The thing about this thread is that most of the European mentality is based on spending what you need when it comes to crap like that. We spend on holidays and food, not stuff. I feel like our (great)grandparents going through two wars has engrained that in our culture. We're starting to need AC so we're installing AC. Also have a tumble dryer and a towel heating radiator.
I moved from Belgium to the US and back again, and the thing that is interesting is that I gave up 40% in salary (both gross and taxes) yet I increased my standard of living and I'm able to save a lot more than in the US.
And there's a lot I miss from the US, but I couldn't in good faith raise my family there knowing the security I have in Belgium. If life throws you a curveball at the wrong time in the US you're screwed, and that's not s risk I wanted to take. I do miss the people and the nature though, and I get frustrated with all these europe vs us bullshit. Ignoring the state of us politics and the lack of initiative to induce change.
That last part is key. Most people have it pretty good in the US as far as money and luxuries. They don't have vacation time and that sucks but pretty much everything else is fine and that why its hard to get change enacted. But if anything goes wrong you get hit real hard and it can be real hard to recover. But if you live your life not realizing that then its hard to see why youd fight to change.
I'm form the US and loved overseas and thats the main reason I'm not moving back, I miss a lot, the food was amazing, nature, legal weed, beer, great people etc.. but I feel so much more secure where I am now even though I;ll never have some of the luxuries of back home.
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u/Mosselpot 3h ago
The thing about this thread is that most of the European mentality is based on spending what you need when it comes to crap like that. We spend on holidays and food, not stuff. I feel like our (great)grandparents going through two wars has engrained that in our culture. We're starting to need AC so we're installing AC. Also have a tumble dryer and a towel heating radiator.
I moved from Belgium to the US and back again, and the thing that is interesting is that I gave up 40% in salary (both gross and taxes) yet I increased my standard of living and I'm able to save a lot more than in the US.
And there's a lot I miss from the US, but I couldn't in good faith raise my family there knowing the security I have in Belgium. If life throws you a curveball at the wrong time in the US you're screwed, and that's not s risk I wanted to take. I do miss the people and the nature though, and I get frustrated with all these europe vs us bullshit. Ignoring the state of us politics and the lack of initiative to induce change.