If you pay rent, all the money you pay has just dissapeard. Try saving up for the minimum for a loan. You'll still have to pay X per month, but atleast that money goes into paying for your house. The only money you loose is the interest on the loan, which is what? 4-6% these days? And when...
Before.
In Finland, I pay 10% tax to the "state" I live in, then because of the little amount I earn this year only 15% to the state. If you earn around 24 000€ iirc the tax is around 25-30% to the state and the same 10% to the state, but that varies on where you live.
Exact same thing has happend to me on the motorway, EXACT same.
I also failed my first test... for stopping too late at a red light (I was over the line with the front tyres, jeez).