Thanks, good and on point reflection.

I am definitely guilty of always wanting to chase bigger/better things.

Wife and I together are pulling a quarter of a million euros per year now, and even if tax eats a large part of it, that is an incredible salary even in Western EU, especially for people from ex-Soviet countries. Yet I was unhappy that I didn’t make a promotion that would add only around 30k on this, but I wanted the prestige and recognition that comes with it.

You’re right that we only have very little debt, I could pay it off tomorrow, but it’s so cheap it’s better to keep it and finance the renovation from our savings. After that, we could move back to the renivated house in our home city, take a 50% salary cut, and still be fine.

Let’s see what the future brings. I’m getting closer and closer to perspective you share in your comment. My unhappiest friend is a millionaire entrepreneur living in Dubai for tax reasons, with 2 kids in expensive private school, fancy apartment with own staff, and a wife that doesn’t seem to love him anymore. I envy his business success, but not his life, and he himself told me we would trade most of his money for a better marriage.

Life is weird, and it’s even weirder that I have some of the deepest and most meaningful online discussions about it with strangers under greentexts.