u/Junior-Purple-1090

I genuinely want to know how other au pairs manage to survive on only 280€ per month in Germany 😭 Between transport, toiletries, phone bills, going out occasionally, clothes, emergencies, and literally trying to have some kind of social life.

I know host families provide accommodation and food, but still.. i pay for my language course, db ticket, personal items, and sometimes even things the host family originally promised to cover.

Do you actually save money? Or is everyone just surviving month to month and pretending it’s fine?
Some days it feels less like a cultural exchange and more like i’m just a cheap worker. Would honestly like to hear how other au pairs deal with this mentally and financially in Germany 🥲