Many EU countries have a “VAT” and like feel like this is kinda targeting poor people. Like, for the rich, this is insignificant, for poorer people, a (example) 20% tax would be a huge burden. Why do they do this?

🤔

    • boonhet@lemm.ee
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      27 days ago

      Someone wanna tell me one of those countries with reduced VAT for children’s clothing or bread?

      We get reduced VAT on hotel stays and medicine only. Bread, children’s clothing (or more importantly if you need to use it, milk formula, which is going to cost you more) are all full VAT. Estonian here.

        • boonhet@lemm.ee
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          26 days ago

          Ah fair enough, not sure the reduced VAT for bread of children’s clothing is going to matter much compared to the insane 1000+ euro kindergarten fees per kid monthly (in the Netherlands). Some of the rest might be nice places to live though.

          • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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            26 days ago

            I don’t know where in the Netherlands you are, but kindergarten is free. I happen to live in the Netherlands. You’re going to get costs such as pens and paper for your kid. But there’s no fees.

            • boonhet@lemm.ee
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              26 days ago

              I’m not, but I looked into the CoL as it’s the highest paying country in the EU for software engineers. Maybe it was just the it private ones that are paid and I was looking at those implicitly because I was looking at international ones where it wouldn’t be expected for kids to speak Dutch at home already

                • boonhet@lemm.ee
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                  24 days ago

                  That is… An interesting way to run things.

                  I might have to look into the Netherlands a bit deeper. I know there’s a tax discount for the first 5 or something years so depending on how the job market is for backend devs there right now, it could be pretty good.

                  • Boomkop3@reddthat.com
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                    24 days ago

                    If you get yourself a job offer (not a vacancy) you can get yourself a staying permit. Getting into a school is an option too.

                    Tip: go trough Frankfurt airport in Germany. Much less paperwork and explaining to do there. Then take an ice train (inter continental express) to the Netherlands. No border checks :p