Friday, November 09, 2007

Good mood bad mood

Looking out the windows, these are the scenery we are seeing everyday. One of the advantages of living in an apartment is that you can see things from very high perspective, this time I think see the frees instead of only seeing the bough. Sometimes we see a squirrel resting somewhere, a bird standing and looking area, the leaves waving and dancing... it really make my day and upraise my mood.




But, these moments could be interrupted when you are seeing the amount of taxes you have to pay. Remember I was saying that we got tax exemption since we got married in the middle of the year? Well, actually hubby has to pay his income tax for the day before the wedding, and we just received the "tax d'habitation", something I have never seen in USA or Malaysia. Basically if you live in an apartment or house on 1 January on that particular year, you need to pay "tax of staying" there. And if you are the owner of the propriety, you need to pay the property tax on top of the staying tax. The French government just know to get tax from everywhere.

My mood was totally broken down when I see that we have to pay almost 1k euros for taxes. Sorry, in France you seldom get year end bonuses, so don't hope to use that for taxes. I really don't know how the French can survive in the land of taxes, they don't earn much and they need to pay variety of taxes. The pay slip has like 20 items there where they legally subtract from your salary.

Another thing, by having a TV, we have to pay 116 euros a year. You pay this so that when you watch the public TV channels you won't get any advertisement.

I'm feeling poor in France.

6 comments:

  1. Anonymous2:06 AM

    wah .. so many taxes ah? like that ow to live la? but still they're like more than average malaysians right?

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  2. No, you know by what I said about socialist country.
    The government took away your money first then they say you have free health care !
    Nothing is free in this world lah. The Chinese is smart, they said "Wool comes from sheep.".
    That is why I like American tax system. We have the lowest tax system here compare to the rest of the world.
    We don't have "FREE" health care.

    I overheard a conversation in the bookstore cafe here. One lady was talking to another that she said she free sorry for the Bristish and French where she was there (apparently she must be study something to do with international law or something related to international cos from the conversation, she always travel to different part of the world), she said after tax, those people don't have much left...

    Remember when we first met on the internet, you said your in law does not think people need any savings because government pay for everything ?

    Yes, government take your hard earn money first then they turn around say you have everything free but in the first place in fact you are the one who pay for your health care.

    I pray day and night , Hilary Clinton will not win the election, if she does, chiam, she want to implement so call "Free" health care, then our tax will be like European, high high high !

    I prefer low tax and I 'che ka' (sendiri) find my own health insurance.

    I am very sensitive about my money, especially government body who takes my money to distribute to lazy people who do not want to work whereas I work my butts out.

    Jamy

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  3. Anonymous4:48 AM

    autumn...leaves yellowish...a lot of withering trees... and night longer than day ---> really makes one feels very down. haha.

    and taxes!! last mth i got to pay so much for my tax...first time in my life thanks to the uk allowance (ended up not earning much pun).

    now trying to see how i can minimize the damage :(

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  4. Hi there Bee An,

    I am yet another "Malaysian in France" and a very new blogger. I found your blog by chance when I googled for Malaysians living in France and was inspired to start my own blog about my own experiences here(need a lot of motivation though to get past my first post!). Anyway, like you, I am also married to a Frenchman and we have been living living in Grenoble for the past 2 years. I read about your many reactions about life here and felt excited to eventually share my sentiments with you and others in similar position! Often, I feel as though I am alone with my frustations and disappointments of the 'different' life I am facing here, but now I know there are others out there! Don't get me wrong... it's not all bad as there are also good and even great points about living in France! But I guess, people who are not 'living' here nor is living with a French, will find it odd to hear of the not so positive comments I make and may be making about France and the French! As you know, the world tend to have this very romantic fantasy about this country!! And I am here, not to defame (!) but to paint a more realistic picture!

    Oh yes...tell about those taxes :( It's ridiculous! And you seem to have the same thought as me about them not earning a lot considering the cost of living here. I keep on pointing out to my husband about this aspect and that in Malaysia I think people are earning more! And live more comfortably! But he can't seem to accept this fact! And don't you think it's frustrating that they dubb a lot of their tv programs?? Well, at least now, SOME programs are available in VO (Version Originale) IF you have cable! Talk about ANTI-globalisation...that's one of the first thing I learned about the French!

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  5. cibol,
    Yes the GDP in France is higher than in Malaysia. You can have extremely poor Malaysians, with 5-6 kids living in a rental house, and non of them will have money to further their studies after high school. In France the poor have minimum sources of income and minimum rights: right for free education, free healthcare... of course like Jamy said these are not actually free services, it's just a redistribution of wealth, some people pay more to support those who are poor...

    Jamy,
    I understand where you are coming from. I'm still young to experience the benefits of a socialist country. Just that the French like the system very much. They can not imagine to have to pay for their health care event hough the tax will be lower like in the USA. They had fought for it and I don't know think they will let go easily. At my age, the capitalist system is better. But, sometimes I think about when I have kids, or sick or approaching to retirement, I might chance my mind as that would be the time I "receive" substantially return from what I would have paid.

    The French mentality is very different. That day we were saying that monopoly is bad and we are happy that the government is opening up the market. The French said that actually they prefer to just have one choice. For example we criticized the train service here is very expensive due to monopoly, but they thought that in England is even worst bcos there are so many choices that they have to take time to evaluate and find out the connection from different companies, while in France just go to one company and have all the links automatically.

    This strikes me that why they like the current system. Basically, they pay now and the government will take care of everything. They don't want to take time to plan and invest for their retirement, buy which health insurance, save money for their kids' education. Those are too complicated. :-)

    Hi me tell,
    Cool to know another Malaysian in France. I will reply your comment in your blog. :-)

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  6. BE,

    If you plan well at young age, it would be much better off at retirement at a capitalist country.


    You can retired in a golf community :), play golf and travel at your heart content. And if you are very sick when you are very old, you can live in a high end specialist nursing home where you have the best health care. It all boils down to $. Don't be fool by what socialism can offer.

    Work hard and earn as much money as you can when you are young, plan for your old age.

    Read my latest post on Socialism and Sweden. I wanted to spread awareness of socialism is bad, gold is good :). I am anti-socialism, anti-communism, pro-free market, pro-investment, pro- business and pro-freedom, he he he he.

    Jamy

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