Rossox Journal (From France)

Where are you and where are you going?
Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Hello everyone ! :)

My purpose is to live with 10K€ for a year.. For the moment in 2017 i was at 6.3K€ but it was because i was living at my mother's flat and without car ! (20K€ salary/year without taxes)

Now i will start living in my own flat (350€/month in mortgage) next month and i have a car for going to work from my flat (17 miles, but 10 miles by bikes during spring, summer and autumn depending on the weather).

I don't want to stop working, but a 20-24H of work/week seems good to me (better than 35H/39H a week which is the regular time of work in France). Like that i'll have much time for a garden when i'll have my house to grow my own food, to have my chickens for eggs, educate my childrens if i have some in the future etc.. And i'm gonna change my region in 5-6 years cause mine actually is very expensive.. (Haute-Savoie for Bretagne).

I will give you my salary and my expenses every month. (and my investments!) For my investments (in index funds which is 40K€ now, i try to add 500€/month on the tracker that will deviate more from my target allocation) this is my performance (in € ) :
2015 : 5.5%
2016 : 11.9%
2017 : 8.99%
Mayble it's more in $ but with the change in € this is my performance.

My perfect investments are 60% in World, 15% emergent markets, 10% small caps Europe, 10 % small caps US and 5% REIT Europe (i try to keep this asset allocation closer to this target). I have 5K€ in BRK too, i want to keep for life this stock :) (and maybe add some cash on it)
I have 2.5K€ in VNQ too, but don't want too buy more for the moment.

Hope you'll enjoy my journal ! Thanks :)
Last edited by Rossox on Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by wolf »

Hi Rossox!

thank you for this introduction in your journal. It great that you have decided to start one. I am also interested into your journey from a European kind of perspective, because we are neighbours. I am based in Germany.

I'd like to ask you something. How much do you pay taxes on your salary? Is it regarding taxes good to live in France with a low salary? How do you pay health insurance? How much is it?

Well, that were a few questions. :-) Wish you the best onto your ERE journey!

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Hey ! :) I have german roots !

I have 1700€ on my payslip, but receive only 1330€ on my bank account.. and i have to pay 14% more taxes on this 1330€.. but thanks to some things, i pay less than 14% for the moment :) (Drive with your car to go to work for example you have a tax exemption.) (And i say i use my car yo go to work but in fact i use it only for a few miles, and biking for the rest, but don't tell them ;) )

If you don't over consume yes you can live with a low salary, depends in which city you live :)

My job pay 90% on my health insurance... it's 90€/month, i pay 10€ and they pay 80€ (new law since 2 years, your job have to give you a good health insurance). Before i used to pay 25€/month.

Thanks dude !

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

So this is my first month's journal ! :)

Salary : 1330€

Expense :

Rent and Mortgage : 460€ (i live at my mother's flat for 2-3 more weeks, so i give 300€ to her and i'll pay only 160€ on my mortgage until September 19, after that it will be approx. 350€/month excluding taxes)

Works in my appartment : 57€

Food : 61€ (It will increase next month cause i'll live alone..)

Unexpected : 30.4€ . I had to do a double of my car key at the garage.

Car mortgage : 300€ (My mother borrow me 1000€ to buy a car, and i have to give it back this money).

Car insurance : 40€

Gasoline : 60€

Alcohol : 32€

Internet and phone : 6.91€

Electricity and water in my flat
: 10€

TOTAL EXPENSES : 1057.31€ Too high (target = 900€) but some expenses are going to disappear, like the money i have to give back to my mum for the car and the rent. I'll renegotiate my car insurance at the end of the year cause i have "two contracts", i just want to have one, for 33€/month. And some are going to increase (Food, Electricity/water etc..)

I have invest 544€ in my world etf this month (early march).
My stocks (Etf's + Brk-B) Portfolio is doing -2.32% this month, and -3.02% this first quarter.
My goal is to work only 24H/week (35H normally in France) and to keep the same salary than now thanks to my etf's. I will sell 3.5% of them/year, to have approx. 500€/month. (Less to the 4% rule to increase security...)

I'm at 113.28€/month, at 22.66% of my goal.
I started to invest in January, 2015 with only 4000€... now thanks to my monthly reinforcement my portfolio value is 38840€.


I always like my job, hope to have some sun soon cause it's 4 month it doesn't stop raining and snowing here in Annecy, we had only 4-5 days of nice weather since December..and i want to hiking again..
Last edited by Rossox on Sat Mar 31, 2018 6:10 am, edited 1 time in total.

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by DutchGirl »

How do you break up the trip to work? You state it's 17 miles, of which you'll bike 10 and drive 7, but then where do you leave your car after those 7 miles? Is it parked somewhere safe & cheap?

Your expenses are nice and low (with the small exception of the alcohol- but you're young and I assume some of these wines and beers where bought in a pub of cafe...).

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

I'll park my car in a parking, just next to a church and a town hall, and yes it's secure (and free !) :)

I don't like to spend my money in pub, at least just for a beer sometimes with friends.. I prefer to buy some wines and drink it at home with a good meal .. ! (And i buy only organic wine, approx 5€/bottle)

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

I'll be able to move to my appartment at the end of this month if i don't have any surprises.. ( my craftsman did a shit job to renovate my flat.. i have to fix a lot of things by myself..).

Thanks to my carpenter's friend, he makes my kitchen from to A to Z and i help him to install it, and the cost was only 600€ (without home appliance) and a few beers.. Normally it's around 3500-4000€ for a kitchen like mine..

Tell me if you want some pics ! :)

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

My new flat i should be able to live in in the end of the month ! :) (Before/After) A lot of little repairs to do thanks to my fuck*** cfaftman who did a very shitty job.. I think i'll have some surprises during time..

Image

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I made all the kitchen and shelfs with a friend carpenter, and i installed 2 radiators and other little things :)

DutchGirl
Posts: 1646
Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:49 pm
Location: The Netherlands

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by DutchGirl »

Nice, Rossox! The kitchen looks cosy. It looks like it is very well possible to become very happy in your new apartment!

chenda
Posts: 3289
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2011 1:17 pm
Location: Nether Wallop

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by chenda »

Great job!! Any idea what region you will move to ? Rural France would be a great place to semi-retire :)

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Thanks all :) Internet was installed yesterday, so i can move into my flat and live in now :) I'm going to move in 10 days in think.

Maybe i want to go in "Bretagne", real estate is cheap ( 90 000€ for my flat, with this money you have a house with a big garden in Bretagne..), you're near the Ocean and the cost of life is cheaper than here in Annecy..

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Just broke up with my GF one weeks ago... i'm afraid to feel myself "alone" in my new flat..
It's nevertheless a good thing cause we didn't have a lot of thing in common... i'm a ERE, she is a huge spender.. (coffe in city, beer in pub, clothes etc..)

Hope to find somebody with the same value as me... (ERE value, at least don't spend a lot..)

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Some photos of my hiking this Saturday :) From 447m to 1290m in approx. 1 hour, i was proud of me ! :)

This is the city where i live .. :) ( Hiking is free, so i practice it a lot... and i love to be in the forest or mountains, even for some days and nights in a tent ! It's so peaceful..) You can see the lake on the first and third pics, and the "Mont Blanc" in the 2nd picture ..

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Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

I have a question for the older people...

Is it normal that at my age (26yo), people annoy me ? I mean, the most i grow up, the most i think they're all sheep in this society and they don't want to change...

Since my youngest age i'm not very sociable, but it get worse with years... I mean they only speak about their problems, how they can't afford this or that because they don't have a good salary, their new big TV or new car, taxes they have to pay...

I mean, FU** IT, life isn't about what you consume... just don't be a sheep in this society, use it to retire early or to have a semi-job, and like that you'll be able to enjoy life at his real value, and don't spend all your time for your boss..
Enjoy little free things in life, like nature, hiking, camping, nice moments with your kids if you have some etc...

wolf
Posts: 1102
Joined: Fri Jan 06, 2017 5:09 pm
Location: Germany

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by wolf »

Rossox wrote:
Wed Apr 25, 2018 2:49 am
I mean, FU** IT, life isn't about what you consume... just don't be a sheep in this society, use it to retire early or to have a semi-job, and like that you'll be able to enjoy life at his real value, and don't spend all your time for your boss..
Enjoy little free things in life, like nature, hiking, camping, nice moments with your kids if you have some etc...
...so true!

jacob
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Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by jacob »

Hell is other people ... eh?

But that mostly refers to dealing with other people who have different concerns and different ways of dealing with them. When you're young (you're almost young, whereas I'm almost old :P ), people are mostly of the same kind and degree. However, once released from the educational system, people diverge towards their natural state (see ERE book on ergodicity, only a brief section). This divergence will only get stronger and stronger the older you get as people are freer outside of school than inside it.

However, there are different ways of dealing with this [other people]. I've found these to be semi-useful. Scroll down to Levels of Development for each link.
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-1/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-2/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-3/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-4/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-5/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-6/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-7/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-8/
https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/type-9/

I find, though, that I vacillate several levels depending on both internal and external circumstances (Beware the Forer effect, here!).. but it's a good framework for grounding purposes. Of course you have to know who/what you are. I relate mostly to 5 and 1.

FruGal61
Posts: 56
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2018 8:06 am

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by FruGal61 »

Bonjour! Ok, it's official. I wish I was French. ;-) I have traveled to your lovely country twice, but only to Paris. The photos are stunning and this makes me more determined to see other parts of the country. Your flat photos look great, too. What a cute little dog! Great work. Congrats.

Sorry about your break up but perhaps it is for the best if you have different goals, different money habits. Money issues are one of the big problems in relationships and it certainly makes sense to be on the same page, to to speak.

Yes, I am older and totally agree with you about "sheeple". The sad thing is people nearing 60 years of age still competing over "stuff", buying cars they can't afford, blowing money on expensive dinners, buying high end furnishings to impress their friends. Why? The pressure to consume and "keep up" in order to preserve social standing is intense and most people just cannot say no. True, one can face judgement if one chooses not to consume at the level that is considered desirable, just to show everyone "look, I made it". Most people are very insecure. It's tough to face condescension from one's upwardly mobile peers who just gotta have that brand new SUV costing 75K. Advertising, among other forces including human nature, turns many people into "sheep". I have been jeered at for driving old cars into the ground, living in a tiny apartment in the city furnished with hand-me-downs and salvaged furniture and refusing to participate in the 9-6 corporate culture. The pay off for me is, no alarm clock, no "living for the weekend", no spending my time trying to wear the latest fashions or doing endless rehab and redecorating on a house I can't afford, no living as a wage slave under someone's corporate thumb and their rules, not mine. Well, I do work - I gotta eat - but as a contractor pretty much making my own schedule.

C'est la vie for a lot of people!

You got me thinking. Since my dad was born in Europe, I am able (at least I think) to obtain an EU passport. Maybe I need to seriously think about retiring abroad. Je parle le francais un peu!

jacob
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Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by jacob »

FruGal61 wrote:
Wed Apr 25, 2018 6:01 pm
True, one can face judgement if one chooses not to consume at the level that is considered desirable, just to show everyone "look, I made it". Most people are very insecure. It's tough to face condescension from one's upwardly mobile peers who just gotta have that brand new SUV costing 75K. Advertising, among other forces including human nature, turns many people into "sheep".
I agree but let me rephrase that. The majority of people derives their security from emulating other people and fitting in. They build their relations according to whatever they own and consume relative to other people. "I live in a home with a piano", "I drive a Tesla or Prius and you don't", that kind of stuff. A significant fraction write their own histories, but that's not the story one hears when talking to people.

There's an active and a passive vocabulary. One tends to be passive in terms of comprehending where one is going and active in terms of where one has been. This is why very few will actively talk about how they are what they own ... because they haven't been at a place where they've written their own history yet.

Jason

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Jason »

Rossox wrote:
Wed Apr 25, 2018 2:49 am
I have a question for the older people...

Is it normal that at my age (26yo), people annoy me ? I mean, the most i grow up, the most i think they're all sheep in this society and they don't want to change...
Cautionary tales in people attempting to change the world #4569345:

Former Beatle John Lennon writes a universally beloved piece of cloying bullshit asking people to Imagine a better world only to get his entitled rich ass shot off on a NYC street by a psychopath wanting to get the attention of a Hollywood actress whom he didn't realize was a Grade A, card carrying lesbian.

Rossox
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 2:52 pm
Location: Annecy, France

Re: Rossox Journal (From France)

Post by Rossox »

Thank you for your response...

I'm leaving tomorrow in the afternoon for my new flat, and i will have some friends who'll come to see me saturday night :)

I'm a bit "anxious" to live alone... but i'm sure it will be good for me..

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