# I need a reality check, am I living a high standard lifestyle?
**URL:** https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587
**Category:** Share your story
**Created:** [August 9, 2024, 9:54am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587 "2024-08-09T09:54:49Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@TeaGhost](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/TeaGhost)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/63 "2024-08-10T14:42:43Z")
> [@cray](#):
>
> The body’s needs are few: it wants to be free from cold, to banish hunger and thirst with nourishment; if we long for anything more we are exerting ourselves to serve our vices, not our needs. As far as I am concerned, I know that I have lost not wealth but distractions.
> (On the shortness of life, Seneca)
Your body needs little, your mind needs more. Mental health is key to a satisfied life…
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### Author:  [@Cortana](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Cortana)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/65 "2024-08-10T16:05:12Z")
Please lets not derail the thread.
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### Author:  [@newhere](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/newhere)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/66 "2024-08-10T16:22:20Z")
> [@Cortana](#):
>
> Naturafarm Hackfleisch from Coop the most.
Natura Farm Minced beef is on of the best you can get, in taste but also in ecology. The meat comes from suckler cows, more precise from the mothers of the sucklers (Mutterkuh). That means the cows were feeded without any cereals, mainly grassland based. The animals spent most of the time outdoor and have quiet an age. All perfect points to create the best taste and beeing the lost respectful with the animals
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### Author:  [@ZHCycle](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ZHCycle)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 6:47pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/69 "2024-08-10T18:47:02Z")
Wow a lot of replies already but here goes anyway:
- 900 a month on food and groceries is massive. Even if you include restaurants. I mean then it’s understandable but it’s still a large amount imo.
- 80 on electricity per month? Do you run a crypto mining operation? I pay that per quarter.
- Who do you buy these expensive gifts for?
- Clothes is also kind of a lot, 1’200 every year?
- Tennis is 200/month and then an additional membership?
33k savings a year isn’t to be scoffed at. If you enjoy life the way you live, keep doing it. FIRE is nice and well, but if you hate life until you get there, you are losing. Not winning.
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### Author:  [@FIRE4Messi](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/FIRE4Messi)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/70 "2024-08-10T18:51:17Z")
As someone who loves amazing vacations (spending $20k+ a year), high-quality clothes and gives a lot of gifts, here are my tips:
**Travel:** Consider investing time in travel hacking and loyalty programs (Really worth for the long term). Websites like hotelcard.ch can also offer significant discounts
**Clothes:** I buy high-quality clothes, but the key is not to be impulsive. Instead, wait for deep discounts after seasons (After Christmas). Buy discounted items even if they’re for **next season** , but of course make sure they’re pieces you’ll actually wear.
**Gifts:** Similar to clothes, buy gifts in advance when you find good deals.
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### Author:  [@PhilMongoose](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/PhilMongoose)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 6:51pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/71 "2024-08-10T18:51:27Z")
> [@ZHCycle](#):
>
> - Clothes is also kind of a lot, 1’200 every year?
That’s more than I spent in the last 10 years for me and my 2 kids (including clothes and shoes)!
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### Author:  [@PhilMongoose](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/PhilMongoose)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 6:54pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/72 "2024-08-10T18:54:00Z")
You have to remember that all money is spent or given away. So the decision is really about whether to spend it now, or spend it later. We know that we need to spend some later as we will be too old to work and so need to save a portion for old age.
Part of FIRE is being conscious about this trade-off and also bringing forward retirement by avoiding mindless consumption that doesn’t bring happiness.
However, a few FIRE adherents go too far and start to cut back on consumption that is useful and brings joy.
So simply ask yourself, how much do you enjoy those expenses and would you get more enjoyment by deferring it and spending it later. Given your age and projected career path, I’d guess it makes sense to spend now - the only caveat is to see whether the current spending can be more effective/efficient.
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### Author:  [@Dr.PI](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Dr.PI)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2024, 9:49am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/73 "2024-08-12T09:49:37Z")
19 posts were merged into an existing topic: [Our domestic energy consumption](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/our-domestic-energy-consumption/9027/63)
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### Author:  [@TeaGhost](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/TeaGhost)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2024, 10:11pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/82 "2024-08-10T22:11:22Z")
> [@Cortana](#):
>
> **Smartphone:** I already tried Sunrise (and Salt many years ago). Network coverage just isn’t good enough for me as why I reverted back to Wingo.
How about Mucho Mobile? Swisscom Network (4G only) and equal Roaming / Int. cost:
- 9.90: 5Gb CH Data, 5 hours CH Calls, 500MB Roaming
- 19.90: Unlimitted CH Data, Unlimitted CH Calls, 1GB Roaming
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### Author:  [@anon17469660](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/anon17469660)
#### Post date: [August 11, 2024, 1:31pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/87 "2024-08-11T13:31:54Z")
More electricity has been used by the equipment in use for the various updates to this thread than poor @Cortana will ever be able to save even if he cuts his electricity use by half.
At least all the electrons used for writing these messages were 100% recycled …
😉
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### Author:  [@Cortana](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Cortana)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2024, 8:38am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/93 "2024-08-12T08:38:36Z")
I think those 20 posts discussing electricity costs were interesting, but we should come to an end here 😃
I’ll update you after I lived a couple of months in the new apartment.
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### Author:  [@Broth](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Broth)
#### Post date: [August 12, 2024, 10:41am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/94 "2024-08-12T10:41:41Z")
> [@Cortana](#):
>
> Maybe slightly reduce my vacation budget as I stopped enjoying all inclusive hotels and started exploring more (will visit Thailand again in January 2025 for 3 weeks). So 6.6k might be sufficient which would save another CHF 150 per month.
This is what I was going to comment. I love travel and spend quite a lot of money there as well. But we(my wife and I) did try to find what really bring us joy on the travel and try to reduce the expenses on the other sides
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### Author:  [@portugalfire](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/portugalfire)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 2:02pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/95 "2024-08-16T14:02:47Z")
It isn’t easy to say, but your savings are ridiculously low for Switzerland, it seems to me. Which would mean that yes, you’re spending a lot, given your salary level. You’re spending pretty much all that you get.
For reference, I spend on average 3.5k/month and my net salary is around the same as your gross one.
I understand food and groceries includes restaurants, right? That’s a category people always spend too much. On groceries, I spend on average less than 100 CHF/week, for 2 people. The secret? Lidl and planning.
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### Author:  [@PhilMongoose](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/PhilMongoose)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 2:09pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/96 "2024-08-16T14:09:20Z")
> [@portugalfire](#):
>
> For reference, I spend on average 3.5k/month and my net salary is around the same as your gross one.
But is your 3.5k half of a dual-income household so really 7k split in two? A single person has higher overheads than a couple.
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### Author:  [@Luk\_nuts](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Luk_nuts)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/97 "2024-08-16T14:34:15Z")
> [@portugalfire](#):
>
> your savings are ridiculously low for Switzerland, it seems to me.
How did you come to this conclusion?
After bonus it’s almost 2’800 CHF/month.
Pre bonus it’s 1’600 CHF/month, which is already more than a lot of people save.
52% of adults have \<50K net worth (2020), so I’m pretty sure they don’t save this much. 🤷♂️
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### Author:  [@Cortana](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Cortana)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/98 "2024-08-16T16:56:14Z")
Your secret is not living alone.
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### Author:  [@PhilMongoose](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/PhilMongoose)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/99 "2024-08-16T17:10:08Z")
> [@Luk\_nuts](#):
>
> 52% of adults have \<50K net worth (2020), so I’m pretty sure they don’t save this much. 🤷♂️
A huge number of people live paycheck to paycheck. The average is not a benchmark those on a FIRE forum should hold themselves to.
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### Author:  [@portugalfire](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/portugalfire)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 5:21pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/100 "2024-08-16T17:21:58Z")
I was under the impression that most people in Switzerland would be able to save +1k every month, and that on higher paying jobs everyone would be able to save +3k.
And with the bonus, as you mention, the savings don’t seem low to me.
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### Author:  [@portugalfire](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/portugalfire)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 5:25pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/101 "2024-08-16T17:25:45Z")
It is, and you’re right. I just see the people I know (ZH) spending between 4k and 5k, and I would consider spending above that not frugal at all (which doesn’t need to be the point here).
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### Author:  [@Cortana](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Cortana)
#### Post date: [August 16, 2024, 5:26pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/i-need-a-reality-check-am-i-living-a-high-standard-lifestyle/13587/102 "2024-08-16T17:26:16Z")
It mages a huge difference if you live with somebody together and split the costs 50/50. I would save double the amount.
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