# What do you wished you knew in the first few months in Switzerland?
**URL:** https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767
**Category:** Life Hacking
**Created:** [November 24, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767 "2020-11-24T13:29:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 4
### Author:  [@MrCheese](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/MrCheese)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 12:02pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/62 "2021-01-19T12:02:35Z")
I personally find it easier than the: Landfill, Plastics, Recycling trash cans in the US. But agreed w/o a car and no access to a “Ökihof” I’d probably be not splitting the trash much.
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### Author:  [@ThePortugueseExpat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ThePortugueseExpat)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 12:08pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/63 "2021-01-19T12:08:08Z")
I don’t want to be too controversial by saying I don’t do my preventive care in Switzerland.
But (outside of Corona times) I would rather continue to see my family doctor/dentist/etc in Portugal and pay 60€ without insurance at a private clinic while on vacation.
But perhaps with time my perspective will change, I am only in Switzerland for 5 months!
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### Author:  [@Beisat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Beisat)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 12:13pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/64 "2021-01-19T12:13:34Z")
It could be worse, e.g. Germany, where you lose 50 cent on each plastic bottle as a motivation to bring it back, which required them to build whole dedicated machines where you can return your bottles in stores…and you will still never bring the bottles back yourself, as the queue in front of the machine is insanely long and consists unfortunately mostly from homeless people returning whole bags full of bottles they collected for the money…in fact, if you are in a public place with a bottle 3/4 finished, they will come up to you and ask if you could finish up so they can have the bottle…
So in this regard, the Swiss systems works better;)
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### Author:  [@ma0](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ma0)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 12:40pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/65 "2021-01-19T12:40:50Z")
> [@Beisat](#):
>
> should have as little friction as possible
Agree
> [@Beisat](#):
>
> A clean environment should not require “a price to pay”
Disagree.
I know people are lazy, but nothing is free. Either you pay someone or you do it. I’d like to be able to throw everything in a bin if someone on the other side will do my job. Unfortunately it costs too much, so I have to do it. They try to make it easier by moving some of the services near you (paper every 15 days and now even carton), If it’s not possible they find another way. In Zurich there was a test to recycle also plastic containers for some months. I tried it, I almost had no trash for a couple of months!
So I’d say the system is far for perfect but Ok, if you have enough space and if there is the Biologic trash can where you live.
Big items are an issue if you don’t live near a tram stop that has those monthly cargo trams.
(sorry, zurich centric)
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### Author:  [@San\_Francisco](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/San_Francisco)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 1:02pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/66 "2021-01-19T13:02:29Z")
> [@ThePortugueseExpat](#):
>
> Ignore supplementary health insurance from the insurance sales agent. Being 26 and with no health conditions I don’t really need it
Correct. You may need it in case of a serious illness though.
Which you probably will not have (easily or inexpensively) treated in Portugal, or elsewhere abroad.
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### Author:  [@MrCheese](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/MrCheese)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 8:26pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/67 "2021-01-19T20:26:23Z")
Found some more creative juice today:
> **[Expat Guide to Switzerland: House/Apartment rental](https://fondue.blog/expat-guide-to-switzerland-house-apartment-rental/)**
>
> Learn more about what are fair rent prices for apartments in Switzerland. Including some examples from 3 apartments of Mr. Cheese.
Let me know in the comments of the blog what you think.
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### Author:  [@Giff](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Giff)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/68 "2021-01-19T20:45:59Z")
Another thing that still shocks me after many years is how freaking much a simple, quick doctor visits can cost. I went, talked maybe 10 minutes (but they charge you also something for the 5 minutes before and the 5 minutes after even though someone comes in right after you…), gave some blood, came back after two days to hear “all is fine, tip top” and bam 300 chf of labor costs and another ~300 chf for the doctor and his assistants who worked 30 minutes max.
Also you have to believe them that it took 11 minutes instead of 9 and therefore you need to pay the additional 5 minutes slot. I am tempted to set up a stopwatch new time 🙂
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### Author:  [@Giff](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Giff)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/69 "2021-01-19T20:50:55Z")
I agree that it is complicated and has not changed at all in the last years. When I moved here I thought: wow, how many things you can recycle and how nice that they pick up some by your doorstep. But now I think we are far behind most other developed countries.
Ah and the funniest thing is that you can’t go to the recycling station on Sundays to not disturb the quiet, but churchbells, they can go on and on for 10/15 minutes at a time.
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### Author:  [@LeStache](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/LeStache)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 10:07pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/70 "2021-01-19T22:07:22Z")
> [@Beisat](#):
>
> And how am I supposed to bind the shreddered pieces with the string afterwards?
Our Ökihof accepts shredded paper in transparent bags. It still requires a trip with a car though.
I also find the paper and cardboard recycling frustrating. I’m used to having containers for each next to other trash bins. Lacking that, we take everything to the ökihof with the car. The upside is that you don’t have to tie the bundles and can just dump in the appropriate containers.
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### Author:  [@Beisat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Beisat)
#### Post date: [January 19, 2021, 10:21pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/71 "2021-01-19T22:21:42Z")
> [@Giff](#):
>
> Ah and the funniest thing is that you can’t go to the recycling station on Sundays to not disturb the quiet, but churchbells, they can go on and on for 10/15 minutes at a time.
Don’t get me started on those haha. The church bells is a topic which can probably be discussed endlessly and follows 0 logic, better not open that can of worms:)
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### Author:  [@Wolverine](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Wolverine)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 3:35am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/72 "2021-01-20T03:35:10Z")
> [@LeStache](#):
>
> I’m used to having containers for each next to other trash bins.
That’s what we have here. Recycling is organized on the local level, there can be huge variations from one town to the other.
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### Author:  [@trotro](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/trotro)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 7:16am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/73 "2021-01-20T07:16:03Z")
In Bern they seem to unofficially accept paper that you put out in a paper bag. Like in this picture on the right (but of course without the folder…), maybe this could be an option for your shredded paper?
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### Author:  [@ma0](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ma0)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 8:30am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/74 "2021-01-20T08:30:56Z")
> [@Giff](#):
>
> can’t go to the recycling station on Sundays to not disturb the quiet
I suppose the reason can be more technical than expected. It’s like when you start the TV / Fan/ whatever to hide another noise. Typical is to switch on a Fan during the night to hide the noise of the neighbours. One noise is annoying, the other is just a background noise. Bells doesn’t sound like background noise (pun not intended) but if you live near a church they might very well be.
> [@Giff](#):
>
> how freaking much a simple, quick doctor visits can cost. I went,
We laugh at the US but we are in the same situation. And nothing will ever change. Watch the world burn if/once the swiss doesn’t make enough money to pay the whole sh$t.
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### Author:  [@Giff](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Giff)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 9:53am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/75 "2021-01-20T09:53:38Z")
I do that and they pick it up in Zurich though I am sure my neighbors judge me negatively for that 🙂
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### Author:  [@trotro](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/trotro)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 11:31am UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/76 "2021-01-20T11:31:42Z")
Yes, I took the picture from this article about Basel. It states “this is illegal and you should not do it… but we tolerate it nevertheless”. 😅
[Altpapiersammlung in Basel: Was Sie wissen müssen, um nicht dem Haftrichter vorgeführt zu werden | barfi.ch](http://barfi.ch/Titelgeschichten/Altpapiersammlung-in-Basel-Was-Sie-wissen-muessen-um-nicht-dem-Haftrichter-vorgefuehrt-zu-werden)
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### Author:  [@Beisat](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Beisat)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 1:24pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/77 "2021-01-20T13:24:09Z")
Haha it even states that one learns this from early on - I just _knew_ people learn this in Kindergarten, as it’s unbearable. But I had no idea about the envelops not belonging there until now. I don’t know why they can’t just use the black containers for paper pickup, similar to the green ones for bio…Toss all your lose paper in and be happy.
And seriously, does anybody know what to do with large amounts of styrofoam, e.g. when getting deliveries?
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### Author:  [@Daniel25](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/Daniel25)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 1:43pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/78 "2021-01-20T13:43:11Z")
Same in Zurich. Doing that for a year, didn’t have any problem. I guess the point is more that it doesn’t fly away / is convenient for people to pick it up.
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### Author:  [@TrickMcDave](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/TrickMcDave)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 1:45pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/79 "2021-01-20T13:45:34Z")
Again, waste processing isn‘t free. Raising taxes isn‘t better.
All cantons except Geneva introduced a garbage fee (either by selling „garbage stamps“ or garbage bags on
which you pay a premium) and at the same time the amount of trash was reduced because the people became more sensitive of the issue.
Switzerland is still one of the country that produces way too much trash.
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### Author:  [@ma0](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/ma0)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 1:54pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/80 "2021-01-20T13:54:02Z")
> [@Beisat](#):
>
> styrofoam, e.g. when getting deliveries?
cargo tram, in Zurich. I did it and enjoyed seeing it crushed 😃
> [@TrickMcDave](#):
>
> way too much trash.
Directly or indirectly? I personally fill a 35l sack only once per month (2 persons). I was better when they had the plastic trash experiment going.
Maybe I care what I buy and don’t buy superpackaged stuff?
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### Author:  [@TrickMcDave](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/u/TrickMcDave)
#### Post date: [January 20, 2021, 2:20pm UTC](https://forum.mustachianpost.com/t/what-do-you-wished-you-knew-in-the-first-few-months-in-switzerland/4767/81 "2021-01-20T14:20:14Z")
I have only old data available, but it‘s not something to be proud of:
> **[Municipal waste generation per capita](https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/maps-and-charts/municipal-waste-generation-per-capita-in-western-europe-eu-15-new-member-states-eu-12-eu-countries-eu-27-and-total-in-europe-eu-27-turkey-croatia-norway-iceland-switzerland-4)**
>
> Municipal waste generation per capita in Western Europe (EU-15), New Member States (EU-12), EU countries (EU-27) and total in Europe (EU-27 + Turkey, Croatia, Norway, Iceland, Switzerland)
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