mandag den 15. juli 2019

Familieretshuset

A new form of Danish taxation has become clear to me since 2016.

Familieretshuset, formerly Statsforvaltning.  This is where you turn from being a dairy cow into a meat cow.  They will carve you up, no regard for human rights.

mandag den 21. december 2009

iPhone Bargain

Sign up for 6 months with 3, paying 600 krone a month and get a free iPhone, this years must have item. For once, Denmark has a pretty good deal going here, as in many other countries such as the UK the tie-ins are 18-24 months. For once, I am impressed!

tirsdag den 9. juni 2009

Abusing the EU rules on cross border trade

It's been over a year since I last added anything to this blog, and the main reason for that is that I no longer live in Denmark...wooohooo...all the shopping I do on Amazon and ebay right now!

Anyhow, I was shocked to learn that one of my all-time favourite websites, Book Depository, no longer does the free shipping and UK prices on books to Denmark. In fact, they no longer post to Denmark full stop, which is a real pity. I can only guess, with 99.999% certainty, that some pedantic Danish c*** (c being for customs officer, of course) spotted the budding cross-border EU trade that was developing, and found some obscure law to stop it, or at least make things so awkward for Book Depository that they've decided it isn't worth bothering selling to Denmark any more. Note that Book Depository stills ships to EVERY OTHER EU member country, including Sweden, and non-EU scandinavian reknowned high tax regimes such as Norway and Iceland.

Hang on a sec...wasn't free border trade what we were sold on the EU about in the first place? Hmmmm............

I won't bore you again with my views on excessive socialism, high taxes and the nanny state either. In this case, the evidence is so clear it isn't even worth repeating.

onsdag den 7. maj 2008

Should Britain join the Euro?

used to be strongly in favour of a single European currency, and my partner is from the continent, but after living over there for 3 years, I've completely revised my opinion.

Culturally, Europe is much more socialist and controlling, when compared with the historic British attitude of an island nation based on international trade and financial freedoms, as evidenced by our reputation as one of the best places to conduct international business, and our base as the world's leading financial centre.

Using the old dictum that "he who controls the currency controls the nation", by giving up the national currency, you are also giving up much of the control and handing it to another power, with vested interests of its own.

Fortunately, at this point in time, most Britons realise this and are opposed to the single currency. We all know this, so why even bother going to the expense and hassle of a referendum?

torsdag den 20. marts 2008

CHEAP LAPTOP OFFER

3 of my favourite things in the entire world are :-

1) Shopping online at reputable net stores
2) Getting a bargain
3) paying NO Sales Taxes to Greedy Goverments

And thanks to my contacts in the industry, Play.com, one of the stars of tax-free shopping, have allowed me to pass on this discount code ACER40, which enables you to claim an amazing EXTRA £40 off when you buy an Acer Laptop from them here.

The laptops are available here on the Play.com site and the code to enable the discount on the laptops is ACER40.

The laptop code is only valid against the four products listed and will expire at midnight on Wednesday 26/3/08.

mandag den 10. marts 2008

What is life like in Denmark?

I remember once in junior school, my teacher relating a parable about how some men sat around a cauldron of boiling water. One man had some carrots, another some potatoes, another some meat, another some herbs and spices. After talking amongst each other, they all agreed they could make a delicious broth between them. The first man stepped forward, and unbeknown to the others, pretended to drop his portion of the broth into the cauldron, the next stepped forward and did the exact same thing, followed by the next and then the final man, each only pretending to drop his personal share of the broth into the cauldron. At the end, the men all sat expectantly waiting for the delicious broth they were about to receive. It was served up with anticipation, but each man was left with a bowl of nothing more than boiling water. They all looked at each other, each blaming the other for what had happened, but underlyingly experiencing some shame about their part in this outcome. I can't even remember why she told us this story, but it is the best summation of socialism and in particular, Denmark that I have ever heard in my entire life.

torsdag den 17. januar 2008

Devalued Pound creates Shopping Opportunity for Europeans

The 10% drop in the value of sterling against the Euro/Danish Krone is an interesting arbitrage opportunity to get hold of cheaper goods.

For example, I'm a great from of the leisurely, comfortable trip by ferry on the Esbjerg to Harwich route between the UK and Denmark. You can get a cabin, and a decent nights' sleep, then when the fixed price breakfast comes around next morning enjoy a huge Danish buffet selection of breads, meats and cheese. All very relaxing stuff.

Given my work move, I need a ticket and the UK DFDS site quoted me £203 for a single journey to Harwich. The Denmark DFDS site quoted me 2300 krone for the identical ticket, or 15% MORE, when you realise the exchange rate is now 9.93 krone to the pound.

I reckon they set their prices before the decline. It'll be interesting to see when they equalise the distortion. For now though, I took it to mean I should book up the meals as well, and the ticket still worked out cheaper than the Danish price!