ImmobilienScout24* (or short: ImmoScout), is one of the largest real estate platform in Germany, both for buying and renting apartments and houses. Here I give an English walkthrough with screenshots for its basic functions.
Posts Categorized: Arriving
💶 N26 vs. DKB: Comparing the Two Best German Bank Accounts
In my overview of free German bank accounts, two of them are my favourites: N26 and DKB. If you cannot decide between them, read here a side-by-side comparison of the two and my conclusion at the end.
🚚 Moving To Berlin? Things To Settle Here
Do you move to Berlin and want to settle here? Then welcome! Since 2014 I’ve wrote a couple of articles in this blog – and this is an overview of all the ones that make your start here easier.
Best Gas Suppliers Calculator (+Dictionary)
Moved into a flat with gas heating? Then you need to make a contract with a gas provider – here’s a comparison tool, updated regularly. And a list of estimated consumptions by apartment size.
🖥 Compared German Internet & Phone Providers (2018)
Moved into a new flat? Now you probably need Internet! Find here a regularly updated comparison tool for DSL & cable internet contracts, and some personal tips from me.
📄 Cheap Certified Translations (+Discount Coupon)
Settling in Germany often means that you have to translate official documents, like marriage or birth certificates or rental or employment contracts. Some even need to be certified translations (German beglaubigte Übersetzung). Here’s how to do that cheaply and online.
💻 Cheap & Fair Laptop Insurance
From th bginning of this yar, my txts typd on my laptop lookd like this… The E letter on my keyboard was broken, well, not always – but I had to hit it really hard and long. Not really convenient, especially if you want to write “cheap” but what comes out is “chap”.
9 Years DKB: My Long-term Test and Review
The DKB bank account is one of the best free online bank account in Germany. Using it now for 9 years, I wrote this review: How to open the account, how the DKB Visa card works, and where you can withdraw money for free. (Spoiler: everywhere!)
📱 Get a Free German Mobile Phone SIM Card
Settled in Germany and your EU roaming is about to expire? Time to get a German prepaid card! But no worries, there a free ones with no minimum contract term. Just check this comparison table. Prepaid SIM cards are especially good for people who in the future might be out of the country for a […]
🔌 Compared German Electricity Suppliers (Table + Calculator)
Just moved into your new Berlin apartment? One of the first things you need to do: Find an electricity provider. Here’s simple calculator to compare power suppliers in Germany.
🇦🇹 Free Austrian Bank Accounts Compared
Your bank account in Austria costs you fees? There is no English support? There is no free Visa or Mastercard included? This can’t go on! Find here the best free Austrian bank accounts.
Private German Health Insurance Options Compared (+Glossary)
In the previous overview article, you could read about the differences between public and private health insurance options in Germany. If you decided for a private healthcare option, you can find here your ideal one.
Free Schufa report online & paperless
Especially when renting a flat, you need to show your landlord your Schufa information / Schufa score. Here I show you how to get it for free, directly from your computer.
Money Market & Fixed Deposit Accounts Compared
There’s a wide range of options for your savings in Germany: Various call money / day-to-day accounts (Tagesgeld) and fixed-term deposits (Festgeld) are on the money market – here’s an overview.
🏥 Comparison of German Health Insurance Options
Public or private – especially as a freelancer/self-employed you have to choose your health care option in Germany. Read here about their costs, practical usage, and setup process.
🔥 How to Heat Correctly and Stop Mould (Germany Edition)
As a new Berliner, you might be not familiar with German radiators and heaters, so here I introduce you to the German way of heating and ventilating. A side-effect of doing it wrongly is mould, so find here also how to prevent and remove mould.
Two Years of N26 – a Long-term Test and Review
It’s been now two years that I am using a German N26 free online bank account*, and since it is by far the most popular from all the free German bank accounts presented in this blog, I thought I sum up my personal long-term experience in a test of N26.
💳 Six Free German Bank Accounts Compared
Are you paying fees for your bank account? Fees for money withdrawal on foreign ATMs? Fee for a credit card? Here I’ll give you an overview of free online bank accounts and how to open a bank account in Germany – no matter if you are a German or a foreigner.
👩💼 Get Hired: 4 Tips to Increase Your Chances
Living cheaply is not only cutting your expenses, it can also mean increasing your income. 😉 In this guest article, hiring expert Jenni Juvonen gives you some basic tips how to increase your chances for getting hired for entry-level jobs.
🏠 4 Tips for Finding a Cheap Flat in Berlin
The photo below was taken from my balcony. I just moved into my apartment, paying 270 EUR for a tiled kitchen and bathroom, central heating, two supermarkets and bus stop in front, and a U-Bahn connection 14 mins away from Alexanderplatz, and 8 mins from the Friedrichshain pub area.
💡 8 Sources of Free Advice in Berlin
Living in Berlin, you can not only get free furniture or free bank accounts but also free advice. Be it about renting, welfare, German language or where to go out, here comes a list of various sources – Number 2 helped me a lot.
🎵 Unblock Music on Youtube and Other Sites
You’ve maybe already come along this screen on Youtube, stopping you from watching some popular music song. Or you wanted to watch a TV stream from your home country but their website said that you are in the wrong country. Here I’ll show you some simple methods how you can listen and watch anyway.
Free City Service Hotline
Were you ever confused over some administrational stuff that you had to do? There is a free city service hotline in Berlin – and since recently, they also speak English.
㉖ N26: Free Bank Account with English Support + MasterCard
There are many free bank accounts in Germany – but the new N26 (previously known as Number26) might be the best one: English interface and phone support, free Mastercard & free money withdrawal in the Eurozone, and a nice mobile phone app for managing banking.
Get an earlier Bürgeramt appointment for free
If you need to do government or administration stuff in Berlin, you often need an appointment an the Bürgeramt (citizen center). Unfortunately, early ones are hard to get. Here I’ll show you how you can.