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The infamous SCHUFA report in Germany: How to apply for it and what it says
What is the SCHUFA and why all the fuss about the SCHUFA report? SCHUFA Holding AG (proper name SCHUFA, formerly SCHUFA e. V. Schutzgemeinschaft für allgemeine Kreditsicherung) is a private German credit agency in the legal form of a stock corporation with its registered office in Wiesbaden. Its business purpose is to provide its contractual…
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My best advice #6: Invest in your education and your human capital!
We live in a very exciting age, as we are given the opportunity to move our education forward and to access all past and present knowledge – and the future is just around the corner. Sometimes, the offer is just overwelming, and it feels more comfortable to watch Netflix or Amazon Prime. But as usual,…
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Which are the best free credit cards for expats in Germany?
Most of my blog articles are written in reaction to what I experienced in the last weeks. So this one. I have newly received a letter from my bank, stating that I will have to pay a fee of several euro per month if I wanted to keep the VISA credid card I got from…
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The best 5 reasons to have a financial cushion in Germany
As you may have probably already know from my other articles, I am a security oriented guy. In my childhood, my family taught me the importance of savings as financial cushion and of a parsimonious life. As children sometimes do, I internalized these lessons and exaggerated the concept, spending (very little) money only for strictly…
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The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck
Newly I discovered one of the most entertaining TEDx Talks I watched so far: “The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck” by Sarah Knight. In her TEDx Talk Sarah shares a very important lesson she learned by chance and she reveals the secret to inner satisfaction and joy in our life. What is the…
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4 activities to do in your idle time
Taking a look at my private calendar, I noticed that there are short time slots throughout the day that I did not use to schedule. I didn’t schedule anything, because either it seems impossible to me to find any activity to do in-between two other events, or because these idle time slots just seem too…
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The 5 most effective money saving tips I have used!
In this post, I want to tell you the best 5 money saving tips that have helped me a lot and improved long-term my financial situation. Some of them are very concrete, others can be adapted to your own requirements. I grew up in a very parsimonious family: I can still remember we didn’t have…
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My honest opinion on real estate crowdfunding in 2022
Real estate crowdfunding: In view of great uncertainties and rising fluctuation on the world’s stock markets on the one hand and an extremely low interest rate phase for bonds on the other, investors are increasingly looking for alternative investment opportunities. This includes investments in real estate, which have already experienced an enormous hipe in recent…
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Is Jobrad (or any other company bike leasing) really worth it in 2022?
Jobrad, German for “company bike”, is the ecological counterpart to the company car and is becoming increasingly popular as an alternative or addition to a private or company car. Especially in big cities, the company bike is often a good alternative to the car, avoiding traffic jams and parking shortages. In addition, those who ride…
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My best advice #5: Keep track of your expenses: The big difference between rich and poor
As far as I know, no one has ever become rich by just spending money. To find out where my money flows or how much I spend for this and that, it’s in your my interest to know my expenses. In the following article I will explain why it is also good for you to…