I use Google Sheets and my banking app to keep track of expenses.

I'm in my mid 30s, from the Netherlands, and work remote as a software engineer for a company in the USA. My net income is about 4500 a month, rent in Amsterdam (NL) costs me about 1400 a month, then another 1000 a month for all other costs (insurances, food, electricity, car maintenance, parking, water, phone, etc.)

That sounds like I should save about 1600 Euros a month. In reality I also purchase things that aren't part of my fixed expenses. A brand new PC set me back 2000 Euros, a new floor in my home office set me back 600, finally getting a kick ass new wifi router will set me back 400, and I'd like Apple Car Play in my car that will set me back 400 as well.

My car is my own, though. No payments on those except the depreciation in value every second it gets older and every kilometer I drive it.

My biggest issue is my apartment. It's 100 square meters (1076 square foot), 2 bedrooms, an absolutely amazing view, and when I started living here 8 years ago I could rent it with a far lower income because of a financial crisis.

Now, the housing prices have caught up. I'm living in an apartment that I couldn't even rent anymore these days (they exact my net income to be 5x the rent). The value on the buyer's market would be around 500,000 Euros.

So, to get something in the same league of quality and comfort, I'd need to be able to purchase a house at around the 500k mark. I can't afford that and I don't really want to take a big step down when it comes to location, view, comfort, luxury, etc.

I don't buy new cars ever. My own car is a VW Golf from 2017 so the biggest blow of losing its value (e.g. driving it off the lot the first time) has been taken by the first buyer.

When I want something new I wait a minimum of 2 weeks before I decide. I've been wanting a VR Headset for a few weeks now, and just decided that, while I can afford it, I'd rather not.

I've been traveling a LOT in the past year and that ate up about 20k of my savings. Worth every cent. But I'm only left with about 20k in savings now. And I'm not sure what to do with it at all.

Of course I'd love to go into stock trading. I'd buy Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, and just... I don't know, then what? They rise and... I sell? They lower in value and I buy? Is that it?

There's so much terminology going about in that industry. What's a "short" exactly? Yeah I can Google it but honestly, I don't understand it. Should I instead simply give my money to an Index Fund trading company? Sounds safe(r) at least.

Should I buy a house at half my max in a more rural area and live even cheaper for the next few years and save up about 200k?

Should I instead spend it all on traveling and experiencing life?

Honestly, I've known people in their prime who got the news: "You have cancer, you'll die in a year". Sucks to be rich then, doesn't it? (Note: Health care is fully taken care of here, you don't need money.)

Or what if I get hit by a car tomorrow? I've been in one major accident already that nearly killed me. I don't feel like planning ahead that much. I'm young and strong now and I might not be alive next year. Or in ten years. Or in 30 years.

I'll just apply sensibility in the sense that I don't want to waste all my money. I need a solid savings account. And if it doesn't make life boring, I should spend money working towards a more lucrative future.

But I have no clue as to how.