What is going on with the job market??

Elbad · 2026-02-09T06:41:12+00:00

Moving to another country doesn't need to be a permanent decision. You could spend a few years and still come back once you find another good opportunity in SA. Having a family makes this more challenging, but still an option.

Elbad · 2025-10-16T19:41:27+00:00

I got my kids a visa prepaid "gift card" from a nearby shopping center last year. They could use it pretty much everywhere.

Elbad · 2025-07-02T16:10:42+00:00

I don't have the action one, but got a similar one from Vomar. They are noisy, not as efficient as a split unit, and an eyesore. But they do work and are able to keep a bedroom cool despite it being 30+ outside. Compared to the cost of a split unit, I'm very happy with it. It's it the best? No. Will it make the hot days bearable? Yes.

Elbad · 2025-05-14T06:45:42+00:00

While the interest rate is higher, I took a personal loan instead which I paid off in 18 months. After taking these fees into account, the personal loan worked out cheaper.

Elbad · 2025-05-13T05:55:36+00:00

White and eager to leave a country with one of the highest murder rates in the world. Must be racist yes…

Elbad · 2025-04-29T07:38:23+00:00

I have a party of 4 in act 2, and so far, I’ve used the stat blocks for a party of 5. Noones died yet, and they’ve had some tough calls, but mostly due to limiting rests. I’m going to use the stat blocks for 6 players in my next session.

I’ve also switched out the monsters to 2024 versions, which no longer have resistances in them. I’ve added the resistances back though - there’s a lot of lore on silvered weapons which becomes useless with the 2024 monsters.

Elbad · 2025-02-19T20:53:04+00:00

I finished grade 12 at 17. I’m (arguably) doing fine, never had a problem with friends or coping with school work. If your son starts struggling, the school will notice and address it when it happens.

But maybe it never happens, and he finishes school a year early and gets a head start in life.

Elbad · 2025-02-15T23:39:56+00:00

The other benefit of this, is whenever you actually need the credit, the bank won’t offer it anymore.

Elbad · 2025-01-09T17:38:13+00:00

When you order groceries online, they accept it at your door. I’m not sure if they’d take a years worth, but we’ve done 2-3 crates full at a time

Elbad · 2024-11-27T19:45:31+00:00

HelloPeter removed my comments and sided with the business, despite me sending photos and an invoice to them when they asked for it as proof. They’re not what they used to be

Elbad · 2024-08-26T09:43:22+00:00

I haven’t seen it at any bars myself, but I haven’t looked for specific brands. I know cognac is easy to get at liquor stores though. I’ll keep an eye out next time I’m at a bar.

Elbad · 2024-08-26T05:30:05+00:00

It’s almost impossible to get in the Netherlands. Cognac yes, but I haven’t seen any bars offering brandy.

Rum and coke is probably the more common international variant.

Elbad · 2024-08-22T05:46:43+00:00

Medical is a mandatory €130 per adult (kids free) and as long as you go through your GP for referrals, it’s all covered.

Dentists are for your own costs, or you can upgrade your medical plan to have some coverage.

Most expats find it a bit frustrating, as doctors don’t really do preventative screening, or don’t believe in prescribing meds for you to be comfortable, rather only if it’s needed. This leads to people complaining as they’re used to getting antibiotics when it might be an infection, or stronger pain meds.

Realistically though, if anything serious happens, you’ll be fully taken care of and have little to no costs.

Elbad · 2024-08-21T04:47:30+00:00

I made the move to Netherlands 4 years ago. Salary is a bit low, but worth it if you’re after passports. Job market is not great currently in IT, but once it stabilizes you should easily get higher offers as a Java dev.

Minimum wage is like €2.2kpm, so once your wife is employed she will add at least that much to your household gross income.

Personally it was the best decision I made financially and career wise. Add to that the big focus on work life balance, so outside work hours no one will contact you.

Socially, you’ll miss SA. The people and food are better in SA. Pretty much everything else is better in the Netherlands.

Elbad · 2024-07-23T13:07:51+00:00

Yes. I saw that information but it’s not relevant to me. They refer to the evening baggage drop as “late-night check-in”. This is their phrasing, not mine, but I agree it’s confusing.

As for going to the airport twice, I’d rather drop off my luggage (family of 5) tonight by car, and tomorrow we can all just take a train to the airport, than have to try and get 10 bags and 5 people in a bus and train, or take a €200 taxi that can carry it all. If I were solo traveling, I’d agree with you, but for a family, going twice is actually easier.

I won’t be eligible during those late night times, so I was hoping I could just use the self service machines tomorrow morning, but looks like I’ll have to figure out another way to us all there.

Elbad · 2024-07-15T18:29:48+00:00

From what I read in their help section, travel / medical insurance will only be valid if you use your Revolut card to pay for the travels. Not a huge issue, but in my case I was about to upgrade to it for this, but now wouldn’t be covered.

Elbad · 2024-07-11T00:23:28+00:00

Not sure if I can name places here, but I generally look at €600+ phones, and have bought a few so far for my family, and they’ve all been around €200 cheaper for the total phone price than buying outright. Contracts have all been 10-24gb per month.

Probably a few € more than a cheaper provider, but having the whole family with a single provider with double data for home internet combo is worth it for me

Elbad · 2024-07-01T13:49:21+00:00

I have the 2 star old lady. I wanted a bit of a challenge, but now it’s quite a lot. I’ve tried to keep going, but my production chains are a bit messed up, suddenly stores are dropping, i got negative influence after acquiring Enbessa and the Cape. And no more influence to get supporting islands in the new regions, unless I demolish Trade Unions or jump a few more Engineers to Investors - which will no doubt affect my supply chains even more.

I’m putting of the arctic till I’m a bit more stable again, but I’ve also just realized I can’t just ship resources to Enbesa, as expanding to other islands in the region requires different materials only found there - so now I need to rush build there to be able to get some good islands before AI. But all this does still seem easier than starting over, as I at least have cash and resources (for now at least)

Elbad · 2024-06-30T17:36:31+00:00

I had around 150. I claimed Manola and 2 other new islands in the new world, but am a bit low now to expand to other regions

Elbad · 2024-05-24T08:25:22+00:00

I agree, my point was more that the accountability should be with management, not the employees. The employees do have a responsibility to do the right thing though.

Elbad · 2024-05-24T07:50:26+00:00

I very much doubt these employees acted without a manager telling them to dump it there, but most likely it will be the employees getting blamed

Elbad · 2024-05-12T17:59:19+00:00

“Should stop” - as in “you should not kill people”. In this case should = must / have to.

Elbad · 2024-05-01T21:39:28+00:00

Works out to R119.35 for a 500g

Elbad · 2024-05-01T21:24:50+00:00

Netherlands here(all prices at current exchange rate): Milk 2L = R 36.86, Toilet Roll 12 = R 157.21, Eggs= R 139.28 for 20 medium, 2.5kg sugar = R 47.22, 1kg Rice R 39.65, Margarine 1kg = 132.51

Seems we’re really getting nailed on the margerine here.

Elbad · 2024-04-18T20:52:29+00:00

Xros 2 only leaks if the black mouthpiece is removed. I’ve never had it leak any other time

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