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My person: I work part-time as an HR assistant at a medical technology company. After business school, I jumped from job to job, mostly involuntarily. My work took me from Bern to Zurich to Grisons; It wasn’t true anywhere. At the time, I didn’t know my disease had a name. Almost ten years ago I was diagnosed with cognitive impairment. IV supported me initially with a partial pension and for the last two years with a full pension. Now I work out for four hours every morning, which gives me stability.
Revenues: 3,700 francs come into my account every month. I receive 1,390 francs a month from my employer. My salary is kept low because my performance has decreased due to my illness. IV pension is 1,170 francs per month. I also receive 1,140 francs every month from my voluntary life insurance.
spending
Residence: I moved to the canton of Schwyz ten years ago because of my love. I live alone in a two-room apartment with a small veranda. The house was built in the 1970s and was renovated last year. The rent is 1,470 francs. There are also additional expenses of 300 francs per month. Household contents and personal liability insurance cost me 250 francs a year.
Telephone, Internet and subscriptions: I spend 70 francs a month on phone and internet. There is also 35 francs for subscriptions, for example: Adobe Reader, CCleaner, Microsoft Office programs and Google Photos. I also use special programs to be more efficient in my work. As someone who receives an IV even though I don’t have a television, I pay Serafe fees of 335 francs a year.
Health: I have the lowest possible deductible of 300 francs and pay 420 francs every month for health insurance (basic and supplementary insurance). My birth control stick also costs me 450 francs every three years.
Mobility: I don’t have a car or bike. I travel to and from the canton of Zug three times a week. My psychologist is in Zurich. I have had a general season ticket for public transport for several years. This gives me a feeling of freedom. I can afford it thanks to the discounted price of 2,600 francs for IV recipients.
House: I try to buy cheaply and therefore find out about weekly promotions in advance. This is how I get inspired for the meal I’m going to cook the next day. I almost exclusively buy M-Budget or Prix Guarantee products or look at what else is on sale, for example food that is about to expire. I spend 500 francs a month on food. I eat meat at most twice a week. I buy cosmetics from Aldi or Lidl. I only drink alcohol on Christmas or birthdays. I actually quit smoking. It bothers me sometimes because my boyfriend smokes and then I need nicotine gum.
Meals outside the home: I eat at the office three times a week. I usually buy a sandwich from the bakery. This costs me about 150 francs a month. There is also 20 francs for coffee. I occasionally buy my dinner through the “Too Good To Go” app. There are foods offered at discounted prices because they would otherwise have to be thrown away. I spend another 30 francs a month on this. This way I don’t have to cook every day and I can treat myself to dinner cheaply. Otherwise I rarely eat out. For example, when my family from Graubinden visits me.
Clothes: My cousin gives me clothes from time to time. I love browsing through Brockenhaus or buying online from Bonprix. I buy an average of three t-shirts, two sweaters and a pair of shoes a year. My last purchase: trekking shoes from Feldluft.de for 90 francs. For me, clothes and shoes need to be practical first. This means: multifunctional. And at best they should protect me from the sun. The style factor for me is the side vegetables. When I have money, I buy what I need. I spend 300 francs a year on this.
Spare time: I play the piano and enjoy teaching myself new songs at home. Since piano lessons are expensive, I prefer to use the Simply Piano learning app. This costs me 110 francs a year. Two or three times a year I treat myself to a concert, theater performance, or museum admission. On average it costs me 50 francs. This means: I spend about 150 francs on this every year. Sports are important to me. Gyms are too expensive for me. Weather permitting, I take a spin at Vitaparcours. This is free. When the weather is bad, I do fitness exercises at home using the Fitify app. An annual subscription costs approximately 70 francs.
Celebration: I grew up in the natural paradise of Grisons. During holidays, I either go to my old house or enjoy the holiday within my own four walls. This is the best way for me to switch off and relax. Occasionally I would spend a few days in Lucerne to look after my girlfriend’s baby. It was a nice holiday feeling. Every four to five years I treat myself to a few nights in Germany or Italy. For this I calculate about 325 francs a year.
Retirement provision: Unfortunately, it is not possible for me to participate in my employer’s retirement fund. My workload and salary are too low for this. There is not enough money for the third column.
Direction: Last year I paid 3,750 francs in taxes, which is almost the equivalent of a month’s income.
Make a donation: Even though I have little money, it is important for me to give something back. I donate around 270 francs a year to various charities, for example Swiss Heart Foundation (20 francs), Swiss Hiking Trails (70 francs), Neighborhood Association (20 francs), Swiss Alpine Club (100 francs), Rega (40 francs) and Swiss Animal Registration Center (20 francs).
Save: I look at it from month to month. I saved 7,000 francs in my two savings accounts. I learned from my mother to set aside three months’ salary as an emergency fund. For example, broken appliances or job loss. Thanks to my previous daily sick pay and a gift from my family, I was able to establish a solid financial support.
How do I feel inflation?
Food prices have increased and the overall subscription for IV recipients has also become more expensive. This is important. As a result, I can now drink coffee at most once a week instead of three times.
Here’s how I feel: Yes it is close. But there were times when I had to decide whether to buy coffee from the kiosk or take the bus home. Today I stand on my own feet. I’m very happy with what I have. I don’t miss anything and I’m grateful for that. My only wish: my two dogs. Who knows, maybe one day I can afford it.
*Name changed, real name known to editors
By Katrin Reichmuth
Source :Blick
I’m Tim David and I work as an author for 24 Instant News, covering the Market section. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, my mission is to provide accurate, timely and insightful news coverage that helps our readers stay informed about the latest trends in the market. My writing style is focused on making complex economic topics easy to understand for everyone.
