And we're off...again...

On Monday it was decided.....

We're moving....

again....

In the past 26 years I have changed continents four times. (Africa-Europe) I have lived in 6 different homes with my parents, from 16 lived in a boarding school for four years, moved to the Capital to go to college and have now lived in five (from March 1st six) different rented apartments.... jeeej.

Now you see, its not the actual not living in one place anymore and living in a new place that's the problem... It's all the freaking stuff we have that gives me a migraine just thinking about it!

Why are we moving you might ask...

Because we have too much freaking stuff!! Really we do...

But the other reason is the need to live in a place that will resemble a home and have heating in the bathroom and kitchen.

No heating in the bathroom and kitchen????? Yep that's correct.

Then Why, you may ask, why are we living here?

My fiance and I represent the working middle class, meaning we are well educated - College and University degrees- pretty well paid jobs, but still it's not nearly enough to be able to afford a home of our own.

Around one third of our pay goes to tax, pretty high, one of the highest in Europe (and sadly no, we don't live in Sweden), one seventh of our net income goes on rent, around the same amount on bills, we try to put away at least a quarter and then live on the rest...

I'm not complaining, don't think that. We are lucky and we are very blessed.

But at this rate, we're looking at about another nine years of saving in order for us to put together half the amount our own home will cost and a 20 year loan from the bank.... doesn't that sound just dandy?

We live in a country we're out of a 10 million population only around 2,5 million work. We have a 9% unemployment rate- around half a million- meaning that 2,5 million people have to support 7,5 million people... no wonder our taxes are so high...

And all this for what? A home?


What is a home anyways?

According to my just one click away information source wikipedia (thank you) a home is defined as the following:

A home is a place of residence or refuge and comfort. It is usually a place in which an individual or a family can rest and be able to store personal property. Most modern-day households contain sanitary facilities and a means of preparing food. As an alternative to the definition of "home" as a physical locale, home may be perceived to have no physical definition-instead, home may relate to a mental or emotional state of refuge or comfort.

Pretty simple. Straight forward.

So where does this leave Us?

It leaves us looking at our bank account every month, jumping for joy every time we time we see our savings increase, dreaming about the home we will be paying off for the rest of our life.

Is it worth it? Is all the stress, fighting and saving worth it really? To own your own 90m2 of property?

I ask myself this question many times. But its not only about owning your own house, its about having a home...

"Home is a name, a word, it is a strong one; stronger that magician ever spoke, or spirit ever answered to, in the strongest conjuration." 
-Charles Dickens 

"Home is a place not only of strong affections, but of entire unreserved; it is life's undress rehearsal, its backroom, its dressing room. "
-Harriet Beecher Stowe

"A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dream."


So as I finish writing this post and dreading the nearing of March and all the packing and fighting and stress that goes with it, I know that Yes, it is worth it.

Because your home is your sanctuary. It is the one place where you can be yourself. Its a place where you don't have to live up to societies expectations, only your own.

 For me, home is where my heart is... and my heart is sitting in the next room. As long as we're together, I know we'll figure it out somehow.

So here's to moving...

Again....