Free Shareholder Swag in CH

Life Hacking
68

Which german broker?

69

DKB

(twenty chars min)

1 Like
70

Nice job :+1: You know if it also works with DEGIRO as broker?

71

No idea, to be honest. Never been a customer with DEGIRO.

72

Is DKB this one? Depot und Wertpapiere | DKB AG

I don’t speak German, and their website is not in English; can you tell us a bit more about them? Seems like a good broker to keep some individual shares for the free shareholder swag?

73

Yes, that’s the one. As with most German banks, they only do business in German. They’ve been talking about adding English and focusing on Expats. Little to show so far though.

Couple of points:

  • somewhat old-fashioned bank
  • but trustworthy and financially sound (majority-owned by the Bavarian state bank)
  • outgoing transfers are somewhat slow
  • mobile apps are largely just wrappers for their web-based online banking (though they are working and “beta-testing” a native app - still very barebones though)
  • and their login / 2nd factor device system kind of sucks, but has at least become relatively reliable
  • somewhat picky about opening an account domestically as well as for non-residents (…unless you’re German. Though I know non-German non-residents that have opened with them)
  • current account is free and includes a Visa credit card (might become debit soon though)
  • VISA ATM cash withdrawals are free (on their side, subject to 50€ minimum amount)
  • foreign currency transactions are free as long as you have “active customer” status (700€ incoming each month, source doesn’t matter, though capital income on their own securities account doesn’t count).
  • customer service is much better than most German direct banks IMO
  • no rock-bottom trading prices on the brokerage - but no custody fee either
  • they do have a rather large selection of ETF savings plans at a flat 1.50€ per transaction

Hope that sums it up.

I am transferring 700€+ into the account each month*, through a standing order from another bank. Most of which gets spent on my IE00BX7RRJ27 savings plan.

No custody or upkeep fees whatsoever - and it has been that way for 15 years (they also advertised the fact again quite relatively that it’s free)

* For that, I also get to my EUR VISA credit card without FX fees or withdrawal fees.

5 Likes
74

Thank you very much @San_Francisco ! Still a couple of questions:

  1. as a Swiss living in Switzerland, can you open an account with them?
  2. what are the costs to buy Swiss shares?
75

Do have an account with DKB as a Swiss living in Switzerland.
When I remember correctly I had to confirm the DKB administration with some kind of banking letter from my home bank here in Switzerland. Maybe this part changed and simplified in the past years.

2 Likes
76
  1. You can try. As I said they’re somewhat picky. If you have decent income and good credit record (and can speak German), they might take you.
  2. I paid 28€ or 29€ for 20 shares of Calida. It’s 10€ domestic (Germany) and 20€ foreign markets, for orders up to 10k EUR - plus third-party charges, taxes etc.

In my case certainly more expensive than some Swiss brokers - and at a mere couple of hundreds of transaction volume probably one of the worst cost ratios for a stock transaction. But I intend to keep the account and the shares long-term. It’s still less than one year custody fee at a Swiss broker - and then, if I were to move to a third country, Swiss banks are likely to close my account (or make it expensive).

1 Like
77

A bit complicated if you want only to get a free PJ from calida. Is it really possible to register shares on Degiro? (I won’t do anything with 700eur monthly unlike San_Francisco)

1 Like
78

Asking DEGIRO about signing a shareholder to a share register, I got the following response: “Unfortunately, DEGIRO does not offer any such service.” (as of Feb. 2020)

2 Likes
79

Thanks for the info – I already use DKB for my real estates in germany (so always more than 700 Euro every month income), maybe I should use it for the shareholder swag :wink:

80

To be clear, the 700€ incoming are not required for the free custody account (or free current account/card).

I used to transfer 700€ to the associated current account only to receive a waiver of ATM withdrawal fees and FX fees on the associated credit card. They don’t need to be salary or income and merely passing them through the account is enough.

While I did merely pass through funds for a while, I now have the biggest part of my ETF investment plan there. For my desired ETF, DKB is one of the few brokers that offers them, and they’re inexpensive - so I would buy them they’re anyway.

81

how much is the pijama worth? can someone sell his PJ on a ricardo auction please?

82

Not sure which one I’ll get.
Starting at 70 CHF on their web shop though, with certain models/colors on sale for less.

Why should I sell? As long I’ll be getting the pyjama and given how long I can wear it, it’s like having a lifelong subscription for pyjamas for a couple of hundreds of CHF.

I’ve been wearing Calida for a couple of years and been happy with their quality.
I kind of like the brand, not just buying the stock for stuff I don’t need (such as my recent Swatch buy).

Though I admit, if other exchange-listed high-quality underwear or sock manufacturers were giving stuff similarly away to shareholders, I’d probably build up a diversified portfolio of them. :grin:

7 Likes
83

Why would sell your PJ? I mean, how many PJs does one need?! I can safely live with 3 :sweat_smile:

84

As a calida pyjama lover I’m thinking about buying the 20 shares… I have a high usage of pyjamas and regularly add 1-2 pyjamas a year to the 5 pyjama pool. :smiley:

Edit: But i pay 30chf average (blackfriday or similar, online)

85

They make a decent gifts for relatives, right? You can simply choose their age/gender/size.

1 Like
86

I don’t have a pyjama – maybe I need some stocks for a free pyjama :wink:

5 Likes
87

Yes, exactly. You receive an order form, where you specific what you want (see picture earlier in the thread).