Found this flyer in my post box today in favour of the neutrality initiative, with what looks to be John Lennon on it. It's not the first flyer about the initiative I get, but definitely the first of this kind. Is it even legal to just print a famous person on political material like this? To me, this implies that the person supports the cause (difficult in this case...).

Previously I got another one in the form of a newspaper, this time implying (IMO) that the contents of the flyer are to be trusted as you would a newspaper...

In any case, I find it despicable how some of these flyers are marketed.

This might trigger a few people, but every time I want to sell something in Switzerland, I feel frustrated using Ricardo, Tutti, or AutoScout24, especially after getting used to platforms like eBay and Kleinanzeigen. I recently heard they are all part of the SMG Marketplace Mafia.

I especially hate the user interfaces of Tutti and Ricardo. I can’t find all the filter settings I need, particularly when searching for cars. I can only ask questions in a public chat instead of contacting the seller directly. Like, what? This makes absolutely no sense. I still haven’t found an easy way to contact a seller, and I hate it so much.

When you want to sell something, you’re also limited by the number of photos and videos you can upload, especially in the app. On top of that, the commission for each sold item is between 8% and 12%, up to CHF 390. Like, WTF? That’s insanely expensive.

There also doesn’t seem to be much real interest in buying used items. For example, I sold a set of almost new summer wheels for my car for CHF 90, even though I believe they’re worth more than CHF 200.

Why hasn’t anyone created an exact copy of Kleinanzeigen or Craigslist? Is it just me, or are Swiss people simply not bothered by this?

Yesterday I took the train from Geneva to St. Gallen and noticed that there were more 1st class coaches than 2nd class.
I was a bit surprised, especially since it was a Saturday. I would have thought that 2nd class is much more used on weekends and that so many 1st class coaches are not really needed.
Does anyone know why SBB does this? Is there a reason for it or was it just this train?
Just curious because I found it a bit strange.

A friend was formally assigned by RAV to apply for a job. They got an interview, but the verbal offer was vague: salary wasn't clearly stated but was said to be below average for the field, some training to be handled informally by the employer (I'm guessing Einarbeitungszuschüsse, but they don't actually need it, they have enough knowledge and experience). I'd rather keep other details vague on purpose.

They have a bad feeling and don't want to proceed, but worry about sanctions since it was assigned by RAV.

Does a verbal offer with no signed contract still count as a formal offer?
Does below-average pay affect whether the job counts as "suitable"?
What actually counts as a valid reason to decline?
Better to talk with the RAV counselor before declining, rather than after?

Would appreciate any first-hand experience with this, thanks!

Hi everyone,

I was wondering if any non-EU citizens here have experience with RAV and renewing/extending their residence permit after their PhD or postdoc ended.

I completed my PhD at ETH Zurich (4 years) and have since been working as a postdoc in Zurich for almost 2 years. My contract will end in about two months, and I have been registered with RAV since July, around four months before my contract ends, while looking for a new job.

My current B permit states “Ausbildung mit Erwerbstätigkeit.” I also have a dependent wife and a 9-month-old child.

Has anyone been in a similar situation and successfully extended their B permit while receiving RAV benefits? I would especially appreciate experiences with the Zurich immigration office (Migrationsamt).

Thanks in advance!

Yesterday, while grocery shopping at Migros, I noticed beef priced at CHF 105 per kg, with the organic option at CHF 129 per kg.

I know Switzerland has always been expensive, but this really made me wonder where prices are heading.

What I find particularly interesting is the combination of a very strong Swiss franc and rising prices within Switzerland. I earn most of my income internationally through smartphone apps and other software. My sales and advertising impressions have remained relatively stable, but because of the stronger franc, the same international revenue translates into fewer CHF.

At the same time, many of our expenses here in Switzerland have increased.

We’re fortunate to have a good income, so this isn’t about whether I personally can afford the beef. I’m more interested in the bigger picture: what does this development mean for households on average salaries, pensioners and young families?

And I’m genuinely curious about the economics behind these prices. How does beef at a mainstream Swiss supermarket end up costing CHF 105–129 per kilogram?

Is it mainly agricultural policy and import restrictions, Swiss wages, production costs, regulation, logistics, retail margins, or something else?

I’d be especially interested to hear from anyone who works in Swiss agriculture, food retail or economics.

Are you seeing a noticeable decline in your purchasing power as well?

Hey everyone,

I live in Opfikon and have both a ZVV BonusPass (covering all zones in Canton Zurich) and a Halbtax loaded onto my SwissPass.

When I look up a ticket to a destination outside the canton (e.g., to Bern) in the SBB app, it applies my Halbtax discount (slashing the price in half), but it doesn't seem to recognize that my ZVV pass already covers the entire Zurich leg of the trip. It just prices the whole journey from Opfikon onwards at 50% off.

I know EasyRide solves this automatically, but if I want to buy a fixed ticket ahead of time, is there a way to make the SBB app properly deduct the ZVV portion while keeping the Halbtax for the rest? Or are manual connecting tickets from the border station the only workaround for fixed tickets?

Thanks for any insights!

I understand you are upgrading at home and want to see if people around the neighborhood wants to “adopt” your old stuff. So instead of paying money at a recycler paradise to dispose of your items, you give it the ol’ gratis sign and leave it outside.

People don’t understand that literal trash is not somebody else’s treasure. Pans scratched to shit, broken plates, chairs missing like 2 legs. Like wtf?

Dispose of your trash the right way. Nobody wants it sitting outside for weeks. Dogs piss on it. The rain makes it rot. It stinks.

And no, the big ass broken furniture outside doesn’t even have the sticker on, I checked.

And an extra fuck you energy tip: whoever throws plastic bags in the compost green container, fuck you, sincerely, the worms.

Right, so I am currently on RAV, and basically the advisor really just checks that I have applied the min. number of jobs per month and thats it. Aren't they supposed to... advise?

I dont really speak German, so maybe thats why? Or could it be because I work in a highly technical field?

I asked if they can offer a language course, and they said no. And since I dont speak German they cant really offer me any classes in general.

Have you ever had any actual benefit from these advisors? Or they only exist to police your efforts of finding a job?

Hi everyone,

I’m a Swiss resident and was recently involved in a traffic accident in the Netherlands. The other driver was reportedly heavily intoxicated and crashed into the rear of our vehicle at significantly higher speed.

I’m now looking for a lawyer who specializes in Dutch road traffic law and personal injury claims, ideally someone who can also communicate in German or English.

I know this is happening in more and more countries, but seems it happens now in Switzerland. Someone else facing this?

Are there implementing it on one shot everywhere? It's cause I'm too close to the border and want to catch the fronteliers (joke)?

Are we supposed to deal with it? If so I might totally stop using reddit...

Well, I really hesitated to write this post because l've seen how people are really against the initiative around here and I do get why but I don't want to get ripped apart just for asking a question.

I just want to understand or know one thing that is a bit different from the direct aim of the initiative though.

What are your positions or thoughts about the sanctions we could give to Russia and not to US for example?

Or do you think we do give sanctions equally?

I am not trying to defend the initiative, but I have to admit that I would have voted yes at first because of this exact question and that's also why I want to know how people sees it.

I just wish for a constructive conversation.

I am from a Scandinavian country, now living in Zürich and I continue to be flabbergasted by how complicated, disgusting, time-consuming and most of all, expensive it is to get rid of household garbage...! I live in a WG that recycles everything, and I must say it feels like a part-time job. I have to walk fifteen minutes to dispose plastic waste, then there is the cardboard and paper that has to be separated, and tied with a string as if it is a Christmas present, and the very worst part, organic waste!! Where I come from, we get bags for organic waste for free by the government. You put them in a bin in the kitchen, not on your balcony or your window sill, the bags won't start de-composing because they are made of thick plastic and it never gets gross or smelly. Then there are the Züri bags, which cost a fortune so instead of taking the trash out whenever it feels necessary, they get filled to the brim even if it started to smell when it was half-full. Since neither myself or my flatmates have a lot of money, nobody wants to spend a lot of money on extra bags. I don't understand why Switzerland do it this way, surely they have enough money to create a better system that is not outsourced to private corporations, to make it a less smelly and fly-infested experience for those of us that cannot afford to spend 50 chf a month on Züri-bags. How do Swiss people feel about this?? Do you all think it's great to have to pay so much (with money, labor and time) for getting rid of an indispensable part of being alive?

EDIT: I do not spend 50 bucks on Züri-bags a month and I do recycle everything. I meant that if I wanted to dispose of the bag as often as wanted, I would end up spending way too much money on them.

Hello,

I recently left my job at my hometown and moved to switzerland. I am an engineer in data and am currently looking for work. The system of job hunting here is new for me and all I am doing is applying on linkedin and indeed. Yesterday i found out about RAV and on the internet it says that it helps you getting jobs or something like that. It provides coaching for interviews and you get access for job opportunities before other people.

Can someone explain RAV better please? And in my case is it worth applying in it? (if i am eligible to do so)

Ps: i have B permit and can work here.

Edit: 1- I speak french 2- I am NOT applying or asking for funds (chommage) 3- I was working and earning well in France and was forced to quit my job there because my wife's health issues. 4- My goal is not know which is the best way to find a job, that's it.