HELP!!! Buying a Laptop in Finland

ehans · Post by **ehans** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 10:42 am

Hi!

I must buy a laptop ASAP and I'm quite new regarding the finnish system... I've heard you can get some "benefits" in terms of the tax office, if you buy a computer and you use it to work. I am a freelance translator with a freelance tax card (NOT toiminimi).

Since I know (the lady at VERO told me this) that I can declare the laptop purchase, since I use it to work, I was wondering:

Do you have to buy the laptop in a store, or can you buy it online, or even from a shop (physical or online) from outside Finland, in order to obtain tax deductions or benefits (or whatever =)?

Also, if anyone has a suggestion on a laptop, I'm looking for something with:

Intel Core 2 Duo
1Gb Ram (at least)
Firewire
100Gb disk space (at least)
Up to 700-750 Eur (more or less)

I need to do this this week, so I'm really getting desperate... :s

Thanks everyone!

**Sponsor:**

network_engineer · Post by **network_engineer** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 11:58 am

Hi!

Can't really recommend much in terms of makes here, but still, a few comments:

1Gb Ram (at least)

At 1G RAM, seems you are look for something quite archaic

100Gb disk space (at least)

This is something where a lot of people make mistakes. You said you are a translator, i.e. you would be writing a lot to the disk and if I am not wrong, reading from the disk as well, i.e. not you as an individual, but for lack of a better way to explain, your computer would be reading from the disk and writing to it more often than other lines of usage. If you are able, try to afford yourself a reasonably fast disk. Standard disks are usually 5400 RPM, a decent one should be at least 7200 RPM, try and get something with a 16 MB buffer and the lowest seek time possible. IMVHO, it will pay off. I use a 7200 RPM disk in my laptop for my normal work and sometimes even that feels too slow.

Up to 700-750 Eur (more or less)

Ahem!!! Certainly more, much more.

T'is life.

As regards the makes, there are lots of makes that centre on the above configurations.

Kind regards.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:14 pm

And, get one that reads & writes on DVD as you need a backup and then a backup of the backup...

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:58 pm

You might want to think about a plug in disk drive. I know absolutely NOTHING about computers but I do use one every day. I have a tablet PC which is small/light enough to carry around, and most days it does go out for a walk. I copy important docs, photos etc onto an external plug-in disk drive. So, if I drop my laptop, leave it on the bus whatever, I still have all my docs, backups on the plug in. And storage space has never been a problem (nor is it likely to be (I don't have games etc on my laptop).

Even though it is a tablet PC I find the screen is wide enough to have two Word docs open on a split screen (which is how I usually work if I'm translating something).

But if you will mostly be working from home then you can probably go for the comfort of a big screen.

Mine's an Acer. You can get them from http://www.verkkokauppa.com/ and they are also pretty good about giving advice.

As for the tax issue.... bear in mind that we are now in November. If you have only JUST started working and have had no other income in Finland this year then it is unlikely you will get the benefit of the tax break on a computer if you buy it now. Would be better to wait until January, if you see what I mean. Having freelance status is not really any different from being salaried (except you can deduct some expenses) in so far as the tax rates are the same as for normal income tax.

ehans · Post by **ehans** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:06 pm

I do know about the specs of the computer and I do know that I don't need a fantastic computer to do my job. So I don't really care about the specs... I just need firewire, 1 or 2 gigs of ram and intel core 2 Duo, really...

Regarding the Tax topic, I had some income this year (I earned around 14000 Eur this year), so I don't think I need to wait until january. Or do I?

what do you think?

AH! Almost forgot! Do I have to buy in a Physical store IN Finland?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:14 pm

ehans wrote: Regarding the Tax topic, I had some income this year (I earned around 14000 Eur this year), so I don't think I need to wait until january. Or do I?

what do you think?

Depends if you are deducting anything else. You need to go onto the Vero mothership simulator (I think Hank has the link to that) and plug in your numbers.

Have you been paying tax this year? If so, the chances are the PC will reduce your effective 2008 tax rate but you won't get the money back until September (?) of next year.

I'm not sure about buying abroad. In theory it should be possible, but you should check with Vero first. You would certainly need an invoice with your own bill to/ship to address on it (and if you are importing from outside the EU you might want to submit your import declaration and ALV receipt too, otherwise you will make them very upset!)

EP · Post by EP » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:15 pm

(I earned around 14000 Eur this year), so I don't think I need to wait until january. Or do I?

No, you don´t.

What is a Physical store?

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:38 pm

This is the tax calculator:

http://www.vero.fi/default.asp?language ... RO_ENGLISH

If you fill in all your numbers you can simulate the impact of an increase in your work-related expenses.

ehans · Post by **ehans** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:38 pm

... is a "physical" store! I don't know how else I would put it, it's just "physical" (somewhere you go INTO and talk to the cashier and buy stuff) as opposed to "online" store (where you make an order and wait for the product to be delivered.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 1:50 pm

Maybe "bricks and mortar" store.

But that might sound like K-Rauta!

Oombongo · Post by **Oombongo** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 4:13 pm

Acer and HP are good deals. Not sure about IBM

I am also going to get tax returns on my computer. Although I use it for gaming or watching skin flicks, I wrote that I use it for my job and to "train my skillz"

karel · Post by **karel** » Mon Oct 29, 2007 8:11 pm

Markantalo happens to have an offer running this week.

Fujitsu Siemens laptop. Intel 2 core with 2gig RAM and 160gig HD, WLAN. 699 euros.

Taaremmas · Post by **Taaremmas** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 12:33 am

karel wrote:Markantalo happens to have an offer running this week.

Fujitsu Siemens laptop. Intel 2 core with 2gig RAM and 160gig HD, WLAN. 699 euros.

Gutted. I got my crappy shared 512mbram, intel celeron M laptop from Gigantti for 499€ and am still trying to play high end games on it, even though it is a bit pointless.

raamv · Post by **raamv** » Tue Oct 30, 2007 1:33 am

http://www.hintaseuranta.fi

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