Do you need to call landline or mobile numbers in- or outside Germany? Take a look at Satellite: 64 countries are available, 100 minutes/month are free, and for unlimited calls, you only pay €5/month.
Free German bank account? “N26!” was the usual answer – until now. With Vivid there’s a new English speaking offer on the market that is not only free – but even pays you: with Cashback on your purchases made with their card.
Living in Berlin, you can not only get free furniture or free bank accounts but also free advice. Be it about renting, job seeking, healthcare, social welfare German language – here comes a list of various sources.
If you need a visa to study in Germany, you often also need a blocked account (Sperrkonto), to prove that you have enough funds to sustain yourself while living and studying in Germany. Here I compare cheap offers for German blocked accounts.
Until July 31st you have time to file your tax return – and Wundertax makes this all much easier for you: with an English-speaking online form.
EnQu is one of my favourite electricity providers as they are fairly cheap even without welcome bonuses. Here’s a walkthrough of the order form with screenshots and translations.
To find a cheap electricity provider, I recommend the comparison service of Check24* – not only because they compare (so we only need to check at one place), but also because Check24 often has special discount deals with the providers, giving you better rates than at the providers directly.
Just moved into your new Berlin apartment? One of the first things you need to do: Find an electricity provider. Here I describe how electricity billing in Germany works, and will help you sign up at one of the cheapest electricity provider.
So you arrived in Germany but your money is still outside the Eurozone? Or you’re working for clients that want to pay you in US dollars, British pounds or Polish zloty? Then a TransferWise Borderless Account might be your best solution: Read how you can convert 20 USD with a fee of only 8 cent.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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”.
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!)
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.