Janneke, 35, and her boyfriend have just bought a house, which is now paid off in full. They just didn’t tell anyone.
Did you think €295,000 was a good price for a house at the time?
“We can hardly afford it. And there’s still a lot to do. We renovated the kitchen, bathroom, everything. Or, well, my friend, he’s so handy and loves to do it yourself. We saved a lot of money that way.”
How long did the renewal take?
“That took a long time, two years in all. Also because we wanted to get the cheapest materials everywhere. But the base was already there after a few months, so luckily we were able to move quickly.”
Is it your first home?
“Yeah, we lived in a rented house and they both thought it was very interesting to buy a house. We didn’t know if we were going to keep paying it. So we said to each other: If we can live here for two years, then at least we’ve tested it.” The economic conditions were in That time is different and very uncertain.”
Fortunately, I was able to keep pushing it. And even pay more.
“In recent years we have begun to earn a lot. I changed jobs several times and now I earn twice as much as I did then. At the same time we stopped spending. We continued to live as we always did. We paid off everything we had left on the mortgage. “
Why did you want to pay extra on the mortgage?
“It started from this fear that we might not always have the money. I was afraid my job would be cut. In that case, it would have been nice if the costs were lower.”
Good thing you stopped spending.
“It’s not really a problem for us. I also never felt like I couldn’t do anything, even though I wanted to. It’s also part of our lifestyle to live quietly. I don’t need to go somewhere sunny. We don’t take long trips nor We take expensive trips. Also better for the environment.”
Have you ever lost motivation?
“No, never. It’s become rather addictive to be able to save as much money as possible. At one time we just needed a new car, because the old one just couldn’t do that anymore. Then we could do a little bit, but right after that We picked up the thread again.
How do you feel after paying off the mortgage in full?
“Delicious! It really made me happier. Not that short-term feeling when buying something, but real long-term happiness. But I also loved the way there. That we saved money again and were able to pay 10% back.”
Why do you think it brings so much happiness?
“It gives peace. I don’t feel the need to quit my job right now, but if I were to seriously consider it, we would also manage financially.”
Why don’t you tell anyone? You can also be proud of it, right?
“I’m afraid that people don’t understand. We can handle it. And that they think we’re some kind of miser. While we’re frugal, we’re not stingy at all towards other people. I’m afraid they’ll look at us differently.”
Didn’t you like to share the achievement with others?
“Yeah, that’s doubly so. I’m very proud of him and that’s why I like to say that. On the one hand, I don’t feel like I’m being held responsible for how we handle our money. So we’re silent entertainers.”
Is money not mentioned in conversations with friends?
A friend recently complained about her huge mortgage. And then of course I say that this is very annoying. But I will not tell you about my situation. I don’t think that’s necessarily necessary, because it’s also nice to listen to another person without immediately starting to talk about yourself.”
What will be the next savings goal?
“We’d love to move again one day. So now we’re saving for that, to be able to take the next step. We also now have two kids, so we’d welcome a little more space. Our existing home has increased in value. So if we add more, we might be able to buy our dream home.” .
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