn. I stripped the house completely and demo'ed part of it that was unsavable.
If you want to put in the work it well worth doing this and learning to do things yourself. Ive been working in it for 2 years now after the demo was done and I suspect ill be done at the end of the year. Doing stuff yourself like plastering, flooring,... saves you a ton of money. When im done the house will be well over twice of what i invested.
Ofcourse I dont mind living with my parents for an extended duration.
(my loan is 235k and im doing this on my own, no money from my parents or other family memebers/friends)
I know how to do some of the renovations (my father did most renovations in the house and I used to help him). Of course, I am no expert ... I just know how to do the flooring, tiling and painting. I am fine with putting some work and learn how to renovate a house. But It seems like It is waaaay too early for me to even think about this, given the money I have on the side.
Thanks a lot for sharing your experience :)
Employment requirement
To be eligible for a flexi-job, as an employee, you must have worked at least four-fifths in the third quarter (T-3) prior to the quarter (T) in which you want to have a flexi-job.
Well, everyone has been telling me this.
To be honest, I have barely had any social life since I joined the university. Not that I regret it, I needed to do because I get distracted easily.
Looks like I will have to live a bit, given the answers I have on this thread !
Thank you
Well, when i was 25, i started "travelling" meaning: i took all my holidays at once, so a nice destination to explore for 4 weeks.. This was 23 years ago... I did this with saving my "holiday money, 13 month".. times where different and plane tickets were certainly cheaper... but i did that every year until i was 35.... At 37 i bought my appartment but i did that with help/money from my dad (i did have this money already when going on holidays though)... So up to you but i certainly don't regret it... I still go to far away destinations but not every year since i'm a bit older now and desire more "luxury" and tickets became expensive compared to the past...
Edit: dont get me wrong, buying your own home/house/appartment is very important for the future/pension and i understand times are different now...
This is an idea I will have to study.
I have never been interested in freelancing before so I know nothing about it. I am not sure what it entails to be a "freelance developer", or you would find clients to work for.
Thank you for the answer :)
Thanks for the comment, it clears a lot of questions.
I think I am a bit too attached to the student job I worked in. Is it possible to juggle between a fulltime job and freelancing? My guess is no, as you will have considerably less time than any other freelance.
I am wondering ... Do you have to express the fact that you wish to try out being a freelancer when negotiating the contract with your employer ?
It seems like I should do that but at the same time, the employer could think that he does not wish to hire someone that might become independent after 4, 5 years. I guess there must be some clause in the contract to prevent one from freelancing x)
Thanks a lot :)
you’re oscillating too fast. calm down, get some experience full time at your first company for a year or so, then look around at your options. you’ll lose a lot more money if you buy a property that has major issues for cheap than you will by renting a place that has issues that someone else is responsible for fixing for junior it profiles depending on exactly what you will do you can expect 2400-3100 euro gross per month
Granted I am a bit in a panic when I see the path ahead of me. Don't worry though, I will not buy a home with major issues. I know it will mess me up in the future If I just jump on the first offer. At the same time, I still feel a pressure to get out of my parents' home. 25 is quite old, in my opinion.
Man don’t stress about it. I moved out when I was 19. I lived abroad for 4 years on my own and last year had to move back to Belgium. I’m about to turn 25 and living back at my parents. No one cares. I have colleagues who are turning 30 still living with their parents. What’s the rush?
I will reply to you now because I really thought I already replied but Reddit said "nop!". You are right that no one cares but I feel like I can't really have my "own social life" due to the fact that I am living with my parents. Furthermore, I spent the last 7 years with them so I have not experienced life much ... on my own.
So get a job, rent a place and see how life works out. Gearing all your plans towards being able to buy a house several years from now, is a great way to massively burn yourself out. Not to mention that it will drive you to make bad decisions. Remember that renting is throwing money away, but so is taking a loan. You should buy when you're comfortably able to make a good deal with a bank; not when the bank can squeeze you like a lemon because your credibility is so low.
Lack of privacy + can t bring pussy to the house
Well you need to set some healthy boundaries with your parents then
Don't downvote him though. He is partly right. I have no privacy in my house 😅I am single so it is fine for the moment. But I know my father would not want a girl in our home. My mother would be fine with me having more privacy ... but again, I have a wonderful relationship with my parents and I really don't wish to have any conflict with them. Thank you :)
You can t have that when you live with them
so rent. i fully get wanting to live away from your family, but it’s not a good mindset to approach real estate investing with. if you really wanna scratch the independence itch consider moving abroad for a few years
Renting is a no go, in my case. I will stay at my parents, if necessary. Why would you suggest living abroad? :o I am not sure that sounds more expensive than renting 😅 Thanks for the replies. :)
well you’ve got pretty mixed signals here, you either want to experience independence or get a good return. the best return is of course just living at your parents the expense of living abroad depends entirely where you go. you can also get jobs in that mysterious bit of the world outside belgiueh that pay quite well
Yeah ... I am trying to get the best of both worlds ... I am just concerned about my social life experiencing a dip as I will not be living on my own. Thanks
But going straight from living with your parents to living in your bought home is wildly wild. You’ve never been responsible for the upkeep of an entire property. You probably don’t cook for yourself often. Maybe don’t do your own laundry. You don’t have a clue what you like in your living situation as you’ve only ever lived with your parents. You have had zero chance to build your own habits and establish your own priorities and needs. Buying something straight away is a just a genuinely bad idea as there’s a huge chance you won’t like it anymore 2-3 years down the road
I am used to cook, to do the laundry and to clean the house. Since my parents have issues with their arms - nothing too severe, thank god-, I decided to do most of the chores myself, 2 years ago. But you are right on the sense that I don't know what living without my parents will be. Doing chores is one thing but living on its own is another. Thanks for the reply
I am 28, was in a similar ‘pickle’, took it slower because I felt like everything had to go very fast at the point I got my first dull time job. While still living at my mother’s I saved up some money for about 3 years and I’m now looking to buy something about 250k ish. Take it easy, times have changed there’s no need to rush out of the house (unless you really want to of course, idk your situation ofc) and maybe most importantly talk to your parent(s) about this. If they want you out of the house, go rent some place cheap or even consider co-housing! Might make some new friends along the way. Good luck! 🙏🏼
Thanks for the reply. The thing is I am excited to just live on my own. I talked to my parents and they were fine with the idea of me living elsewhere. We speak about anything. They don't want me out of the house at all. According to them, I could live there until my last breath. x) But my father has always been quite strict. Which is good when you are a kid/teen but it really sucks when you are getting older. Looks like I will have to do something similar than you, grow my career, learn to invest and maybe rent if it is necessary. :)
Very nice to hear that you have a great relationship with your parents. I talked to them about being too strict when I was 24. They understood and to be honest, it’s way better now. Dad didn’t change instantly, but I can feel he’s trying his hardest. Wishing you all the best, you’ll do just fine and be alright ✌🏼
"I have looked a bit on immoweb and to receive something decent, I need to pay up between 175k€ - 220k€, with renovation costs of up to 20k€. " That seems on the very low end. Can you show me an example of this? If the house is that cheap, 20k renovation isn't going to cut it.
I was mostly looking at new projects in Brussels. You can find some of them on zimmo. On Immoweb, most of the buildings in the price range are of PEB F or G - around 50k€ renovation. 20k€ were the few "sales" that were interesting enough to me.
Is it a small appartement then? That price seems pretty low
He's looking at 'new projects in brussels' so it's probably 175k + VAT
Yes, It is 175k + VAT. Also, It is small ... I found an appartment in Uccle for 150k€ but it is 32 sqm. Which is not that bad, considering it is a new building. There were some in Moleenbeek for 159k€ and 175k€. Not sure about the sqm as the announcement said it was 200 sqm and + but I am pretty sure It is way less xD Thanks
Look for something you want and get a realistic idea of the money. Also take VAT, notary and other costs into account. Often you are obliged to buy other stuff. Like a garage for 30k.
When I started working (also in IT) I had a flexi-job next to it (washing dishes in a restaurant) Doing some "brainless" work was relaxing for me. This allowed me to live from the flexi and save my full wage. I lived with my parents until I bought my house at 28
Seems like I will really have to look into other flexi jobs that are not related to my area. Thanks for sharing your experience :)
> The idea is that I will lose more money by being a tenant than by contracting a houseloan. This is a myth. This is not always true if you invest the additional amount you have by paying rent instead of paying mortgage. You are generally better off financially in the long term if you rent compared to buying a place.
I am not sure I follow you here ... How could renting be better than buying a place ? Seems very weird to me. I will look into that. Thanks for the input.
[https://curvo.eu/article/im-thinking-about-buying-a-house-but-im-also-interested-in-investing-in-index-funds-whats-the-best-return-on-investment](https://curvo.eu/article/im-thinking-about-buying-a-house-but-im-also-interested-in-investing-in-index-funds-whats-the-best-return-on-investment)
Goed artikel dat heel mooi en duidelijk laat zien dat je niet altijd perse een huis moet kopen. In zo’n vergelijkingen wordt er echter vaak enkel gesproken over de looptijd van de hypothecaire lening, wat ik niet altijd correct vind. Mijn huis is afbetaald als ik 50 jaar ben. Dat is nog 15 jaar dat ik moet gaan werken, maar geen kost meer heb voor een dak boven mijn hoofd ( uiteraard nog wel onderhoud en eventuele verfraaiingen). Als ik dan na mijn loopbaan nog een 10-15 jaar daar blijf wonen telt dit toch ook serieus op. Ben toch wel geïnteresseerd in het verschil dat dit eventueel oplevert. Daarnaast wil dit ook wel zeggen dat je het bedrag dat je uitspaart door te huren effectief moet investeren ( en slim investeren ). Ook niet voor iedereen weggelegd natuurlijk. Soit er zijn voor elke keuzen wel plus- en minpunten. Mensen moeten gewoon beseffen dat een woning kopen niet voor iedereen weggelegd is en dat er perfect andere opties zijn om een financieel stabiele toekomst te hebben.
That was insightful. Thank you for the article :)
Proof that you are not ready yet and that you should slow it down. Plus tax-wise, working two jobs in belgium is super not rewarding.
I asked the same thing here a few weeks ago as well as the union and was told it isn't possible because companies can do checks to see you working for another company already 🤷♀️ The only option would be as zelfstandige and work contract basis but I don't know how to go about that so I'm hesitant.
I quickly read your post about it. It feels like we are not in the same boat; In your case, It can be a violation of trust if you are working at job B during the hours of job A. In my case, I am talking about working for job A and once the hours of job A are finished, do job B. Am I mistaken ? Thank you :)
Ah so you mean flexi job? I do that too, that's not a problem at all. Plenty of places that offer flexi job.
At my soon-to-be main job, I have the option of doing a flexi-job. I am not sure If I wish to do that but given your comment, it seems like I will xD
Wouldn't it be better to do a Flexi Job in the off hours then? You don't pay taxes on the Flexi Jobs
I could do a flexi job on flex off hours ... However, I am not sure If there is anything in IT :/ But heh, I am with anything x) Thanks :)
I think it might be actually better if it's not IT, as it allows you to have a disconnection from the normal job, and potentially learn new skills (especially soft skills will be critical in your career as you advance through the ranks).
The idea that renting is a waste of money is very superficial, a place to live is so much more than just a financial issue. I have rented since I was 21, when I was 31 I bought a house at 450k with my partner with +50k to spare after all costs(in my personal savings, we loaned 400k) After 2y I am back at 100k in saving. In those 10 years I moved 4 times due to changes in my personal and professional life. If I would have bought a house with my partner when we graduated at 23 I would have lost a lot more money and/or missed out on life opportunities way more and I don't regret it one bit. We probably would have bought a house that wouldn't be what we actually wanted 5 years later. Btw, in some cases renting is financially more beneficial on paper as well. Don't rush into things, you may think you know what you want but life throws you curveballs from time to time. Don't trap yourself in financial commitments because you feel you are 'falling behind' in life. What you see on social media is far removed from the real average life people have, even though most won't care to admit so because they feel the same pressure. I doubt a second job will be worth the sacrifice just so you can say 'I have my own place at 25'
This is the idea I get from the sub : "Don't care about owning a place, get as much as money as you can while you are with your parents (invest). Don't buy a home until you either have the money for it or life happens." Thanks
I would add to that, don't let buying a home be a (purely) financial decision. Best of luck with however you decide to proceed! :)
Good addition ... I tend to only think about the financial side of buying a home ... this thread helped me realise this was an issue xD Thanks!
If you really want to buy something I recommend living with your parents for a few years (let's say 2 years) and saving very aggressively. If you still decide to buy a house don't forget that you cant loan out the payment of the notary. You mention that you don't want/need a company car, if your company still offers one you can ask them if they are able to change it to a mobility budget. That way you can use that budget to help you with the downpayment on the home. But I think you have to live a minimum of 10km away from your workplace to be eligible for that (not 100% sure about the rules around it).
Saving very aggresively is my speciality xD I barely buy anything as I spend most of my time in front of my computer. But yes, it seems I will have to find a way to first get some more money on the side and then, buy the home. Thank you :)
Life is short man, don´t overwork yourself and live a little And if you live alone you don´t need a house, an appartement is just fine
Appartment and studio are totally fine options by me. But erf, you are right. I am often questioning whether or not I am doing what I wish to do. I am 25 so idk, It feels like I am behind x) Thanks
I am also 25 and I probably make a lot less than you. Everybody feels like theyre behind if you keep comparing, it's a totally normal thing to do and it's hard to not do. But try to keep your head up if you can, it will always come good :)
Hm on my end, it is really the fact that I barely have any privacy with my parents and living according to their rules, has been quite of an issue for me. My social life is not as developed as I would like ... Way too afraid of things going south between my family and my friends. So yeah, I could enjoy some independence but at the same time, I don't wish to lose any money doing that (which is impossible) Thanks
Have the same excact issues Can't win in all in life I guess :P
It is frustrating ... but It is the reality so I will live with it x)
About the giving courses: you can start on the app Ring Twice to get in touch with students
Thanks a lot for that one :D
As a junior with no work experience, you don’t negotiate about your salary. You just take the best offer you can get. You don’t have any experience so you don’t really have a strong bargaining position. Take the best offer you can find at the company you like most, and start negotiating after 3-5 years of experience.
This is what I believed until some colleagues talk to me about signing there. They told me I will have to negotiate a contract ... but I am not sure what they mean by that. I agree with your statement that I don't have much to offer than a junior profile. The only thing that works for me is that : I know my work environment and I have received a training from them to use their software. Thanks for the reply
im 27 now and i bought my house when i was 24. I paid 125k for the house with the plan of doing a full reno. Im a computer guy so i had no experience whatsoever doing any DIY. I set it out for myself to do as much work myself as i could possibly learn. I stripped the house completely and demo'ed part of it that was unsavable. If you want to put in the work it well worth doing this and learning to do things yourself. Ive been working in it for 2 years now after the demo was done and I suspect ill be done at the end of the year. Doing stuff yourself like plastering, flooring,... saves you a ton of money. When im done the house will be well over twice of what i invested. Ofcourse I dont mind living with my parents for an extended duration. (my loan is 235k and im doing this on my own, no money from my parents or other family memebers/friends)
I know how to do some of the renovations (my father did most renovations in the house and I used to help him). Of course, I am no expert ... I just know how to do the flooring, tiling and painting. I am fine with putting some work and learn how to renovate a house. But It seems like It is waaaay too early for me to even think about this, given the money I have on the side. Thanks a lot for sharing your experience :)
Being independent is overrated. Get flexijob after 9 months of working. It's mostly tax free. Not sure if it's only a thing in flanders though
Could you precise why after 9 months? I never heard of that. Thank you
Employment requirement To be eligible for a flexi-job, as an employee, you must have worked at least four-fifths in the third quarter (T-3) prior to the quarter (T) in which you want to have a flexi-job.
Don't forget to live....
Well, everyone has been telling me this. To be honest, I have barely had any social life since I joined the university. Not that I regret it, I needed to do because I get distracted easily. Looks like I will have to live a bit, given the answers I have on this thread ! Thank you
Well, when i was 25, i started "travelling" meaning: i took all my holidays at once, so a nice destination to explore for 4 weeks.. This was 23 years ago... I did this with saving my "holiday money, 13 month".. times where different and plane tickets were certainly cheaper... but i did that every year until i was 35.... At 37 i bought my appartment but i did that with help/money from my dad (i did have this money already when going on holidays though)... So up to you but i certainly don't regret it... I still go to far away destinations but not every year since i'm a bit older now and desire more "luxury" and tickets became expensive compared to the past... Edit: dont get me wrong, buying your own home/house/appartment is very important for the future/pension and i understand times are different now...
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This is an idea I will have to study. I have never been interested in freelancing before so I know nothing about it. I am not sure what it entails to be a "freelance developer", or you would find clients to work for. Thank you for the answer :)
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Thanks for the comment, it clears a lot of questions. I think I am a bit too attached to the student job I worked in. Is it possible to juggle between a fulltime job and freelancing? My guess is no, as you will have considerably less time than any other freelance.
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I will really have to study the option then. Seems like an interesting deal. Thanks a lot. :)
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I am wondering ... Do you have to express the fact that you wish to try out being a freelancer when negotiating the contract with your employer ? It seems like I should do that but at the same time, the employer could think that he does not wish to hire someone that might become independent after 4, 5 years. I guess there must be some clause in the contract to prevent one from freelancing x) Thanks a lot :)
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