Life costs – the good and bad

Good evening,

So today I’ll address the cost of living, good and bad for me at least a bit of personality and the Dutch, whether at work or social (of course it is my experience).

Here in Holland gets up relatively well, the minimum wage is about 1400 Euros gross, net of walks around € 950. In specialties such as engineering and other gains are relatively well but taxes are very high, walk between 40% and 52% depending on what you earn, there is no allowance for holidays or Christmas mandatory.

Prices in supermarkets oddly enough are lower, which is more expensive the fish, much more expensive to have an idea I bought some salmon fillets 3 and a 5 hake and paid almost € 25, but the rest is and the lowest end of the month offsets. For dogs who have food for the animals tb is cheaper. Veterinarians are the same price but here we have the ability to make health insurance for dogs is for € 12 to € 30 per month and covers almost everything, including operations, consultations and medicines.

Dining out is very expensive, unless it is to eat a sandwich or fried.

The price of services such as telephone, internet, tv is equal to Portugal. In the previous post I mentioned the price of health insurance and automobile.

Here the fuel is more expensive and cheap, ie, here there is no correct price, both against the diesel € 1.32 to € 1.50 a liter, are all different and most expensive are those in motorways.

Forget who is in Portugal to think that the Dutch are very good people and they all go ahead and friends, it depends, as is everywhere, if here in Vaassen that Rica is a small town with lots of retirees, the people are a little arrogant, a little bad mannered, sometimes lying right people and kind. If they move to larger cities like Amsterdam and Apeldoorn is completely different. What you say here is that each city has its rhythm and personality and is very true. In another post I will speak of these cities and put some pictures of them.

The level of work the Dutch are more applied, because they are also motivated, have more freedom and autonomy, but a bit limited in the services and shops, or when a person arrives in Portugal to a store and say you want that brand shampoo, to have that effect here only say yes or no, if we say in Portugal do not give us an alternative and try to show us other things. Not here, we have to be to say something and if you usually have.

In my old job in Portugal stung point in and out, had a lot of pressure and stress for things made up of the knee and there was much difference in what the boss, it is my responsibility and I will not talk to that which is below me because I am engineer and I do know. Not here, I have no fixed time of entry or exit, as they say, is that I know, people have to be responsible they say. I always have a mug of coffee beside me and in meetings, or tea, but can not seem to know very well. Here they share everything with everyone, the meetings are diverse and ask the opinion or the Engineer as to the worker and explain, as happened today, how it works for disinfecting the man who cleans it showed curiosity, and with much enthusiasm. Here there is only the meetings of Engineers. But there are things like, I’ve come late and leave several times and nothing extraordinary hours but if you need to leave early tb leave me, do not need justification.

I know I’m only here two months ago, and for me everything has improved a lot since I’m here in Portugal because things were not right and I feel it in the voice of my friends when I talk to them on the phone.

For many years I had a friend who now lives in Denmark, who told me to leave Portugal, me and my partner, and take long to leave. There are many fears and just beginning to deal with things and habituation delay but then when it rests and pays a lot. If you have an opportunity do not hesitate.

Friday we move into our new home in Apeldoorn, we were on holiday in Vaassen and after much searching we found one near the center and at the same time with many green areas for walking dogs. We will pay € 800 per month income, then it will be a maximum of € 250 for water bills, electricity and water, council tax of up to € 500 years. It is quite usual tb in the contract have included a house cleaning service, is a form of owner have some control over the state of the house and that it is not being used to grow marijuana, for example, seems to lie but it’s true. The house is furnished and we were thinking of buying a used, but we were very lucky, because we arrange furniture for free from a friend.

To make the contract is usually necessary copy of ID, copy of employment contract, have insurance against damage which is for € 5/month (Link to insurance).

That’s enough for today, until next post where I’ll have more on my experiences on here and the places we’ve visited, with costs as well whenever possible.