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Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

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Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#71

Post by TheGrim-888 »

jjav wrote: post #57
Devils-Avocado wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also: 24% VAT (sales tax) 18% employer payroll taxes 10% employee payroll taxes 20-30% typical income tax Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Also a lot of cold and darkness.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? No brainer, absolutely worth it. Even making good money in Silicon Valley I'm perpetually afraid of medical bankruptcy if something were to happen. And the cost of education here takes another 15% off my salary for schools far lower quality than in Finland.

If you're afraid of an unexpected large financial burden, I have news for you, there's a product you can buy that limits the unexpected burden in return for small regular payments, it's called insurance! If you're afraid of your vehicle being unexpectedly totaled, you can insure it! Similarly, you can buy health insurance to insure you against the scenario you're so worried about. It's an unheard of idea, I know. And even better, the extra 30+% of your paycheck that you don't have to pay in tax, you can use that to pay for your health insurance.

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#72

Post by ciarannolan »

jjav wrote: post #57
Devils-Avocado wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also: 24% VAT (sales tax) 18% employer payroll taxes 10% employee payroll taxes 20-30% typical income tax Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Also a lot of cold and darkness.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? No brainer, absolutely worth it. Even making good money in Silicon Valley I'm perpetually afraid of medical bankruptcy if something were to happen. And the cost of education here takes another 15% off my salary for schools far lower quality than in Finland.

You're "making good money in Silicon Valley" and don't have health insurance? Are you freelancing and choosing not to purchase insurance?

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#74

Post by tonymet »

peter_l_downs wrote: post #25

I just applied, thanks for posting this! I spent the summer of 2017 interning in Helsinki for Smartly ( https://www.smartly.io/ ) and had an amazing time. I've heard the winter is a little bit different, but I'm willing to try it out. For anyone else thinking about it -- don't be worried about the language barrier, everyone speaks English, and you can mostly pass as a native by mumbling, saying kiitos, and shrugging…

“A little different” in the way that a massage is a little different from a prostate exam

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#75

Post by NeutronStar »

markdown wrote: post #49
Devils-Avocado wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also: 24% VAT (sales tax) 18% employer payroll taxes 10% employee payroll taxes 20-30% typical income tax Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Also a lot of cold and darkness.

> Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. All that disposable income but no vacation time to spend it.

The worse is his "disposable income" includes having to pay for health insurance which is covered by our "high taxes". Even worse is he's still gonna have to pay for his healthcare as his insurance won't cover everything. They always forget that one.

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#76

Post by gitgud »

peterburkimsher wrote: post #54
jperras wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Yes.

Yes, because I'd rather live in a society where everyone has a decent education, instead of segregating the population based on who can pay to become smarter.

Perfectly sums up my feelings.

Sidenote: I would have the internet would have made paying for education obsolete... But it seems information and education are not equivalent...

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#77

Post by purerandomness »

Devils-Avocado wrote: post #61
socialdemocrat wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is not like taxes disappear into a black hole never to be seen. Most of that money comes back to you in the form of services Americans would have to pay for anyway. What matters is what the taxes give you. A lot of American taxes don’t give people much of anything. Maintaining the worlds largest prison population is expensive but what exactly does that give the Average American? Worlds largest military also sucks…

In Europe those services pay for a huge welfare and pension system, and healthcare which is mostly used by the elderly. Very little benefit will be received by a working-age expat.

As a working-age expat, you might still have an ambulance called after an accident or a drug overdose after partying, having cancer surgery, a flu shot, a pregnancy or an IVF, all for free.

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#78

Post by fogihujy »

Devils-Avocado wrote: post #27
brryant wrote: post #2

This is honestly a great way for tech entrepreneurs to experience Nordic living. The fact is Finland has one of the most startup friendly environments around: — top schools (Aalto U. produces incredibly talented engineers) — startup friendly ecosystem (cheap rents, cheap internet) — Finnish work culture (direct, no nonsense, hard working but balanced) — fantastic food and beverage scene in downtown Helsinki My wife i…

Also: 24% VAT (sales tax) 18% employer payroll taxes 10% employee payroll taxes 20-30% typical income tax Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Also a lot of cold and darkness.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare?

For me? Yes. Without the shadow of a doubt. I'd stay out of Helsinki, though. Too many people! :D

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#79

Post by bleepblorp »

ciarannolan wrote: post #72
jjav wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? No brainer, absolutely worth it. Even making good money in Silicon Valley I'm perpetually afraid of medical bankruptcy if something were to happen. And the cost of education here takes another 15% off my salary for schools far lower quality than in Finland.

You're "making good money in Silicon Valley" and don't have health insurance? Are you freelancing and choosing not to purchase insurance?

The overwhelming majority of Americans who experience medical bankruptcy have health insurance.

Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service

#80

Post by ryandrake »

jjav wrote: post #57
Devils-Avocado wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also: 24% VAT (sales tax) 18% employer payroll taxes 10% employee payroll taxes 20-30% typical income tax Take your American disposable income and cut it in half. Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? Also a lot of cold and darkness.

> Still worth it for 'free' education and 'free' healthcare? No brainer, absolutely worth it. Even making good money in Silicon Valley I'm perpetually afraid of medical bankruptcy if something were to happen. And the cost of education here takes another 15% off my salary for schools far lower quality than in Finland.

Barring the few lucky people with those platinum-plated insurance policies, American workers with normal insurance are one random cancer diagnosis away from total bankruptcy. You can have a great salary, do everything right, be frugal, save in your 401k invest well——it all goes poof when you get sick. Honestly, I’d trade half my salary to not have to avoid the doctor because his diagnosis might ruin me.
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