"Yesterday I dashed to the supermarket after work: they had pesto on sale. I love spaghetti with it and always buy pesto in stock. I paid five euros less for five jars than I normally do. Sure, that's not a lot, but it's noticeable.
Money is tight for me, always. Even though I work 40 hours a week. The fact is that I don't earn very well as a florist, exactly 2,000 euros gross. That leaves me with 1,390 euros net. I pay 550 euros warm for my small two-room apartment - but I was lucky to get it at all. With the rents! After deducting all the other fixed costs I have, I only have 410 euros a month, which is just over 13 euros a day for food, clothes and so on. Not much, as I said. Every euro counts more or less.
"I always know exactly how much money I have left in my account"
Florist was always my dream job. I love flowers and plants. I used to dream of having my own business. When my former boss had to file for bankruptcy and lay me off, my partner at the time encouraged me to give self-employment a try. He offered to support me financially in setting up my own business. I accepted his offer. A mistake, as it turned out later. I attended business start-up seminars and looked for a suitable store. But that was more difficult than I thought and took time. Then my partner left me from one day to the next. Suddenly I was alone. Without a job, without money, in an apartment that was far too expensive. The costs were getting out of hand. My savings were quickly depleted, the dream of my own business was shattered and there was no new job in sight. At least I found a cheaper apartment by chance.
I had no choice but to apply for Hartz IV. That was one of the worst days of my life. I had to disclose everything at the office - my whole life. But I needed the money. At home, I sat down at the table with a calculator. What was possible, what wasn't, what had to go, what could I sell, and how many days did I have to bridge? In the meantime, I've become a pro at estimating costs. I always know whether I'll be able to afford fresh fruit at the end of the month or whether I'll miss out.
"Saving for retirement from my salary? That's not possible"
I received Hartz IV for just over half a year. I applied for jobs, but only got rejections. Unemployment was annoying, exhausting. I noticed how I was slowly slipping away. Sometimes I would sit in front of the TV in the morning, which is not really my style. When the 30th rejection came, my self-confidence was at rock bottom. I hung around at home and had no drive at all. My advisor at the job center said: Get active. So I got a friend to help me and practiced job interviews with her. Something just had to happen. Then I went from one flower store to another and introduced myself. And one day I was lucky. By chance, an employee had just resigned. I did a trial job the same day - and convinced the boss. When I was accepted, I was over the moon. It doesn't matter that I now work in the center of Hamburg and have to commute a good 40 kilometers to work every day. You can manage that easily with public transport. When I received my first salary after this time, I celebrated. It was a wonderful feeling to receive money for the work you had done. Honestly earned.
Of course, I don't get paid much. However, I do allow myself one luxury: my car. It's small and old, but it takes me everywhere at the weekends. That's a great feeling. I just can't afford to go on vacation, so at least I can get out and go to the Baltic Sea for a day. I don't want to miss out on that. Apart from that, I've become a real saver.
Of course, there are still worries: if my washing machine were to break down, for example, I wouldn't have any money to repair it. I can't provide for my old age either. Although my pension will be really small. But it doesn't help. I've managed everything so far and will continue to do so. The main thing is that I can work again. That gives me good self-confidence. I'm looking after myself and I'm doing well. That's already quite a lot!"
Info on the topic: The threat of poverty in old age later on
Around 4.2 million Germans work full-time for a low wage. They have to turn over every penny to somehow make ends meet. Around 27 percent are women, who are more likely to work in lower-paid (service) jobs or part-time.
What do the terms low pay and minimum wage mean?
Anyone earning less than 2,226 euros gross per month in western Germany is considered a low-wage earner. In the eastern German states, the low-wage threshold is 1,766 euros. The minimum wage was introduced in 2015 and amounted to 8.50 euros per hour at the time. It was raised to 9.19 euros on January 1, 2019.
How is it that so little is often paid?
Many companies are not bound by collective agreements. This means that they do not have to adhere to predetermined salaries, but can set them themselves. Due to their organization, many companies do not have a works council that could campaign for fairer pay for employees.
What does permanent low pay mean for pensions?
Firstly, low-wage earners pay less into the pension fund, and secondly, it is of course very difficult to build up reserves. Anyone who only receives around 60 percent of their low wage at retirement age quickly falls into the category of "old-age poverty". This mainly affects women who work in lower-paid jobs, are less likely to have a career and work part-time to care for children or sick relatives.
What is the average wage in Germany?
According to a study by the Hans Böckler Foundation, it is currently 16.70 euros per hour. For employees to no longer slip below the current low-wage threshold, Germany would need a statutory hourly wage of 11 euros per hour.
Do we simply have to accept this, or can we do something?
If you don't want to change your employer, there is little you can do. In salary negotiations, you have a better chance with further training.
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