Work / Poland Business Help - I'm interested in investing in this country [28]

Investing in second hand shops is out- there are too many of them. In Krakow, they have for years sold things by weight. This business was good 20 years ago, not now. I have never seen a hand car wash business - chances are Poles would rather do the car themselves than pay for it.

Before you invest in any business, you have to consider the nature of the Poles and what services they are likely to pay for. There are still untapped niches in the market. The best way is to ASK Poles on any street in Poland what businesses they feel that are missing. Do your research first.

40K pln - would not even last a year. You have to rent premises, staff and deal with bureaucracy.

Best way - buy a flat in a GOOD location and rent it out. You cannot lose if you have property - this is 'your pension'. Business is always risky.

Law / Renewing work permits to get long term EU card? [7]

You can always give private tuition.

Law / Renewing work permits to get long term EU card? [7]

Up to the time that GB officially withdraws from the EU (estimate 2 years) you have a right to live and work in Poland.
It might be worthwhile to contact all schools in the area you wish to go to to ascertain if they are interested in you. If you do not have any Trinity or Tesol 'teaching English as a foreign/second language' certificates - now is the time to get them.

Do not build your future on a pipe dream. Do thorough research first i.e. possibility of teaching, where, how much they will pay, where will you live - all those factors need to be considered.

If you do not speak Polish - try to learn as much as you can.

Life / The custom of kneeling to say grace for a meal in Poland [3]

This would have been a custom. The custom also of kneeling when hearing a priest greeting you, or saying the name of our Lord was also practiced.

News / The first PiS led government in 2005 lasted just over 2 years in Poland. [129]

The current PiS government will call an election just before the money runs out....and will convince voters that there is still money left to continue all their good works.

Only a fool lives on borrowed money...

Life / Cost of living in Katowice, Poland [53]

Why do you quote a salary in US dollars, when you will be living in Poland where the local currency is ZLOTY (pln).
If they pay you in dollars, your salary will fluctuate depending on the dollar/pln exchange. Bit of an unknown.
There are many entries on this forum re the cost of living.
How can we estimate your impression of what constitutes 'standard of living'? Some people eat out every night, some make their own meals from scratch using local products, some buy pre-packed frozen food, some have facilities in the flat such as a washing machine, dishwasher, others do not, some have far to go to their place of work, others not. All these factors need to be taken into account.

Real Estate / Question about Czynsz (Building maintenance fees/utilies) in Poland [129]

NO ONE is forcing you (with a gun to your head) to rent a flat/apartment from anyone.
If you don't like where you're living - move. If you are looking for somewhere else - make sure you know everything before you sign.

Work / "Customer Service Support Officer" in Poland. How much I should say I want to earn? [7]

You want the job. You find out. Learn to do things for yourself.
If you have access to a computer/google then you can search. Your problem is that you do not speak Polish and most of the websites are in Polish.

Remember also that people will promise you the earth as long as you're paying THEM, but no one and I mean no one can guarantee anything.

Work / "Customer Service Support Officer" in Poland. How much I should say I want to earn? [7]

Consultants lie.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

I have just read that the building regulations concerning newly built flats are changing and that now the minimum can be 25 m2. For most single people that will be enough, so larger flats may not sell as well.

Work / Information about jobs for Indian students in Poland [286]

If you BA/BSc is recognized in Poland, you can apply to SCC (Shared centres) for a job.
It is worth contacting them to see if they could use you. I have seen few Indian people in Krakow, (must be some in Warsaw) so the jobs are there.

Make sure that the MA (supposedly in English) is worth the paper it's written on. Generally, you will NOT have native speakers of English. Search on the internet for the Professors achievements (papers, publications, books). Otherwise you are just wasting your time.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

We assume that you have cash - cash is a powerful tool when buying property. Bargain with it. If you offer cash and they agree the flat could be yours within a week.

News / Poland refuses to give jobs to British [19]

Any British person who has the skills which are necessary for Poland will find a job, even if their Polish language skills are minimal.
There are thousands of jobs in Finance (as long as you meet their requirements).
Poland is not for ex-pats who just want to bum around. The benefit system does not exist in the same way as in GB. Sorry, but if you have nothing to offer in the way of transferable skills, University degrees, Postgraduate studies, years of experience then sorry, but Poland doesn't want you.

Work / Information about jobs for Indian students in Poland [286]

It will be very difficult, almost impossible for you to find employment unless a) you have a skill that no one else possesses and b) you speak Polish to a standard where you can converse with the locals. There maybe opportunities for you in any Indian restaurants (washing up,cooking), but this will not get you anywhere.

Any prospective employer has to apply for a working visa for you - and in a country where there are thousands of Polish students looking for work, it is unlikely that they will bother.

Exactly what working skills do you possess that someone might be interested?

Law / Polish landlady hiding and lying about when she would pay back the kaucja/deposit [8]

First thing is to establish if you have a contract with her. If so, you can get your deposit by taking her to court.
If you do not have a signed contract with her - forget it.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

I read in Interia today, that although prices for flats/houses have increased tremendously over the last 10 years, on housing estates newly developed flats are being left empty. Empty flats mean lower prices. I would offer as little as possible for newly built and see what they say.

Work / Moving to Lodz - will my 2500 PLN salary be enough? [52]

I have seen numerous calculations which leave a good amount of disposable income. However, where are the costs for electricity, gas, water, rubbish, travel to and from work, telephone costs, internet, clothes and shoes, household items, cosmetics (incl. soap, toothpaste etc). Once you take everything out of the disposable income - your leftover income might be a lot less.

Living 'well' - is a description which needs explaining. If you cook your own meals from scratch getting the produce at local markets - you save money. If you go out to eat once or twice a week (even to Pizza places) - then the situation is different.

UK, Ireland / Job interview - recruitment process in the UK [26]

The thing with working 'cash in hand' is that it is impossible to prove your earnings if EVER you have to claim any benefits. The first thing they will ask you 'what is your income?' and if you say 'nothing' , then they will assume that you are doing something illegal. They will then check your living situation, your bank records, everything. Unless you keep all the money earned under the mattress, have no debit/credit cards and live off someone else - they will question you. Better to have a part time official job so you can prove some income.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

I can only go off what is happening in Krakow. Some 10 years ago people paid for newly built flats and it turned out that the flats were used as security for a developer who had gone bankrupt. It took the people over 10 years of solid legal wrangling to finally be told that the flats now belonged to them. So it does happen.

Like as I said before: make sure that the person you are buying off has the legal right to sell (whether a developer or a private person) - always check the ksiega wieczysta for details.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

There are 2 chains of thought on this. You buy from a developer. You pay the developer during the build - he may run away with your money,. You buy a ready-made flat. You are suppose to have a guarantee which is not worth the paper it's written on if the developer goes bankrupt or if the flats are put up as security for a loan and the bank comes after them.

You buy flat/house from a private person - there is much room for negotiations.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

I will give you some good advice though. Make sure (and be sure 200 per cent) that the person selling the flat has the right to sell it, that the flat does not have a lien against it and that the developer has paid all the firms building and finishing the flat. You may find that when the developer goes bankrupt before all the paperwork is done, you will not get your money back. Go to the Town Hall and have a look at the Ksiega Wieczysta and make sure.

Real Estate / Making an offer on a new flat in Poland [15]

Offer them 240 - 250K cash and the'll snap your hands off.

Travel / Driving between towns in Poland during winter [7]

The best advice I can give you is to arrive in Poland first. Then see what the weather is like, it may be ok for you to drive, If it's blizzard, snowy and bitterly cold with minus 20 degrees C you may have to reconsider your original idea.

Work / Moving to Poland with Family - cost of living and salary? [46]

Nothing is as simple as it looks. Please recalculate your salary on a specialist website. You will not be able to put aside 5K pln each month.

Please explain the word 'decent'...is that cooking at home from local produce, buying ready made frozen meals, going out to eat at least once a week, buying clothes, shoes, cosmetics, education for the child ....it all has to be factored in. My idea of what constitutes 'decent' may not be the same as yours.

Love / My Polish Girlfriend Broke Up With Me Very Suddenly, Did She Use Me? [23]

If a relationship is rocky from the beginning it will NEVER be o.k. Ever.

Travel / Driving between towns in Poland during winter [7]

If you have never driven in freezing snow where the car might be thrown from side to side, where you might get lost and have to walk for hours to get help - it is better to use public transport.

News / What will drive Poland after 2020 - when Eu funding dries up? [96]

re the Ukrainian refugees.
What can you expect from a country where the prime Minister (B.Szydlo) herself does not recognise the difference between a refugee, or a legally employed worker as was evident from a speech some time ago.

News / What will drive Poland after 2020 - when Eu funding dries up? [96]

Questions are being raised in the House of Commons today regarding EU nationals currently living in England and what will happen to them. There is a newly formed group (3 million something) which is handing a letter/petition to the House. Details probably on google.

It is likely that long-term unemployed and other non-working EU people may be asked to go and claim benefits in their home countries.

The other problem is also that all EU countries must make it easy for UK people to visit for holidays otherwise their economy and businesses which rely on tourism might suffer.

Study / Study English in WARSAW - good academies, places, teachers or the best option [16]

Yeah, yeah, yeah....

Language / Polish inscription in a book for a loved one [35]

I do believe (and someone can correct me if I'm wrong), but currently in the UK there are more than 2 girls with the name of Maria, and no one will ever know which of the 2 girls you are addressing. :-)