Search found 63 matches

by john_b
Sat Jun 21, 2025 12:25 am
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Customs/DHL charge of $10 on $20 book from the USA
Replies: 5
Views: 161

Re: Customs/DHL charge of $10 on $20 book from the USA

Here you go - Eternal Current Events by Chris Marker - ordered almost 2 years ago! So despite everything, I'll just be glad when it finally gets here.

https://mitpress.mit.edu/9781965874004/ ... nt-events/
by john_b
Thu Jun 19, 2025 3:11 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Customs/DHL charge of $10 on $20 book from the USA
Replies: 5
Views: 161

Re: Customs charge on $20 book from the USA

The "Einfuhrabgabe" is what you have to pay to customs. The "Auslagepauschale" of 7,50€ is the fee that DHL charges for handling this for you. And those 1,24€ are the 19% MwSt on those 7,5€ that you have to pay, too. I calculate it differently $20 = €17,43 at today's exchange ra...
by john_b
Thu Jun 19, 2025 2:21 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Customs/DHL charge of $10 on $20 book from the USA
Replies: 5
Views: 161

Customs/DHL charge of $10 on $20 book from the USA

This was a perennial topic on the old Toytown. I recently ordered a paperback book priced at $20 (including postage and packing) from the US, and just received notice from DHL that it will be delivered tomorrow, however including "Einfuhrabgaben i.H.v. 8,74€ (inkl. 7,50€ Auslagepauschale, inkl....
by john_b
Sat Jun 14, 2025 3:18 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: What got you flummoxed today?
Replies: 124
Views: 77643

Re: What got you flummoxed today?

Out of date Lachs in the Biomüll, OK - but not in the plastic wrapper! :x Is it that difficult, you muppet?

As you were....
by john_b
Thu May 15, 2025 7:43 pm
Forum: Berlin
Topic: ReparaturBonus - repair subsidy for electrical appliances
Replies: 2
Views: 961

ReparaturBonus - repair subsidy for electrical appliances

After 9 and a half years the pump on our washing machine went bust yesterday, but I was able to get a technician come round within a few hours, which was sooner than I had expected. Very quick and efficient, if anyone is interested: https://www.waschmaschinen-dienst.de Replacing the pump cost just o...
by john_b
Mon May 05, 2025 1:41 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: German cities do badly in expat analysis
Replies: 7
Views: 690

Re: German cities do badly in expat analysis

Yeah, sure....but it's all relative, isn't it?

I mean I'm well aware of Berlin's many shortcomings, and Schnauze is just plain rudeness - but at the same time you couldn't pay me to live in Riyadh, Doha or Abu Dhabi! :D
by john_b
Tue Apr 22, 2025 11:31 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: What got you flummoxed today?
Replies: 124
Views: 77643

Re: What got you flummoxed today?

On the other hand, my thrifty self is only too happy to retrieve Pfandflaschen from the coloured glass container, left by those lazy and presumably better-off neighbours who can't be bothered to take them to the supermarket to reclaim the Pfand. Situation today: opened the lid on the virtually empt...
by john_b
Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:43 pm
Forum: Traveling in Europe
Topic: Albania in May?
Replies: 4
Views: 2561

Re: Albania in May?

Having initiated this thread, I can report that our ten day visit to Albania back in May 2024 was a joy in pretty much every respect. We started and finished in Tirana, but managed to cover a lot of the country in around a week in a hire car, including the coastline almost all the way to the Greek b...
by john_b
Wed Apr 09, 2025 1:29 pm
Forum: Taxes & finance
Topic: Including English working years in German pension insurance
Replies: 29
Views: 18230

Re: Including English working years in German pension insurance

A few months ago I received a letter from the German Pension Insurance authority asking me to provide information about the missing years in my pension history. These were years I was studying and working in the UK (I am a British citizen). I sent them as much proof as I could, and also gave them m...
by john_b
Sat Apr 05, 2025 2:04 am
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: What got you flummoxed today?
Replies: 124
Views: 77643

Re: What got you flummoxed today?

More neighbourly nonsense: lüften/ventilation. Firstly, I'm perfectly aware of why the requirement to ventilate a flat makes senses, particularly in the bathroom, to prevent condensation and inhibit the growth of mould. All very sensible. However the thing that flummoxes me is the fact that in the T...
by john_b
Sun Mar 30, 2025 9:19 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: Summertime/Wintertime - the clocks change soon!
Replies: 16
Views: 11871

Re: Summertime/Wintertime - the clocks change soon!

john_b wrote: Tue Apr 02, 2024 9:30 am I'm pleased that the clock on the oven I neglected to change over the past 6 months is now right again :D
Once again, the annual ritual of the oven clock becoming “right” is worth celebrating- cheers! 🍻
by john_b
Sat Mar 29, 2025 9:23 pm
Forum: Taxes & finance
Topic: State Pension payments to Germany
Replies: 7
Views: 6622

Re: State Pension payments to Germany

So glad I finally got my act together after years of procrastination and got all this sorted out this March, well in time before the April deadline.
by john_b
Wed Mar 26, 2025 6:48 pm
Forum: Taxes & finance
Topic: DRV - Lückenauskunft?
Replies: 1
Views: 899

DRV - Lückenauskunft?

At the grand old age of 63 I'm finally sorting out my pension and managed to pay off the various missing years in my UK NI contributions before the imminent deadline in April of this year, which will mean a better UK pension. I finally have a fairly comprehensive overview of the last four decades, i...
by john_b
Mon Mar 24, 2025 8:19 pm
Forum: Miscellaneous
Topic: What got you flummoxed today?
Replies: 124
Views: 77643

Re: What got you flummoxed today?

Not a big deal, but FWIW: my inner German regularly gets annoyed at those lazy and inconsiderate neighbours who regularly put uncollapsed cardboard boxes into the Papiertonne which I (depending on my mood) either (a) break down myself or (b) remove intact and leave on the ground next to the containe...
by john_b
Sun Mar 16, 2025 3:27 pm
Forum: Taxes & finance
Topic: New (recalculated) land tax
Replies: 38
Views: 64600

Re: New (recalculated) land tax

Berlin - apartment constructed in 1908, Grundsteuer has increased from €32,60 to €69,79 quarterly = 114% increase.
by john_b
Thu Mar 13, 2025 12:55 am
Forum: Live events
Topic: Live music gigs
Replies: 7
Views: 8335

Re: Live music gigs

Going to see John Cale here in Berlin this Friday. Last saw him play live here back in 2001....
by john_b
Wed Mar 05, 2025 1:02 am
Forum: Baking, Cooking - Tools, tricks & Recipes
Topic: What are you cooking today?
Replies: 11
Views: 17310

Re: What are you cooking today?

Cauliflower cheese. Just the ticket for this time of year. :D
by john_b
Tue Feb 25, 2025 10:27 pm
Forum: German politics
Topic: German election February 2025
Replies: 11
Views: 14703

Re: German election February 2025

Guy at work voted AfD. He moved to Germany in 1990 when he escaped his native Afghanistan. What to make of it???????????????? My son works with a guy from Afghanistan, whose wife is from the Ukraine and they both voted AfD. My son tried to talk to them beforehand, but couldn't get through. Just try...
by john_b
Thu Dec 19, 2024 8:31 pm
Forum: Volt, Ampere & Watt
Topic: My Photovoltaikanlage
Replies: 55
Views: 16190

Re: My Photovoltaikanlage

@franklan, did you buy one in the end? Or are you waiting till the Spring?