Talking about money in France is still taboo.However, this is an exciting subject, and by certain feminist aspects.In our settlement of accounts, people of all kinds come to peel their budget, tell us about their financial or solo financial organization, and their relationship to money.Today, Alexina agreed to open her accounts for us.
The income of Alexina and her companion
The couple live in a house, in a small town in southwest France.They are for rent but hope very soon to become owners.
Alexina is in thesis - She has both student status and employee status for 38 hours per week, public service.She is paid 1,420 euros for this research work.
His companion is driver in supermarkets for 1,100 euros on average per month.He alternates between weeks at 30 hours and 35 hours (between 1,000 and 1,200 euros net).
They consider themselves well paid:
"We consider one and the other to have a very comfortable standard of living and purchasing power.»»
Their income allows them to live as they see fit, even if some adjustments are sometimes to be made.
The organization of Alexina and her partner
Everyone takes care of their taxes and accounts.Management is shared.
For the moment the couple is renting but they plan to buy a property: a house.They currently make financial simulations for this.
This will certainly change their financial organization.
“Currently, everyone has their own accounts.
If we get a loan, we will have to have a common account on which the loan monthly payments will be taken.We think we keep our accounts separated, and simply turn the amount of the monthly payment every month on this account of 50-50.We will see at that time.»»
Currently, with regard to expenses, they do not divide them two and reimburse each other, whether in the spot, or automatically for recurring expenses.
“All expenses are divided by two, managed by Tricout [Application to manage expenditure with several] with flattening every month.
For common expenses that are carried out by direct debit (Internet, Streaming, Car Insurance + Housing), it is my account that is debited and my companion makes me a monthly permanent transfer equivalent to half.»»
They have put in place this system so that their expenses are balanced and they find that it works well.
"It allows us to be completely equal and to keep an autonomy and financial independence which are essential to us.»»
Between them, the financial organization is completely fluid but in what way everyone apprehends their relationship to money?
The relationship to couple's money
They have a report that they consider "relaxed" to money.
"We have a very relaxed money, without any taboo.We have never been uncovered, neither.»»
Alexina is rather economical in nature, and analyzes her current relationship to money in terms of her education.
"Personally my relationship to money comes from my education.
My parents are very easy but they taught me the value of money and I grew up with the sentence "I buy because I need, not because I can".After that it is sure that we had the means, we bought an object that we needed more in the mid -range than in the first prize.
But we did not forget to have fun and the expenses purely "pleasure" and not responding only to a need were also there.»»
While his companion can be a bit spending.But their environment, far removed from all temptations, brakes it in their desires for purchases.
"My companion is more expensive in nature than me in the sense that it is more tempted by stores, when I go a little above ...
But living in the countryside, temptation is much more limited because there are no supermarkets other than lines.»»
For Alexina, it is also the childhood of her companion who influences her current behavior.
“My companion grew up in a family with less means than in mine: he had to work in parallel with his studies to pay his university restaurant and cover his expenses.
But he never had the feeling of missing, he always felt rather serene because he is able to find job anywhere and to make sure to have the salary he needs to live.And that has never prevented him from having leisure and favorite expenses!»»
The couple has no secrets for each other with regard to their expenses, even if it is not really a recurring subject of discussion:
"We don't hide anything but we don't tell each other every time we buy something, the amount, etc.Everyone makes a little life and we're going to say to each other anymore: "Ah, look, I bought that!" "
Their main expenditure remains the accommodation.
Housing under acquisition
Currently, the biggest expenditure of the couple is the rent for their small town house.This is 700 euros that the couple pays fairly, 350 euros each.
Regarding the house they covet on purchase.It costs 170,000 euros net seller, and Alexina's parents would provide him with a contribution of 40,000 euros.The mortgage would be reimbursed at 50-50, with an estimate at 550 euros per month for each.
"We will both be owners, with a different percentage of ownership due to our difference in the loan for the loan, notified to the notary.
According to our calculations, we would be around 60-40 in my favor.»»
So much for rent expenses and real estate projects, what about the current expenses of couples?
Often shared current expenses
Apart from housing costs, which are the biggest exit of money, we have various current expenses set by the couple.
They estimate the total amount of current invoices (gas, electricity, water, heating, apartment charges) at 50 euros per month, which they each pay half.
For subscriptions, they pay 40 euros.This corresponds to the Internet and the Streaming, paid at 50-50.
Regarding insurance (home and car), they pay 50 euros, half each.
For petrol, Alexina pays 80 euros, fully at her expense because she alone uses the car for the moment.
The couple have two cats for which they share the costs.They consider spending 30 euros per month in total, both for food and occasional veterinary costs.
For food, they make shopping for 300 euros per month, for which they share the costs.But they would like to change their way of eating and spending more reasonedly.
A desire to change their way of feeding
Their current way of operating is done at the feeling, with a visit to the market and then to the supermarket.
“We do as much as possible at the market and then complete at the supermarket.
We don't buy any prepared dish, everything is cooked.And you never look at how much it costs when you do the shopping.
We just try to balance the shopping cart so that there are more things to make real meals than to snack.»»
But the couple would like to buy more qualitative products with the 300 euros of monthly budget for food.
"Without reducing, I would like to allocate the money that we spend on food better.
We buy a lot of nonsense, I would like to buy better quality products, without depriving ourselves of small pleasures.»»
Pleasure leisure and expenses
The couple says it spend little on leisure.The only expenses for fun are linked to video games, which is the leisure of the companion of Alexina but which she is happy to discover.
“So we bought the Switch last week and two games, so more than 300 euros.
But consoles, it does not come out every month;And we don't accumulate games.We buy and wind, as we finish them, except.»»
For the restaurant, they go there from time to time, but rather take away, and count this expense in the budget of 300 euros devoted to food.
“We go regularly to the restaurant but we mainly take to take away so I put it more in food expenditure than leisure expenditure.»»
Regarding the holidays, they did not leave recently, especially because of the pandemic, which makes the big trips complicated.
"It's been a long time since we went on vacation: already because our respective jobs make it difficult to install leave and then because Covid obliges!
We planned to go for three weeks in Japan in 2020. So we try to keep aside the money saved for this trip, for when we can go calmly.»»
In addition, they live in a place that allows you to do pleasant activities.
"Then, we also have the advantage of living in a vacation spot: the southwest campaign still allows a lot of nearby and free or inexpensive leisure.
Splendid hikes are free and very exotic!»»
For clothes, this is not an important expense.
“We buy very little clothes: only when we need.
Fashion goes completely above us and to the other.We have something to dress all year round, at almost 30 years old, we no longer grow.So no need for new clothes, we buy them when they are dead.
When I have to buy clothes, I look on Vinted.Not for savings, more by environmental conscience, but necessarily it is also less expensive.
But my companion must see the garment and try it.»»
For shoes, it's the same, they buy it if necessary.
"I bought new shoes at Christmas because my sneakers were really dead, they were over 10 years old!»»
For decoration, they make themselves.
“And we buy any decoration, we make them.We have a very nice palette sofa elsewhere.»»
A lot of second -hand shopping and homemade manufacturing!
Savings and projects
The couple manages to save money every month.But everyone has their own way of saving.
"I spare around 500 euros per month.And my companion around 200 euros per month.I transfer my money to a booklet A and my companion leaves it on his current account.»»
They keep some money aside for two reasons.
"The first: in case!In case I have to change something on the car, in case cats have to undergo an operation, anything that is expensive.
The second is for projects.Some projects that we already have - Japan, a few small work that we want to do in the new house - and others that we could have later.
We find it more safe to have a little aside for concerns or desires.»»
Safety and anticipation for Alexina and her companion!
Thank you for answering our questions.
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Image in one: © Nataliya Vaitkevich
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