2025-01-26 22:50:00
It happened on the afternoon of May 4th. A message from a colleague—who has since become a good friend—popped up on my screen, urging me to check my emails. When I opened my inbox, there it was: an email from the COO. The email announced an impending company-wide layoff and mentioned that, within a few minutes, I’d receive another email letting me know whether I was impacted. A short while later, the second email arrived. I was among those affected—along with most of my team.
The situation felt surreal. One by one, my colleagues posted in our team chat, confirming they’d been impacted too. Before our accounts were locked, we quickly jumped on a call. We had just 30 minutes to have one final conversation as a team, to say our goodbyes. It was a bittersweet moment, sharing those last words with people I’d worked so closely with.
It was difficult to process what was happening. Just ten months earlier, the company had gone through another round of layoffs. And at the beginning of the year, during the company’s kick-off event, the president assured us there wouldn’t be any more layoffs. They even said the company was performing well financially. So, why was this happening?
Looking back, my colleagues and I were not entirely surprised by the layoff. There were several warning signs that hinted something was coming. I want to share these signs so you can be better prepared if you ever face a similar situation.
One of the earliest indicators was the sudden cancellation of team events. When I heard from other teams that their off-site events were canceled without any clear explanation, it immediately raised red flags. These cancellations often signal that the company is going to announce something about the team structure and doesn’t want you to be with your team in the same place. This is because one of your teammates—or you—might be impacted, and you’d need to cancel flights, hotels, etc. To avoid dealing with these logistical issues, the company preemptively cancels the event.
Some employees at the company received notifications about packages scheduled to arrive at their homes. This happens because services like DHL notify you through their app when a package is on the way. If your company requires you to return your work equipment, like a laptop, after being laid off, they often arrange for these shipping boxes to be delivered in advance. If you unexpectedly see a notification about a package from your company’s IT provider, it’s a strong sign that a layoff is imminent—and you may be impacted.
The absence of a clear vision from leadership is one of the most common signs of an impending layoff. During off-site or kick-off events, you might notice that leaders seem unsure of the company’s direction. When this lack of clarity is followed by team restructuring, and then another restructuring just a few months later, it becomes evident that the leadership is struggling to find focus. Ultimately, this cycle often ends with a layoff, accompanied by yet another round of restructuring for those who remain.
Another sign is the appearance of unexpected, vague meetings on your calendar. These meetings are marked as “important” with no clear agenda, and attendance is mandatory. If this happens, it’s often a precursor to a layoff announcement. Public companies, in particular, may choose to send layoff notices via email to align the timing with when they notify investors.
If your company is publicly traded, layoffs are frequently announced in conjunction with quarterly earnings reports. This can be especially stressful because, leading up to every financial results announcement, employees may anxiously wait to see if layoffs will accompany the news. If no layoffs are announced, you know you’re safe—for at least one more quarter.
When I looked back on my time at the company and all the things I had accomplished, I was surprised to be impacted by the layoffs. It wasn’t because I thought I was better than others—it was because I believed I was doing more than what was expected of me. However, during a layoff, it seems that who you are and what you do doesn’t matter. In most cases, the decision is made by people who don’t even know you. This realization made me question the concept of work, which is part of the reason I’m writing this blog post.
I was hired as a Backend Developer. When I joined my team, I noticed a project that needed a developer to implement the client-side feature in React Native. Although I had no prior experience with React Native, I had worked with React before, so I volunteered for the task. I shipped the feature without any issues, received positive feedback from my team and lead, and eventually, my title was changed to Developer, making me a full-stack developer.
In some instances, I worked on projects independently, always aligning with my team and ensuring my work was reviewed. I would implement the backend first and then move on to the client-side. This was my expected role, and in performance reviews, I was consistently rated as a high performer. Yet, I was always doing more than what was expected of me.
Sometimes, I worked on small features I thought would enhance the app. These features might not have been used by many, but they provided significant value to heavy users. Occasionally, I shipped these under the radar. I created dashboards to measure the impact of my team’s work, helping us focus on features that would bring the most value to users. I also built proof-of-concept features based on user requests to show leadership how easily they could be implemented, advocating for their prioritization. Additionally, I participated in hackdays, creating projects to showcase innovative ideas.
On several occasions, I was selected for special projects outside my team. These projects often came directly from the CEO, and I was chosen because I constantly wanted to do more for the company and our users. For some of these projects, I worked more than eight hours a day, including weekends. A few of these initiatives were mentioned in financial reports, praised by the CEO during all-hands meetings, or retweeted multiple times by the CEO on Twitter.
Over time, I gained the attention of senior management in my business unit, which consisted of about 400 people. I began directly interacting with the VP of Product and the VP of Engineering, both of whom were four or five levels above me. Occasionally, the VP of Product would message me directly to ask if a feature was feasible to implement. Later, the VP of Engineering started scheduling regular one-on-one meetings with me, which was highly uncommon. During these calls, he told me multiple times that if I continued working at this level, I could quickly climb the ladder to become a Staff Developer. He wasn’t the only one saying this to me.
Beyond my immediate role, I also sought ways to contribute to the broader company. Whenever a new tool was introduced, I would explore it, write detailed articles about my findings, and share them to help other teams use the tool more effectively.
I referred many friends and former colleagues to the company because I believed in its mission. If I recall correctly, I referred over ten people, four of whom received offers, and three were ultimately hired. I also encouraged many others to consider joining the company.
I even initiated discussions about translating our website into Turkish to support the many customers we had in Turkey. A few weeks before the layoff announcement, I was helping a team working on this project find a Turkish-speaking content designer because they noticed my willingness to assist.
Additionally, I tried to convince friends who were CTOs at major e-commerce companies to migrate their websites to our platform. Whenever I received job offers from e-commerce companies on LinkedIn, I used those opportunities to promote our platform instead. I passed along leads to the sales team and later noticed that one of those companies had indeed moved to our platform.
I’m not sharing all of this to brag but to highlight that, in the end, none of it mattered. On the day I announced I had been laid off, I received numerous messages from colleagues, even those I hadn’t worked with directly, telling me that I had inspired and motivated them. While those messages were heartwarming, they didn’t change the reality: to the company, I was just a row in an Excel sheet.
Layoffs were uncommon when I started working, and being a developer felt like an incredibly safe job. In most professions, the unspoken rule was simple: if you performed well and the company was financially stable, your job was secure.
But today, companies are announcing layoffs alongside record-breaking financial results. You work hard, focus on impactful projects, and receive praise from your lead—only to find yourself let go by someone who likely doesn’t even know you exist. It feels as though the trust between companies and employees is now broken. Companies, it seems, are either unaware of this shift or unwilling to address it. And frankly, I’m not sure how they could fix it.
What’s particularly strange is that the layoffs predominantly affect individual contributors—the people who have little say in deciding the company’s direction. These are the team members closest to the users, the ones who spend hours planning how to improve the product. But after those plans are made, leadership often swoops in and redirects efforts toward entirely different goals. You trust their judgment, work on their priorities, and deliver on time. Then, when the arbitrary goals they set aren’t met, the company decides to cut staff. Those who made the poor decisions remain, and some are even promoted, while the people carrying out the work are let go. It feels surreal—like an episode from Silicon Valley—but this is how big companies operate.
I’m not alone in feeling this way. Many friends and ex-colleagues who’ve been laid off in recent years share similar experiences. They’ve lost trust in their employers. They believe their efforts won’t matter in the long run and anticipate being part of the next layoff cycle. As a result, they only do what’s strictly required to avoid a performance improvement plan. No one goes above and beyond anymore; no one takes initiative to improve things. Why? Because it doesn’t matter. They’ve seen firsthand that it changes nothing.
For those like me who’ve experienced layoffs, work has become just that—work. You do what’s assigned, and if your company squanders your potential or forces you to waste time on unnecessary projects, you simply stop caring. You collect your paycheck at the end of the month, and that’s it. This is the new modern work: no more striving to be 40% better every year.
Since I was working for a German entity of a company, I want to address a common myth about job security in Germany. Many people believe that it’s nearly impossible to be fired in Germany. While this is partially true for individuals who have completed their probation period, it doesn’t hold up in the context of layoffs. If a company decides to lay off, for instance, 40 employees, German law doesn’t prevent this. Instead, the law enforces a social scoring system to determine who is affected, prioritizing the protection of the most vulnerable employees, such as those with children. In this sense, when it comes to layoffs, the difference between Germany and the US is minimal.
When I talk to friends who were laid off in recent years, we often reflect on what we could have done differently. Here are some of the lessons we’ve learned:
You’ve probably noticed that I didn’t mention the name of the company I was laid off from. That’s because I believe it’s irrelevant. Everything I’ve shared reflects the current state of the tech industry. It might differ at very small companies, but once you work at a company with more than 100 employees, you’ll likely encounter many of the same patterns I’ve described.
I’ve wanted to write about this topic for a long time, but it’s been difficult to find the energy. The subject itself is a deep disappointment for me, and every time I reflect on layoffs, it makes me profoundly sad. It’s a stark reminder of how companies treat workers as disposable. Before you join, they go to great lengths to make you feel valued and excited to accept their offer. You meet multiple people, and some even offer signing bonuses. But when layoffs come, you’re reduced to a name on a list. During the exit interview, a random person from the company reads a prepared script and can’t answer your questions. The HR team that once worked to make you feel valued doesn’t even conduct an actual conversation with you. That random person becomes the last connection you have to a company you spent years at.
The layoff fundamentally changed how I perceive work now. I don’t think that I’ll be the same person again.
2024-05-05 17:30:00
Last summer, I got a letter from German Pension Insurance about my pension. It had lots of details about what me and my employer paid in, how much pension I could expect, and when I could retire earliest. They even gave some guesses about my future pension based on different inflation rates. It was surprising to see that I could retire in 2061 when I’m 67.
I do like my job, but I also like the thought of having the freedom to choose how I spend my time. If you weren’t born rich, you either wait till 67 to retire or make a plan to retire early.
The FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement aims for financial independence and early retirement. You save money each month and invest it in low-cost, low-risk ETFs until you reach your goal. Then, you can retire early and live off your investments. It’s a straightforward idea.
This movement isn’t about being cheap or not enjoying life until retirement. It’s about being smart with your spending, making a solid financial plan so you can retire early and do what you want. You don’t need to make a lot of money; it’s about how much you save and when and how you want to retire, as there are different ways to retire early in the FIRE movement.
Steps to retire early in the FIRE movement are quite straightforward. You aim to have 25 times your yearly expenses saved up. Once you reach this amount in your investment account, you can withdraw 4% annually to cover your living expenses without having to work. So, the first step is to know your yearly spending.
You can use budgeting apps or simply create a spreadsheet like the one below:
| Date | Store | Item | Amount | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01/01/2018 | Landlord | Rent | 720€ | Rent |
| 02/01/2018 | REWE | Groceries | 26€ | Groceries |
| 03/01/2018 | Greenplanet Energy | Electricity | 37€ | Utilities |
| 04/01/2018 | Apple | AirPods Pro | 200€ | Shopping |
| … | … | … | … | … |
Each weekend, add your transactions to the sheet. At the end of the month, create a table showing the sum of each category:
| Category | Total |
|---|---|
| Rent | 720€ |
| Groceries | 143€ |
| Utilities | 120€ |
| … | … |
| Total | 1.600€ |
Repeat this for 12 months, then create a final page for an overview:
| Month | Total | Rent | Utilities | Groceries | Restaurant | … |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 1.600€ | 720€ | 120€ | 143€ | 100€ | … |
| February | 1.800€ | 720€ | 120€ | 243€ | 200€ | … |
| … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| December | 1.600€ | 720€ | 120€ | 143€ | 100€ | … |
Lastly, create a table showing total and average spending for each category:
| Total | Rent | Utilities | Groceries | Restaurant | … | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 17.000€ | 9.000€ | 1200€ | 2.400€ | 1.000€ | … |
| Average | 1.500€ | 750€ | 100€ | 200€ | 84€ | … |
This simple sheet gives a clear picture of your monthly spending. With this overview, you can identify areas to cut back and save. For instance, a friend realized he was spending too much on food delivery and limited themselves to 100€ per month. You can do the same.
Setting up your emergency fund is crucial in the FIRE movement’s long-term planning. While early retirement might not happen overnight, with a good saving rate, you can definitely retire before hitting 67. Since we’re in it for the long haul, we don’t want to dip into our investments for sudden expenses. That’s why an emergency fund is essential.
Typically, the rule of thumb for this fund is around 3 to 6 times your monthly expenses. So, if you spend around 1.500€ monthly, having 9.000€ stashed away is a wise move. In Germany, there’s a bit more safety net compared to other places like the US, thanks to unemployment insurance. If you unexpectedly lose your job, you can rely on unemployment benefits for a year. But if that’s not enough to cover your expenses, you might dip into your emergency fund.
When I first set up my emergency fund, I saved up 6 times my monthly expenses. Later on, I upped it to 12 times just for extra security.
Once you’ve decided on the amount for your emergency fund, it’s smart to choose a savings account with a high-interest rate, so your fund doesn’t lose value against inflation. I personally recommend Trade Republic for this, as they offer 4% interest on savings. That’s where I keep my emergency fund. You can check it out here.
Calculating how much you need to retire early is pretty straightforward. Once you know your yearly expenses, you just multiply that by 25. That gives you your FIRE goal. Once you hit that number, you’re ready to retire. After retiring, you withdraw 4% of your portfolio yearly to maintain your lifestyle without reducing your standard of living.
Let’s say your monthly expenses are 1.500€, which means your yearly expenses (1.500€ x 12) are 18.000€. Multiply that by 25, and your FIRE goal would be 450.000€.
The number might seem daunting, but by saving monthly and investing in your portfolio, you leverage compound interest. For instance, if you’re earning 40.000€ annually as a recent graduate at 24, your monthly take-home pay might be 2.200€ after taxes. If you save 700€ per month and invest it in a common ETF like the S&P 500, which yields 10% annually, by the time you’re 44, you’d have 481.000€ in your investment account. That means you could retire 23 years earlier than the pension system allows.
As you progress in your career, you’ll likely earn more, allowing you to invest more and possibly retire even before turning 40. However, life circumstances can change. Maybe you move to a city with higher living costs, or you start a family, altering your expenses. In such cases, you might need to recalculate. But understanding the main idea—managing spending, saving wisely, and maintaining your lifestyle—can help you retire much earlier than relying solely on the pension system.
The key is to start early. That’s why I mentioned a 24-year-old example. Some parents even set up investment accounts for their newborns, depositing 100€ monthly. By the time the child turns 18, there could be 55.000€ in the account, thanks to compound interest. This money could fund education, buy a car, or even travel the world before university. It may sound unbelievable, but it underscores the power of compound interest. (Here’s a compound interest calculator if you want to try a similar calculation.)
Most folks I know who are into the FIRE Movement prefer investing in ETFs. An ETF is like a basket of stocks from various companies and sometimes countries. Common ETFs include All-World ETFs, Emerging Markets ETFs, and the S&P 500 ETF. These ETFs hold stocks from all over, including emerging markets like China, India, Taiwan, Brazil, or from the S&P 500 index in the US. Warren Buffet often suggests investing in the S&P 500, but many of my friends opt for a mix, like 70% All-World and 30% Emerging Markets, to diversify beyond just the US market. ETFs are generally less risky than crypto or individual stocks since they spread your investment across hundreds or thousands of stocks. However, if you choose more diversified ETFs, your returns may be lower.
Your portfolio depends on your preferences. You can explore the “booglehead” approach, considering your age and risk tolerance to decide on your portfolio. Currently, my portfolio looks like this:
My portfolio might seem a bit risky because both the S&P 500 and All-World ETFs include Apple. If something happens to Apple, my portfolio value could drop significantly. As I get older, I might sell my Apple stocks and invest more in All-World and Emerging Markets to balance my risk. Some folks find ETFs risky and prefer investing in bonds.
The S&P 500 holds the largest portion of my portfolio because historically, it has returned around 10.5% annually. With data spanning a century, I feel secure in this investment, considering it has weathered wars and financial crises. That’s why I don’t advocate day-trading; instead, invest for at least 10-15 years and withdraw only a small percentage.
Simplicity is key in portfolio design. If I were starting now, I might go for a combination of All-World ETFs and Emerging Markets. You can learn more about this topic on boogleheads.org.
Once you’ve decided what to invest in, it’s time to create your investment plan. When I moved to Germany, there weren’t many neo-brokers with English support that offered affordable investing options. So, I opted for DEGIRO. Initially, investing in their core selection ETFs was free, but now it’s 1€ per transaction. The only drawback is you have to handle taxes yourself, but I’ve outlined the process in a blog post. It’s as simple as entering your capital gains into one field on your tax form, but calculating taxes for ETFs that accumulate dividends can be a bit complex.
If I were starting now, I’d likely choose Trade Republic because they handle taxes for you and provide an annual tax report for easy filing.
Once you’ve chosen your broker, decide how you want to invest. For me, when my salary lands in my N26 account, I keep what I need for the month and send the rest to my broker to buy S&P 500 ETFs. It’s that straightforward.
This monthly investing method also employs dollar-cost averaging, removing the need to time the market. Some friends invest quarterly or annually, but I recommend monthly investing to avoid extra money sitting in your bank account, tempting you to spend unnecessarily.
Taxes in Germany can be hefty, with income tax reaching up to 42%. However, capital gains tax is comparatively lower, at 25% plus a 5.5% solidarity surcharge, resulting in an effective tax rate of 26.375%. If your ETFs include at least 50% stocks, like All-World or S&P500, then 30% of your capital gains are exempt from taxes (known as “Teilfreistellung”), bringing down your effective tax rate to 18.46%. Considering this, investing becomes more attractive for those living in Germany.
Additionally, you don’t pay taxes on your first 1.000€ of capital gains each year. So, if your regular dividends total less than 1.000€, you won’t owe any capital income taxes for that year.
Since tax calculations can be complex, I highly recommend using Trade Republic as they handle all tax matters for you.
In this blog post, I’ve described the leanFIRE approach, where you continue working and investing until you reach a sum that covers your expenses. However, there are other types of FIRE that might suit your circumstances better.
fatFIRE: Instead of aiming for just enough to cover expenses, you target higher amounts, ensuring a luxurious lifestyle where money worries are a thing of the past. This usually falls in the range of 3-5 million €, making it quite challenging to achieve.
baristaFIRE: When you hit your financial goal, rather than retiring completely, you take up a job (like being a part-time barista) that covers your expenses and health insurance, allowing you to use your savings for personal pursuits.
avocadoFIRE: If you have specific lifestyle desires, like indulging in avocado toast daily, this type of FIRE is for you. It’s akin to fatFIRE, but with a lower financial goal.
For me, baristaFIRE seems ideal, especially initially. Working around 20 hours per week allows for social interaction, a sense of routine, and covers health insurance costs. I might opt for a role like a bike shop mechanic. Later on, if I feel the need for more freedom, I could transition to leanFIRE.
The choice is personal. Some friends are aiming for fatFIRE to completely eliminate money concerns. Other options may leave you with lingering financial anxieties, despite having enough to cover expenses. With fatFIRE, you’re prepared for any unforeseen changes or challenges that life may throw your way.
I hope this blog post has provided you with a basic understanding of the FIRE movement and how to get started. My aim isn’t to offer financial advice, especially regarding taxes, but rather to offer a path that could lead to early retirement.
In the US, you can invest your pension savings into the ETFs mentioned in this post, potentially growing your retirement funds substantially. Christian Lindner, Germany’s Finance Minister, recently discussed introducing a similar system in Germany called Generationenkapital to shore up the struggling pension system. I’m hopeful that the government will manage to pass the necessary laws to implement this system, easing financial worries for retirees at 67.
One final note, if you want to calculate your leanFIRE goal on your iPhone, I’ve developed a free app called FIREcalc. It allows you to easily determine when you can retire based on your savings. Alternatively, you can use this website for web-based calculations.
Please note that some of the links I’ve shared here are affiliated. If you choose to use any of the services mentioned, I may earn a commission.
2024-03-10 16:30:00
Although the first book was written in 1965, I discovered the Diner series in 2021 through the movie directed by Denis Villeneuve. I was captivated by the film’s atmosphere. The sounds, characters, locations, and costumes were fantastic. What stood out to me the most were the Sci-Fi elements like the ships, harvesters, stillsuit and omnichopters. This type of Sci-Fi resonated with me, unlike Star Wars. In Star Wars, Sci-Fi elements often overshadow the story, but in Dune, they are seamlessly woven into the characters’ lives, playing a central role without overpowering the narrative. Importantly, there are no computers depicted in the movie.
After watching the movie, I decided to delve into the books. The first book, Dune, proved to be much richer than its cinematic adaptation. Particularly in the last 50 pages, time seemed to slip away as I immersed myself in the story. Through the book, I gained a deeper understanding of the Dune universe. It’s not a simple tale of good versus evil; it’s far more intricate. Families and professions, rather than races, define the characters. Mentats, for instance, possess high computational abilities, serving as substitutes for computers. Then there’s the Bene Gesserit, holding religious authority, and the Spacing Guild aiding in interstellar navigation. These aren’t distinct races but specialized professions, with individuals trained or even bred for them.
Another revelation was the significance of spice. Unlike mere currency or precious metals, it’s the lifeblood of the Dune universe. Difficult to obtain, it functions as a mind-expanding drug and enables interstellar travel. As my knowledge of the universe expanded, so did my appreciation for the series. I also discovered that the first movie only covered the initial part of the book, with the real action unfolding in its later sections.
After finishing the first book, I immediately delved into the second, and it became evident to me that adapting these books into movies is no easy feat. The intricate political maneuverings and extensive dialogue, akin to Game of Thrones, pose a challenge for adaptation. Denis Villeneuve’s decision to streamline the story was crucial for its success, as faithfully following the books might have resulted in a less engaging film.
I watched the movie on March 1st, the day after its release in Germany. What stood out to me in the second movie was the exceptional sound design by Hans Zimmer. Experiencing it in a cinema with top-notch sound quality (Dolby Surround 7.1) was truly remarkable. Zimmer’s work deserves an Oscar, without a doubt.
Another part of the movie I enjoyed were the intense battle scenes where the Fremen took down the harvesting machines. These scenes showed big machines, strategic fighting, and exciting explosions. I also liked the vast desert landscapes, with the constant threat of the worms adding to the tension.
Timothée Chalamet’s performance was outstanding, particularly in his interactions with the Fremen. I vividly recall these scenes, with the entire cinema holding its breath. It’s worth noting that while some may perceive Paul Atreides as a typical hero akin to Luke Skywalker, in the Dune series, the focus lies on Arrakis, the desert planet, and the importance of spice. Austin Butler’s portrayal was also commendable, especially in the black and white scenes, which added another layer of intrigue to the movie.
However, one aspect I found lacking was the depth of background information about the characters, families, and events. Having read the books, I could fill in the gaps, but I worry that those unfamiliar with the source material might struggle to fully grasp the story. Additionally, certain crucial elements from the book were omitted from the movie, which could have added depth to the narrative arc.
Overall, I consider this movie one of the best I’ve seen in the last decade. I plan to purchase it on Apple TV and rewatch it multiple times, just as I did with the first movie. Even if you’re not a Sci-Fi enthusiast, I highly recommend giving it a watch in a cinema.
My Score: 9/10
2023-12-31 20:30:00
I had been considering the purchase of an Apple Watch for years, and this year, after starting to engage in regular sports activities, I finally bought one to keep myself motivated. However, I quickly realized that the Apple Watch is more than just a motivational tool.
I purchased the 45mm Aluminum GPS version of the Apple Watch Series 9 in Starlight color with a matching Starlight Sport Loop band shortly after its release. Before delving into my experiences with the Apple Watch, I must mention that when placing this order, I felt no guilt regarding the environment. The Apple Watch and the band I chose were carbon neutral. At first glance, this may seem like just another marketing ploy to make a sale, but when you look into the details, you truly understand what it means and how important it is to consider the carbon neutrality of products you plan to buy in the future.
When considering the carbon footprint of a product, it’s essential to take into account various factors such as materials, process emissions, electricity for manufacturing, power needed for charging, and transportation. Acknowledging that it’s impossible to create a product without some carbon emissions, the focus lies on minimizing these emissions and finding ways to compensate for the remaining ones.
Offsetting a product’s carbon emissions with carbon credits is the most straightforward approach to achieving carbon neutrality. For instance, the Apple Watch Series 9 paired with the Sport Loop produces 36,7kg of carbon emissions. Platforms like Wren reveal that you can offset 1 ton of CO2 for as little as 23€. Therefore, offsetting the carbon footprint of the Apple Watch would require merely 0,84€. Given Apple’s premium pricing, it would be trivial for the company to incorporate a small portion of the product price to cover the carbon offset cost, enabling them to market it as carbon neutral.
However, there are two important considerations. Firstly, many carbon offsetting projects lack the effectiveness they claim, partly explaining their low cost. This issue is detailed in John Oliver’s video on the subject. Secondly, carbon removal, albeit a more effective solution, is relatively new and more expensive, costing approximately 1,3€ per kg, as indicated on the Climeworks website. If Apple were to neutralize the emissions of the Apple Watch through carbon removal, it could cost them roughly 48€ per unit. Selling 50 million watches annually, the total cost of extracting carbon from the atmosphere could amount to 2,4 billion € each year, a staggering sum from a business standpoint.
Apple seems to have chosen the more challenging but economically sensible route: reducing the carbon footprint of their products and offsetting the remainder with high-quality projects instead of relying solely on commonly used but potentially unreliable carbon offsets.
The process that led to reducing the Apple Watch’s carbon footprint from 36,7kg to 8,1kg is outlined in a detailed PDF document. Nevertheless, I’d like to highlight some key methods Apple employed to achieve a 78% reduction in the Apple Watch’s emissions:
After reducing its product’s carbon emissions substantially, Apple compensates for the remaining impact by purchasing carbon credits from internationally recognized and approved projects. The result is a carbon-neutral Apple Watch.
As someone who strives to minimize product consumption, I was pleased to find that the first Apple Watch I consider purchasing has been designated as carbon neutral.
My initial motivation for purchasing an Apple Watch was to stay active, so I’d like to begin by discussing the activity rings on the Apple Watch. These rings employ gamification to encourage activity, and they encompass three aspects: Move, Exercise, and Stand. When setting up your Apple Watch, you establish goals for these categories. My personal targets were 350 kcal for Move, 30 minutes for Exercise, and standing once every hour for 12 hours throughout the day.
Initially, you’ll get a real sense of your daily activity levels. In my case, I wasn’t very active, so I altered my routine to include an hour’s walk around a nearby lake. This was sufficient to meet the Move and Exercise goals, but the Stand goal revealed how much time I spent sitting. Conveniently, the watch prompts you to stand if you’ve been sitting for nearly an hour, helping you earn the point for that hour.
The watch also sends notifications to motivate you to complete your rings. However, I disabled these after a month since I didn’t find it practical to go for walks during work hours. When you do complete a ring, you receive a satisfying notification with an animation, and there’s another when all rings are closed. This gamification effectively keeps me active, and reviewing the past month’s data showed that I almost always achieved my daily goals. Sometimes, I miss closing the Stand ring because I dismiss the notification to continue working on tasks that are engrossing.
Another advantage of the activity rings is that the goals adjust over time based on your performance. My initial Move goal was 350 kcal, which the Apple Watch increased to 375 kcal after noticing my consistent completion, and later to 410 kcal. Consequently, a short walk around the lake no longer sufficed, leading me to either do multiple laps or opt for a stroll in a large park, like the Standpark, to hit my target.
I must admit that the activity rings are quite effective at motivating behavior changes—I found myself engaging in activities like walking or running in the park at 8 PM, despite the darkness and cold. Particularly in Hamburg during winter, when sunset is around 4 PM, the desire to exercise outdoors post-sunset requires substantial motivation. The rings remind me when my calorie burn is low, or I haven’t met my Exercise goal, prompting me to gear up and step out. It’s been a fabulous experience, which included seeing my regular daytime park in a new light, quiet and illuminated by the moon, shared only with a few other runners and walkers.
The activity rings aren’t the only feature motivating you to stay active; the Activity app also includes an achievement system that rewards you for reaching certain goals. For example, if you close your Exercise ring every day for a week, you receive the “Perfect Week (Exercise)” award. Closing all your rings every day for a week earns you the “Perfect Week (All Activity)” award. There’s even a “Perfect Month” award, which you can earn by closing your daily Move goal every day for an entire month. Additional awards are available for doubling or tripling your Move goal and for setting new personal records in Move and Exercise.
For me, the most significant award is the “Perfect Week.” I strive to achieve it, but it’s challenging to close all your rings every week. Missing the Stand goal just once, like when I sat through a four-hour movie at the cinema without a break, means you forfeit your chance for the award. So far, I’ve managed to earn this award only seven times because I often forget to stand up enough throughout the day.
The Activity app’s social features are another great way Apple Watch keeps you motivated. Here, you can connect with friends who also have an Apple Watch, enabling you to view their goals, their daily progress, the types of exercises they perform, and you’ll even get notifications when they complete a workout. To be honest, I found the notifications a bit unnecessary and annoying, so I turned them off. However, I really appreciate being able to see how active my friends are, and they’ve shared similar sentiments. Some have even felt inspired by my activity levels and started to exercise more throughout the day. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Another aspect of this social interaction is the ability to engage in competitions with friends. You can set up a 7-day challenge where you earn points by closing your rings. For each ring you close, you get 100 points, and you get an additional 100 points for doubling your goals. For instance, if your Exercise goal is 30 minutes and you exercise for 60 minutes, you earn a total of 200 points. You can earn 300 points for 90 minutes of exercise. Maximum daily points are 600, and at the end of the week, the person with the highest score wins the competition and receives an award.
I’ve participated in this competition with my friends, and it was a blast. One friend had lower goals, so it was easier for him to max out at 600 points, whereas I had to work harder to avoid losing. Sometimes, I’d find myself walking around my neighborhood at 11 PM to gain those last points. In the end, we both hit the maximum for the week, resulting in a tie. Strangely, Apple Watch doesn’t acknowledge draws; it just awarded me for winning against my friend. However, he received the same award, which felt a bit odd.
The Apple Watch comes with an app called Workouts, which is designed to help track various exercises and provide specific information related to each workout. I’ve used it for several activities: Outdoor Walk, Hiking, Climbing, Outdoor Run, and Open Water Swim. My main mode of transportation is my bicycle, but for tracking my biking, I prefer to use the official app of my bike, Cowboy. With Cowboy, starting my workout is automatic upon unlocking my bike, but the activity doesn’t seem to be recognized as a cycling workout by the Activity app because I haven’t received the “First Cycling Workout” award.
Some workouts offer specialized data. However, I’ve noticed that there’s no distinct difference in the data displayed between Outdoor Walk and Hiking. Both show the same details: Workout Time, Distance, Active Kilocalories, Total Kilocalories, Elevation Gain, Average Pace, and Average Heart Rate. I appreciate the feature that includes a map of your route, which is particularly helpful after a hike when I’m curious about the exact paths we took since I usually just follow the group leader.
For Outdoor Cycle, instead of Average Pace, the app displays Average Speed, but there doesn’t seem to be a map showing the route. I’m not sure if this is due to the workout itself or if the Cowboy app doesn’t share this data with the Activity app. When you use the Outdoor Run workout, you see additional metrics like Average Power and Average Cadence. The Health app further provides detailed information such as Running Speed, Ground Contact Time, Running Stride Length, and Vertical Oscillation. Although I’m not a professional runner or in training for a marathon, seeing this extra data is interesting, even if I’m not sure how it could be beneficial.
Using Open Water Swim, strokes are tracked in the Health app. The Climbing workout doesn’t offer any special data apart from Workout Time, Active Kilocalories, Total Kilocalories, and Average Heart Rate. Other apps, like Redpoint, provide specific climbing metrics like the number of ascents, maximum ascent height, and ascending speed. As a boulderer, rather than a rock climber, this sort of data can be valuable, especially since it allows you to assign difficulty grades to each attempt.
Overall, I expected Apple to provide more detailed data for specific workouts, but I’m fairly satisfied with what’s currently available. One aspect I find bothersome about the Hiking workout is that when I take breaks, I pause the workout and sometimes forget to resume it, leading to gaps in my tracking. It’s peculiar that the Apple Watch doesn’t detect when I’ve resumed hiking and suggest restarting the workout—especially since it can prompt you to start an Outdoor Walk if it notices you’re walking briskly. It seems detection is possible, but for some reason, it doesn’t work with the Hiking workout.
The Apple Watch comes equipped with numerous sensors that help you monitor your health, including an optical heart sensor, an electrical heart sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope. With these sensors, Apple Watch can measure your heart rate and rhythm, your blood oxygen level, and even detect if you’ve fallen.
For young and healthy individuals, the significance of these sensors may not be immediately apparent, but for those with heart or lung conditions, early detection of anomalies could be lifesaving.
The sensors send notifications when irregularities are detected, but they also provide insights into how your heart and lungs function throughout the day, during sleep, or while exercising. The Health app displays a variety of data, including Heart Rate, Respiratory Rate, Blood Oxygen Level, Heart Rate Variability, Resting Heart Rate, Walking Heart Rate Average, Cardio Recovery, and Cardio Fitness. While these metrics might seem irrelevant for the healthy, they can be critical for those beginning to experience health issues, offering both patients and doctors valuable information for monitoring health.
Among these metrics, Cardio Fitness is particularly useful to me. It measures your VO2Max—the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during exercise—a reflection of your fitness level. Since my goal for purchasing an Apple Watch was to stay active, I periodically check my Cardio Fitness level to track improvements over time.
The Apple Watch also has the capability to perform an ECG. By placing your finger on the Digital Crown, you can activate this feature. Although it’s incredibly useful, if you don’t have heart issues, you might never need to use it.
The Apple Watch features a noise notification to alert you when the noise level in your environment could potentially harm your health. I’ve experienced this firsthand at a loud bar, where I began to develop a headache. Initially, I didn’t attribute the headache to the noise level, but a notification from my Apple Watch prompted me to reconsider. Leaving the bar, my headache quickly dissipated.
Surprisingly, you can receive noise notifications in situations you might not expect, such as while using a hand dryer. Public restrooms often have those powerful Dyson hand dryers, which are incredibly efficient but also quite loud. As a result, my Apple Watch frequently sends out a noise alert during use. I would think the Apple Watch could discern that the noise is coming from the hand dryer and skip the alert, particularly since it can detect when you’re washing your hands. It seems like a feasible adjustment to reduce false-positive notifications.
As I mentioned earlier, the Apple Watch can detect when you start washing your hands, which I believe is made possible using the microphone. I find this feature particularly useful since, after I began using the Apple Watch, I realized I was washing my hands for only 15 seconds, rather than the recommended 20 seconds.
Once the Apple Watch senses that you’re washing your hands, it initiates a 20-second countdown. When the timer reaches zero, it provides haptic feedback, signaling that you can stop washing. This feature generally works well, although there are occasional misfires—such as the timer starting when I’m washing dishes. Also, there are times when I finish washing before the countdown ends, but as I dry my hands with a towel, the countdown continues. While this can be somewhat irritating occasionally, ultimately you can track your handwashing frequency and average duration in the Health app.
I can confidently say that one of the most seamlessly integrated features of the Apple Watch is its sleep tracking. It begins by you defining the time you go to bed, your desired wake-up time, and the number of hours you aim to sleep. Following that, the Apple Watch initiates a number of actions to help you achieve your sleep goals.
Firstly, the Apple Watch sends you a notification reminding you to get ready for bed. During the sleep schedule setup, you also set your Wind Down time. For me, that’s 45 minutes. Since I aim to sleep at midnight, I receive a notification at 23:15 as a reminder that it’s time to wind down. Subsequently, your Apple Watch, as well as your other Apple devices, switch to Sleep Mode.
In Sleep Mode, the Apple Watch displays only the time and your alarm on what is known as the Sleep Screen. To use your Apple Watch in this mode, you need to long-press the Digital Crown. The raise-to-wake feature is also disabled, so to see the time, you’ll need to tap the screen or press the Digital Crown – unless you’ve turned off the always-on screen feature. I disabled it because I found it too bright and distracting when trying to sleep. Unfortunately, there is no option to adjust the brightness of the always-on mode for sleep, so I keep it off entirely, even during the day.
Another method for checking the time on the Apple Watch is by turning the Digital Crown. Doing this slightly increases the brightness so you can see the time without the backlight being too intrusive. Ideally, I would expect Apple to offer this same low level of brightness as an option for the always-on display in sleep mode.
Aside from screen brightness, a couple of things about Sleep Mode bother me. Firstly, you can’t use Siri in Sleep Mode. This is inconvenient because I normally tell Siri “Good Night” to turn off my lights, but since the raise-to-wake feature is disabled, this voice command isn’t possible. The only other option is to long-press the Digital Crown. However, during Sleep Mode, the first long press activates the standard screen, requiring another press to access Siri. This feels like too much effort to use Siri. Fortunately, I can still use the “Siri, Good Night” command with my iPhone, which is on my nightstand, to turn off the lights.
The second issue is that the raise-to-wake feature doesn’t work if you’re standing during Sleep Mode. This is bothersome, especially when waking up for a nighttime restroom visit and just wanting to check the time; you still need to tap the screen. Ideally, the Apple Watch would detect whether I’m lying down or standing and adjust the raise-to-wake feature accordingly.
A third problem occurs when the alarm sounds. Despite Apple’s advertisements claiming you can turn off the alarm without needing your other hand, this doesn’t work for me. When my alarm goes off, I see a black screen, so I can’t use the Double Tap feature to turn off the alarm. Instead, I have to use my other hand to wake the screen before pressing the button to silence the alarm.
The Apple Watch also monitors your sleep, allowing you to see the duration of your sleep and the time spent in different stages like REM, Core, and Deep sleep. I find this data beneficial to determine if I’m getting enough restorative sleep. Another associated feature is Wrist Temperature tracking. The Apple Watch doesn’t measure your exact wrist temperature; instead, it establishes a baseline over five days, and thereafter, you can monitor variations from that baseline.
I’ve found the wrist temperature feature very helpful, particularly when I’m feeling somewhat ill but unsure if I’m truly getting sick. By checking the wrist temperature, I can confirm an increase that indicates illness. This has proven accurate for me, with my wrist temperature rising by 1.1°C when I felt sick, reaching its peak as my body fought off the illness, and then decreasing as I recovered.
I would appreciate it if Apple could send a notification for any significant increase in wrist temperature, as I don’t check the Health app every morning. A prompt like, “Your wrist temperature has risen by 0.2°C, you might be getting sick” would be practical in preventing the spread of illness, allowing one to stay home or wear a mask to protect others.
It’s worth noting that sleep tracking operates exclusively in Sleep Mode. If you happen to nap during the day, the Apple Watch won’t automatically record this.
Lastly, when the alarm activates, the Apple Watch uses haptic feedback to wake you, enabling you to get up without disturbing your partner (as your iPhone remains silent).
The Apple Watch Series 9 introduces the new Double Tap feature. You perform specific actions by tapping your index finger and thumb together twice. This feature is particularly helpful when your other hand is occupied and unable to interact with your Apple Watch. For instance, if you’re carrying something and receive a call, you can Double Tap to answer without having to free up a hand.
While it’s a neat addition, so far I’ve mainly used it to dismiss notifications, such as stand-up reminders or updates from the Home app. The functionality also proves convenient when you’re wearing gloves, as it enables interaction without direct touch. However, I believe certain apps need to integrate support for this feature to make it more versatile. Take, for example, my usual routine where I say “Siri, I’m home” to activate a shortcut that opens the building’s door and unlocks my apartment door. When I engage the shortcut, the Shortcuts app or the building’s door app asks for confirmation and provides two choices: Cancel or Do. When I attempt to use the Double Tap, it mistakenly selects Cancel, which indicates that the feature doesn’t work as expected in this context. Hopefully, as time goes on, the Double Tap feature will expand in functionality and become more beneficial across various applications.
If you were to ask me about the coolest feature of the Apple Watch, I’d immediately point to the Wallet app. With Wallet, you can utilize the Tap to Pay functionality. Just double-press the button on the Apple Watch, then hold it near the point-of-sale terminal, and voilà – you’ve made a payment. It feels like magic. Before I owned an Apple Watch, I used my iPhone for payments, but it never seemed to impress anyone. However, with the Apple Watch, particularly if you pay at a bar, you might catch many impressed glances and even strike up a conversation with the bartender. I suspect the main reason for this attention is that using the Apple Watch for payments isn’t as common in Germany.
Another Wallet feature I’m fond of is having tickets right on my wrist. Instead of pulling out your iPhone, you can simply double-tap the side button of your Apple Watch, select your ticket, and present the QR code at the cinema or museum entrance. I consistently do this when I go to the movies. Once, at a museum, the ticket clerk was so astonished by it that she burst out laughing and jokingly asked if I had come from the moon. She admitted she had never seen a ticket on a watch before. Moments like these are another reason I love using Wallet – it’s a great conversation starter.
One aspect of this feature that I find slightly bothersome is when I’m using Apple Pay on my Mac to make a purchase, and I unexpectedly receive haptic feedback on my Apple Watch, even though I can authenticate the payment with Touch ID on my keyboard. I’m not certain why this occurs, but it can be quite disruptive. If my keyboard didn’t have Touch ID, then it would make perfect sense to confirm the payment via the Apple Watch.
One of the most surprising things for me is how limited the app ecosystem is for the Apple Watch. I’ve browsed the App Store multiple times but have yet to find an app that fully leverages the device’s capabilities. While there’s no shortage of apps available, most are simply companions to their iPhone counterparts. As a result, they seldom offer new functionality; instead, they provide a scaled-down version of the iPhone app with restricted features.
One app that I’ve found genuinely useful is Authy. I’ve been using Authy for two-factor authentication on my iPhone, and when I discovered they had an Apple Watch app, I decided to try it out. I ended up switching to the watch app entirely because it’s more convenient and doesn’t present the distractions that can come with using an iPhone.
Aside from Authy, I primarily use the Apple Watch’s native apps like Workouts, Home, Weather, Activity, Timer, and Maps. The Maps app, in particular, is incredibly helpful when getting directions on foot. It allows me to walk without constantly checking my phone and sends haptic feedback to indicate when and where to turn.
However, one app I’ve experienced issues with is the Apple Music app. It tends to be remarkably slow when searching for an artist or trying to play a song that isn’t already downloaded to my Apple Watch.
I’m not certain if the scarcity of stellar Apple Watch apps is due to a lack of interest from developers or if Apple isn’t providing the necessary APIs to facilitate the creation of such apps. As I’m beginning to develop my own iOS apps, I plan to eventually delve into watchOS app development as well. Perhaps then I’ll find out the answer for myself.
One of the primary reasons people hesitate to buy an Apple Watch is the battery life. It’s true that you generally need to charge your Apple Watch almost every day. Personally, I can confidently say that the battery lasts about one and a half days for me, and I don’t really mind charging it daily since it only takes around 45 minutes to fully charge the watch. If you incorporate this charging routine into your daily life, it becomes less of an inconvenience.
For instance, I usually charge my Apple Watch while I’m taking a shower. If you wake up early, use the restroom, shower, and then get ready for work, your Apple Watch can be fully charged during that time. However, if you travel frequently, this might pose a problem since you’ll be out of your normal routine and you’ll also need to carry an additional charger.
There are other cool features of the Apple Watch that I appreciate, such as unlocking your Mac with it. This is particularly handy if you’re using an external keyboard without Touch ID. Another feature I enjoy using occasionally is the ability to sleep the screen by simply resting your palm on it.
When going to the movies, Theater Mode is also convenient; it keeps your screen dark when you raise your wrist and automatically enables silent mode. I also find the ability to answer calls on the Apple Watch useful when I’m on the move and need to have a quick conversation. It gives you the feeling of being in a sci-fi movie, much like using Siri without having to uncover your Apple Watch from under your jacket.
However, there are features I don’t find particularly useful. For instance, the Night Stand mode isn’t of much use to me since I wear my Apple Watch while sleeping. Also, from time to time, when I try to access my passwords on my Mac, I receive a haptic alert on my Apple Watch to authorize the action, despite the fact that I can just use Touch ID on my keyboard.
While exploring how people use their Apple Watches online, I came across a use case that I thought was worth mentioning. It seems that some have opted for the cellular model of the Apple Watch, allowing them to leave their iPhones behind when they step outside. I find this concept particularly appealing because, like many, I prefer not to carry my iPhone when I go for a run.
However, there’s a downside in Germany—if you want to use the cellular functionality of your Apple Watch, you’re required to purchase an additional data plan instead of using the existing plan from your phone. Deutsche Telekom’s smartwatch data plans start at 4,95€ per month for 500MB, with speeds capped at 128 Kbit/s for both downloads and uploads. If you’re after faster data, a speed of 1 Mbit/s will set you back 24,95€ per month, and that comes with a 1GB data limit. I find these prices and speed restrictions unreasonable, which is why I decided against buying the cellular version of the Apple Watch.
While writing this blog post, I also checked out Vodafone’s offerings and discovered their OneNumber service. This allows you to share your existing data plan across up to 9 devices using eSIM technology for an additional 5€ per month. This offer seems much more attractive and cost-effective. Had I been aware of this service, I might have considered purchasing the cellular version of the Apple Watch.
When it comes to customizing the face of your Apple Watch, there are numerous choices available. You can select from different styles, and further personalize them by altering the dominant color of the face or changing the complications to display the information you wish to see. Unfortunately, while you can add a third-party band to your Apple Watch, there is no option for third-party faces; you are confined to the designs offered by Apple.
Out of all the available designs, I chose the Modular Duo because I wanted a face that offers substantial functionality. At the top, I can see the temperature, the date, and the time. Tapping on the date brings up the Calendar app. In the middle, there is a display of my Activity Rings progress. At the bottom, I have the precipitation forecast for the upcoming hours, a shortcut to the Workout app for quick access to starting exercises, and the Home app to swiftly manage my smart home setup.
I’m keen on customizing my Apple Watch face as much as possible. There were other faces I really liked and wanted to use, but they lacked certain functionalities, such as not showing the date, and it wasn’t possible to add that data to those faces. This led me to decide against using them. Additionally, I believe Apple should eventually permit developers to create their own Apple Watch Faces. That would open up a realm of new and inventive designs.
One aspect of the Apple Watch that I appreciate is the compatibility of the bands across different models. No matter which version of the watch you have, the bands remain interchangeable. This is quite different from Apple’s approach to iPhone cases, where a new iPhone model often means your old cases won’t fit. Therefore, the ability to use the Apple Watch band you bought five years ago with the latest Apple Watch model is truly impressive.
There’s a wide selection of bands available for the Apple Watch. I mostly use the Sport Loop that I purchased with my watch. It’s extremely comfortable, especially compared to the Sport Band. Additionally, I bought an Ocean Band for swimming, as the Sport Loop tends to stay wet after being submerged. One downside to the bands is the price—they can be quite costly. I would love to buy the Braided Solo Loop because it looks fantastic, but shelling out 99€ for a band doesn’t seem justifiable, particularly when I already own three bands. The only way I can rationalize such a purchase is if I plan to wear the Apple Watch for years, and if Apple doesn’t alter the strap design on future models, allowing me to continue using the same band.
Of course, there are numerous third-party bands that come at a lower price than Apple’s offerings. However, the uncertainty around the materials used and whether they have been tested against elements like sweat makes me hesitant. Wearing something untested for almost the entire day isn’t something I’m comfortable with.
I’ve been using my Apple Watch for over three months now, and I can confidently say that I’m pleased with my purchase. The Apple Watch has significantly changed my lifestyle by motivating me to be more active. As someone who spends most of his day sitting at a desk, I’ve started to dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to exercise, burn a minimum of 400 kcal, and stand up 12 times. I’m committed to closing my rings every day and aim to continue doing so throughout 2024.
Regarding price-to-performance ratio, I feel the Apple Watch Series 9 is priced higher than what it offers, and for many people, the Apple Watch SE may be sufficient. Comparing the two, I notice these differences:
The key difference for me is the blood oxygen sensor, and I believe that the temperature sensing feature may also utilize this sensor. I could potentially forego the other features to save 170€ on the Apple Watch SE, but the blood oxygen sensor provides insights into areas such as Cardio Fitness level, which interests me. Therefore, I am satisfied with my choice of the Apple Watch Series 9.
One last point I’d like to discuss in this review is the concept of insurance. Becoming more active can reduce the likelihood of future health issues, which, in turn, means lower costs for your health insurance company. For this reason, I believe insurance companies should offer discounts on Apple Watches or other smartwatches. Some insurance companies in the US already provide free Apple Watches to their clients.
My insurer in Germany, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), incentivizes an active lifestyle. Through their app, TK-Fit, you allow TK to track your steps and cycling distance. For 12 weeks, you aim for 60.000 steps or cycling 40 km a week, or a combination of both. After completing the challenge, you earn 1.000 points and receive vouchers from Garmin or Urban Sports Club. Points can be turned into 10€ cash or 20€ TK health dividend, which can be put towards fitness trackers like an Apple Watch.
You can take the 12-week challenge up to 2 times a year, accumulating up to 40€ in dividends. There are other ways to earn points, such as participating in sports events, taking health courses, or having check-ups. In total, you can earn up to 400€ in health dividends, potentially covering the cost of a new Apple Watch. I hope more insurance companies will adopt similar programs to encourage physical activity. However, I wish they would provide greater rewards for maintaining an active lifestyle compared to TK’s offering (60,000 steps a week for 12 weeks for just 20€ seems a bit low, in my opinion).
2023-11-05 22:52:00
Since my move to Germany, I’ve been using green energy from Greenpeace Energy, which later became Green Planet Energy. I knew I was paying more than the average due to this choice, but I didn’t anticipate the annual price increases.
Germany boasts one of the world’s highest electricity prices, which escalated further after the Russian-Ukraine war. Even as a green energy user, I was affected because of the complex electricity market structure, and my bills continued to climb.
When I reviewed my past electricity consumption and payments to Greenpeace Energy, I created this table:
| Year | Consumption per Month | Price per kWh | Base Price | Monthly Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 102 kWh | 28,50 ct/kWh | 8,90€ | 37,92€ |
| 2020 | 100 kWh | 29,42 ct/kWh | 8,79€ | 38,22€ |
| 2021 | 121 kWh | 29,80 ct/kWh | 8,90€ | 45,03€ |
| 2022 | 115 kWh | 28,68 ct/kWh | 8,90€ | 43,48€ |
| 2023 (until August) | 100 kWh | 40,90 ct/kWh | 13,90€ | 53,51€ |
As you can see, my electricity bills increased over the years in line with my consumption. The main reason for the rise in consumption was my shift to working from home and cooking at home. My work setup, which includes a MacBook Pro and two monitors, consumes about 70 Wh. I work for approximately 8 hours a day, resulting in roughly 0,56 kWh per day, or 11 kWh per month.
After the war, the German government ensured that electricity prices for private consumers wouldn’t increase dramatically in 2022 by reducing some taxes. Consequently, I paid less per kWh, and I also began reducing my electricity consumption. I even stopped baking Neapolitan pizza at home by avoiding preheating the oven for 45 minutes at 245°C beforehand. 🥲
However, when the high inflation rate hit the entire country, my electricity provider sent me a new contract that shocked me. I was facing a monthly bill of 56€, compared to 37€ in 2019. This represented a 51% increase in my electricity costs, prompting me to explore alternatives.
In Germany, there’s a significant movement known as Balkonkraftwerk. It involves people buying solar panels and placing them on their balconies, with the German government offering subsidies for this initiative. I considered this option but didn’t have a balcony. That’s when a friend introduced me to a company called Tibber.
Tibber is an electricity provider that offers dynamic pricing. To access this, you need to purchase a device that connects to your electricity meter and the internet, allowing real-time tracking of your electricity usage. (You can also change your electricity meter to the smary one, but that might take months) Their app also provides real-time usage information. Given that they use green energy, I decided to give it a try.
I ordered the device and switched my electricity provider to Tibber. After a month, in September, I was pleasantly surprised to see my electricity bill decrease significantly to 38€, which amounted to a 30% reduction. The breakdown for September is as follows:
| Month | Consumption per Month | Price per kWh | Base Price | Monthly Bill |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | 82 kWh | 30,97 ct/kWh | 12,02€ | 37,54€ |
Of course, multiple factors contributed to my reduced electricity bills, which I’ll detail below.
Installing Tibber Plus on my electricity meter enabled me to monitor my electricity usage in real time. This was a significant improvement over waiting for a bill from my electricity provider to find out how much I’d used.
With real-time data at my fingertips, I began identifying devices that were consuming electricity unnecessarily. By walking around my apartment, I unplugged devices I wasn’t actively using, such as my air purifier, gaming PC, and certain kitchen appliances. Each time I unplugged a device, I observed a decrease in the real-time chart on the app. To gain more insights, I used another device that allowed me to measure the real-time usage of specific appliances. This helped me understand how much electricity each device consumed.
In total, I managed to reduce my idle electricity usage to around 25 W. It’s important to note that this figure doesn’t include the electricity used by my fridge, which turns on for about 10 minutes every hour and consumes approximately 100 W. The 25 W figure includes the electricity usage of my router, my Apple TV in idle mode (as I use it as my smart home hub), and all other devices (like smart plugs, etc.) that are plugged in but not actively in use.
You might wonder if saving 10W by unplugging a device is worth the effort. However, it’s essential to consider that the device consumes electricity 24/7. By reducing your idle electricity usage by 10W, you can save 7.2 kWh per month. If you’re paying 30 ct/kWh, this translates to a monthly savings of 2,16€.
Every day at 1:30 PM, Tibber shares the hourly electricity prices for the following day. Armed with real-time electricity usage data, I knew which devices were consuming how much electricity. For instance, I realized that using my electric water heater during a time of lower electricity prices was more cost-effective. Similarly, I adjusted my cooking schedule to align with times of lower electricity prices.
I shifted my shower time to midday, avoiding the evening when electricity prices were higher. Given my work-from-home situation, I started cooking lunch at home, which coincided with lower electricity prices. I also planned my laundry and e-bike charging for specific days; charging the battery of my e-bike on Sunday, doing my laundry on Saturday, because noise concerns during the quiet hours on Sunday in Germany.
While it might seem like a bit of extra work to monitor electricity prices and adjust your activities accordingly, after a while, it became second nature. I no longer needed to check the electricity price because I knew when it was more economical to do my laundry, charge my e-bike, or take a shower.
In conclusion, as someone who enjoys optimizing processes, I found this journey quite satisfying. I gained valuable insights into my electricity usage and learned how to reduce it. Instead of leaving money on the table, it’s always better to save some money. If I had stuck with my previous electricity provider, I would have been paying more, even though the electricity cost them less. With Tibber, I benefit from dynamic electricity pricing.
It’s worth noting that while electricity prices may rise again, Tibber caps the electricity price, providing a level of security. I don’t anticipate significant increases in electricity prices in the next few years and expect that the transition to green energy will ultimately lead to lower prices.
If you’re living in Germany and are interested in trying Tibber, you can use my referral code, “27eodnye,” or follow this link to receive a 50€ discount on your Tibber Plus device. This way, you can pay 50€ instead of 100€. While it may seem like a substantial investment, you’ll recoup these savings in just a few months.
While there may be other electricity providers that offer dynamic pricing, I can’t provide any insights on them since I haven’t explored those options. My main goal is to share my personal experience with Tibber and how it played a pivotal role in reducing my electricity bill by 30%.
2022-08-07 20:45:00
I received my permanent resident permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) last month, and since I have many friends and colleagues who are going to apply for the permanent resident permit (or the settlement permit) in Germany, I thought it would be helpful to write down the application process. I should mention that I had a Blue Card before, so the application process that I will explain here is mostly relevant to the people who have a Blue Card.
If you have a Blue Card, you can apply for the permanent resident permit in Germany after 21 months with B1 level German or after 33 months with A1 level German. I applied after 33 months. There are a few important things here: first, during those 33 months period, you should have paid for your health insurance and pension. Otherwise, you can’t apply. You also have to finish your probation period at the company that you work. Let’s say you worked at the same company for 33 months, and then you decided to switch your company. At that point, you can’t apply for the settlement permit until you finish your probation period, and that’s probably around 6 months. Once you finish your probation period, you can apply for it.
Nowadays, the immigration office in the big cities are super busy. If you want to get your settlement permit as soon as possible, I suggest you to try to make an appointment 6 months prior completing your 33 months in the country. When I made an appointment in January, they gave me a date in June.
As far as I know, there is no online appointment service in both Hamburg and Berlin. You need to send an email or call to make an appointment but fortunately, for highly skilled professionals in both cities, there is a different immigration office. That makes the process faster comparing to the normal immigration offices.
To make an appointment in Hamburg, you have to email [email protected]. In Berlin, you need to contact with LEA, Zum Business Immigration Service (BIS).
I don’t know the exact process after you make an appointment in Berlin, but in Hamburg, they send you a confirmation email that includes all the necessary information. They also ask you to upload all of your papers into their system one month before your appointment, so they can check your papers and inform you if there is something missing or wrong.
This is the most important part. It is time to collect your papers for your application. In my case, I was able to collect all the papers online. You can get the full list of the required paper from here for Hamburg and from here for Berlin.
I’m insured with Techniker Krankenkasse. I guess they are the most popular insurance company between the expats in Germany. You can simply visit their website and login with your account details. Afterwards, you visit Bescheinigungen (Certificates) page and then click Allgemeine Versicherungsbescheinigung herunterladen (Download general insurance certificate) to download your insurance certificate as PDF. The certificate will include the start date of your insurance. Make sure that 33 months (or 21 months) passed from that date. (My certificate was in English.)
If you ask your doctor to write you a prescription via email, sometimes they might reply that they can’t do that without seeing your insurance card. At that point, you can simply attach your certificate to your mail to prove that you are still insured.
This one is a little tricky. Normally, you visit Deutsche Rentenversicherung’s website and request your pension payments history. Afterwards, they send you a letter. But, this is not the only way to get your pension history.
There is an official app called AusweisApp2. With this app, you can access to many services from the state by using your ID card (in your case, with your Blue Card).
After downloading the app, you can simply visit this website on your smartphone. If you are using this service, you will need to register (Erstmaliges Registrieren). After your registration is done, you can log in (Anmelden für registrierte Nutzer) on the same page. When you click the login button, the page will open AusweisApp2 app. The app will ask you to bring your Blue Card to the back top of your mobile device. Inside your card, there is an NFC chip and by putting your card in the back top of your mobile device, you read the data inside the chip. After scanning your card, the app will ask you a PIN number. This is the PIN number that you received when you applied for your Blue Card.
After the authentication process, you can download your pension payment history. For my case, it was just a single page PDF file. There weren’t many things on the page. On top of the page, there were a few lines of text and a small section that shows how much I paid between some specific dates.
This is a paper that you will need to get from your employer. On the paper that I received from my employer, there was my hiring date, job title, my employment type (full-time), how many hours per week I work and my yearly salary. The paper was in English.
If you are applying after 33 months, that means you already received two income tax certificates (Lohnsteuerbescheinigung) from your employer. That’s the paper that shows how much you earned in a specific year and how much taxes you paid. To cover the first 24 months, you will need those two papers. For the remaining nine months, you will need your payslips that you received from your employer. So in the end, you will probably have eleven papers to prove your income in the last 33 months.
This one is a controversial topic. According to the law, you have to have sufficient German language skills to apply for the settlement permit. I already had a certificate to prove my A1 level German, but it wasn’t from a recognized institute like telc or Goethe. It was from a language school in Turkey. I didn’t have an issue during my application process, but when I was there, I had to speak in German. When they say that you need to have sufficient German skills, it means you have to have sufficient German to have a conversation with the person at the immigration office. If you’re able to have a brief conversation with the person there, you may not even need the certificate. I know a few people who got their permanent resident permit without a certificate, but they’re able to have a short conversation. At the end, it depends on the person that you are going to talk at the immigration office.
If you want to be safe, I recommend you to get a certificate to prove your German level, since it is super hard to take an appointment. I believe that you will need a certificate from a recognized institute if you are applying after 21 months.
In Hamburg, when you are applying for the settlement permit, you need to fill in a form. You can download the form on the website of Welcome Center.
In Berlin, seems like you don’t need to fill in a form.
This is the contract between you and your landlord. Information like the size of your flat and how much you pay each month are needed.
This wasn’t required in Hamburg, but seems like in Berlin, you need to bring your certificate of registration at the main residence (Meldebestätigung). This is the paper that you received when you registered your address.
As you can guess, you will need your passport, your Blue Card along with the Zusatzblatt (your working permit, the green paper) and 1 biometric photo. You will also need to pay 113€ for your application. (If you are a Turkish citizen, you pay 37€). It is better to bring the money in cash to be safe. In the most of the government offices, they don’t accept credit cards.
I should also mention that after the application, I got all my papers back.
Please check the website of your state before your application, the things that I mentioned here might be changed.
Good luck with your application!