None of the photos are taken in winter. Admiral Ackbar voice It's a trap!
For the record, Helsinki is a coastal city in the southern end of the country. It's about 10C there at the moment.
Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
91–100 of 632 posts
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#92Earlier 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.
It’s not strictly about getting more out of the system than you particularly put in. On top of that no one knows if their the average or the one who’s going to need expensive life saving intervention. It levels out some of the randomness of the world for everyone, it largely removes one of the big causes of bankruptcy in the US which is medical debt.
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#93Earlier 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.
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…
I wish humanity didn't need a military but saying the world's largest military doesn't give anything back is a bit misleading. Some would argue the world's largest military enable the post WW2 order and with it the free trade that most of the world depends on. So in a very concrete way, the American tax payer subsidizes much of the world's economy.
Now in a post cold war with the growing isolationist tendencies of Americans, this may require most of the world, namely western europe to start paying for their own physical security.
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#94Earlier 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.
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.
Don't most policies have a max out of pocket? Everyone I've seen/had did.
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#95Earlier quoted context omitted.
Networking is fine,but unless they will provide housing (they wont) I could manage to get housing by myself, not much value there.
"We will provide selected applicants with a free 90-day relocation package for the entire family. We’ll arrange your ||housing||, daycare, schooling, everything you need – the real deal, just like a Finn." It looks like quite the package.
Right, they will arrange housing (find a place you can rent) but not provide housing (pay the rent on a place for you).
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
I live in Helsinki. People here are generally happy to pay the taxes to get all the good stuff from the goverment. I would personally support higher tax levels.
Personally I’m against higher tax: I’ve paid a lot in and gotten very little out.
In Finland?
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#97Earlier 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.
I live in Helsinki. People here are generally happy to pay the taxes to get all the good stuff from the goverment. I would personally support higher tax levels.
I moved to Helsinki from Edinburgh, my taxes are higher here in Finland than they were in Scotland but I don't complain.
The public transport, the child-friendly facilities, and similar things make me "happy" to pay.
Lovely city and I regret nothing about my time here.
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#98Earlier 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.
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.
There's an $8,500 annual maximum out-of-pocket per individual under ACA. That's a lot over several years, but it's not going to be retirement-destroying for most SV workers.
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#99This 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.
As an engineer you're already going to be making enough money to be comfortable in Finland for the rest of your life. In addition to that, there is no stress from minmaxing your whole life like in USA. Real life isn't diablo, you're supposed to enjoy it.
There's a reason Finland tops satisfaction/happiness charts every single time.
I think it says a lot about the person on how they value these decisions
Re: Helsinki Relocation Package: City as a Service
#100Earlier quoted context omitted.
Networking is fine,but unless they will provide housing (they wont) I could manage to get housing by myself, not much value there.
"We will provide selected applicants with a free 90-day relocation package for the entire family. We’ll arrange your ||housing||, daycare, schooling, everything you need – the real deal, just like a Finn." It looks like quite the package.
In other links here it looks like they just give you housing for 90 days until you’ve bought your own house/apartment. Which, at the average cost of an apartment in Helsinki, would save you about $3000-$7000. It helps a bit, but not super significant if you’re used to SV housing prices.