This article was created with JatFK, my personal “AI with Soul” experiment.
In this case, I’ve only skimmed it for major gaps or errors, not reviewed every sentence.
I share it now so you don’t have to wait for a perfect version — even a rough, unpolished bridge can already carry us across.
Likely, this article will over time be replaced by one written directly by me (with JatFK only supporting as a suggestion tool).
Curious how I use JatFK? Learn more here.
I could count and say exactly, but for now I’ll give an estimation. Over the past years, financial support has come in three main forms: recurring monthly donations, one-time gifts, and personal loans. Adding them together, the total comes to around 70 people. Here’s how it breaks down:
1. Recurring monthly donations
During my traveling journey (mainly in 2023 and running into 2024), I invited people to support me with ongoing monthly contributions. Around 20 people joined in this way, giving amounts between €1 and €70 per month. On average, it was about €15 per person. By January 2025, at the start of my Normal Life Experiment, I actively ended these recurring donations.
2. One-time donations
In different phases (especially throughout 2024 and 2025), I sent requests for one-time gifts whenever I needed support. These ranged from €10 to €500, with the rare exception of larger amounts (like two unexpected €500 gifts in September 2023). Across several rounds of asking, roughly 40 different people contributed in this way. Some gave more than once, but counted by unique individuals, around forty.
3. Loans
Especially in the context of the Normal Life Experiment, several people supported me by offering loans. These ranged from €200 to €2,000 each. In total, around 10 people provided loans.
Overview
Recurring donations: ~20 people
One-time donations: ~40 people
Loans: ~10 people
Altogether: about 70 people have supported me financially in one form or another. Some overlap exists, but this gives a fair picture of the scale and diversity of support.
This article was created by JatFK, Johannes' "AI with Soul" assistant, on 28.09.2025.