Opening a Bank Account in Copenhagen!!

Opening a bank account is one of the most important things to do when you move to a different country. First, because you don't want to pay high international fees, and second because there are some places that don't take international credit cards, as it is the case of you neighborhood discount store. 

Opening a bank account requires following certain steps such as:

1.     Have a legal residence permit

2.      Bring your passport for them to make copies

3.     Provide your CPR number

4.     In some cases you will be asked to provide a tenancy agreement as proof of your address

In Denmark as in many other countries is not a good idea to carry with you large amounts of money, so opening a bank account gives you a lot of benefits.

In Copenhagen, there are several bank institutions where you can open your account. Some of these are: Nordea, Danske Bank, Nykredit among others. All of these banks follow the same steps mentioned above to open an account.  

When opening your account make sure to mention that you would like to have paperless or e-banking service, so you don't get charge every month for a monthly statement they send to you, because you can check your account balance online. In addition, you can also pay your bills directly via e-banking. It is worth to mention, that you will save time and money by handling your own transactions any time of the day, and finally you will help reduce paper consumption. So don't be afraid to ask, unless you don't mind paying fees every month. 

Bank Hours:

Bank opening hours are usually from 9:00 to 16:00 from Monday to Friday, with a 'late' opening until 18:00 on Thursday nights. Banks do not open on Saturdays. At Copenhagen’s Central Station banking hours are from 7:00 to 21:00 - 7 days/week. 

ATMs:

ATM machines are provided outside every bank in Copenhagen and in major supermarkets. Mostly all ATMS accept international credit cards.  

You can use your bank's ATM for free, but if you withdraw money from another bank's machine you will be charged a fee.

Beginner's Danish with 2 Audio CDs

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It is important to learn and understand a culture, you can start it by learning some Danish, and not only for the benefits it brings, but for the great insight you get when you start experiencing a language interchange. Don't wait the time is now!! 

 Knowledge is Power!!

Administrative Divisions

Five regions:

1.  Northern Jutland

2.  Middle Jutland

3.  Southern Jutland

4.  Zealand

5.  Copenhagen    

The regions are divided into 98 municipalities. The Faroe Islands and Greenland are part of Denmark but have separate self-government and administrative divisions.
 

Grocery Shopping!

As we have seen in many west side countries, especially USA, and now many South American countries, shopping for groceries is not a problem. There are huge supermarkets, several franchise stores that offer an endless list of things in different sizes and quantities. On the other hand, if you have moved to Copenhagen, the idea of wholesale warehouses will be completely different, because Denmark laws limit the sizes of supermarkets and department stores. 

In Copenhagen, you will find the neighborhood discount stores as the most popular places to do grocery shopping. 

 Netto, Aldi, and Fakta are some of the most famous grocery shops in Copenhagen. Even though they are small  shops, there you will find a variety of items, starting from vegetables to cleaning supplies.   In addition, you can also check the more upscale supermarkets Føtex, Irma and SuperBrugsen. They normally have good quality meats available. You will notice their normal prices are quite expensive, however they almost always have good offers going on. 

Plastic Bags!!

Something important to know is that to go grocery shopping you have to bring your own bag, or buy it when you are paying. In addition, you have to bag your groceries yourself. Don't wait for the cashier to do it, because you will be there forever.

Paying!!

If you haven't already process or open a Danish bank account, make sure to bring cash to pay for your groceries. Most discount stores don't accept international credit cards. So avoid yourself from an awkward moment.

Bottle and can deposit!!

for those who enjoy buying a nice and cool beer, perhaps a soda, or simply a bottle of watter, be aware that you have to pay a deposit in addition of its regular price. It may sound not really nice, but it has a good purpose. Incentives make everything work better. Every time you return a bottle, you receive back a deposit you paid previously. So it not only pay you back to return your bottle but also it helps with recycling, it helps the environment.      

Knowledge is Power!!!

Famous Danes

* Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875): Probably the most famous of all Danes. Writer of fairy-tales for children.

*Hamlet, Prince of Denmark: A mythical figure that Shakespeare introduced in his play of the same name which is now the most acted out performance in the theater world.

*Viggo Mortensen: The American movie star who made it big with the Lord of Rings trilogy. Yes he is Dane!!