5 Interesting Differences Between Life In Sweden & The U.S.

Get ready for a fresh perspective! In this video we uncover 5 interesting differences between the U.S. and Sweden which despite creating hundreds of videos, these unique aspects have eluded my channel until now.

[@fiskmasadventures]

Regarding the "random facts" needed to be studied in order to pass the Swedish driving test, it is basically for one thing: Printing into the mind of the driver, what heavy responsibility you have as a driver towards others in traffic as well as yourself. It's part of your personal risk analysis, knowing stuff like different braking distance depending on road condition, how much slower your reaction time is from alcohol etc. But, most of the study material for the driving test, is about traffic laws such as road signs, right-of-way rules etc.

[@dank6514]

I wish the driving test in the US was more difficult. There are waaay too many people driving here who don't understand how dangerous it can be. The driving fatality rate is almost FOUR times higher in the US than it is in Sweden (per 100,000 vehicles).

[@petergrandien1440]

So that is your New Year wish... I wish the driving test in US was more difficult so less people can drive their cars, what a great conclusion. Bravo, klapp klapp. Have you even contemplated on the fact that US is huge and their whole economy is build on cheap transportation and energi? 2023 US broke the record of most produced oil in a year of any country in the history.

[@dank6514]

@@petergrandien1440 Congrats. You seem to have mastered why our driving test is so easy.

[@Patrik6920]

..and the none fatal accidents r insane in comparison...

[@Perisa79]

I agree 100%!!! A car can be considered a weapon.. a 2 Ton's of weapon coming at you in 50, 60, 70 miles/h.. So YES, I would love too see more than a "buy a pack of cereal, and a driving licence licence will be included..

[@draug7966]

I was wondering, does the U.S also have the rule that if you do the practical test with a manual gearbox you get licence for both that and automatic, but if you do it with an automatic you're not allowed to drive a manual?

[@erikbongnilsson246]

Sweden has something we call The zerovision which strives for than no person should die or get seriously injured in motor vehicle accidents. It's an ambitious goal but that's why the theory tests and drive ups are much more demanding and there are a lot of thought behind even the silly questions. I don't know how many dies in traffic accidents per 100 000 for example, I do know that 471 people died in 2007 here and 2020 we were down to 204.

[@attesmatte]

They ask how high the probability is for someone to die in a slow speed accident to show WHY these low speed areas are important. You need to think about these things when you drive, because if you just think "Meh, I might as well drive 50 in a 30 zone, who cares!" you are NOT a safe driver. These questions in the theoretical test are not there to set you up, they're there to get you thinking about the consequences of your actions as a driver.

[@Thorano]

The Swedes don't regard the American driving education as sufficient. In Sweden, learning how to drive requires proper education. But it's nice that they give you a full year to pass the test. :-)

[@mangen69]

Swede living in the States 10 years. Had a U.S. Buddy in Malmö when I was younger fail his driver exam so many times he finally gave up. Not to mention Bankrupt broke, good luck with it 😅

[@juliaekeklint2428]

@@mangen69 hahaah honestly maybe it was a for a good reason, every driver in Sweden is safer. And the buss ain´t that much worse.

[@infectdiseaseepidemiology2599]

American driving “education” is absurdly lax. Most Americans either forget or do not adhere to fundamental driving laws within months. US alcohol consumption regulations are a prescription for injury and death. Americans are blase about drinking and driving, thinking they can “handle” it.

[@perolden]

Credit rating is absolutely a thing in Sweden. Sweden has many strange things, like registering for tax for freelancers and others. In Norway we don' t have these oddities, and here we also have credit rating. I also had fixed rate on my mortgage, though it is not common.

[@ristorantanen5769]

The best feature in Sweden is how you can basically walk around a corner and voila', you are in the middle of nowhere surrounded by the the most gorgeous features of nature. And another thing that pops into mind is all the different ways you can say "Hej". Letting the intonation speak for just how much you like the person you are greeting. Takes years to learn but comes in very handy once you get a hang of it

[@petergrandien1440]

Not sure what your point is, like North America lacks nature? If you think that this area is all built up residential areas or farmland, you probably never gone on a road trip in the states

[@ristorantanen5769]

@@petergrandien1440 Dont get yer panties in a bunch sweetie Im from Europe

[@Drakey_Fenix]

@@petergrandien1440 You seem very jealous of Sweden, considering your upset replies on other comments too. Maybe you should go out and touch some grass before commenting stuff like that.

[@henrikvidin]

Most things you covered feel quite accurate. Regarding the credit score though. It exists here in Sweden in some part also. If you are trying to get a loan, they look at your credit score and see how much credit you have. If you, for example, have 3 credit cards with a credit for 20.000 SEK each, it will count for that you have 60.000 SEK in debt. And for that statistics question you mentioned, that particular statistics tells you the importance not to speed in low speed zones, like outside schools and so on. To keep the 30 km/h speed will increase the possibility remarkably to survive a hit. That's what this will teach you. The theoretical test is very hard to pass, but I think it's worth it to have a higher awareness of the hazards in driving. Good video! 😊

[@MelissaenSuecia]

I passed the theory test in my first try but I approved the practical test until the third round. I made all of them at Backaplan in Gothenburg. I highly respect the swedish driving education. Wish my homeland would follow the same. Coming from Nicaragua I found it impressive.

[@ketchup901]

There are companies which keep a credit record on you (the biggest is called UC) but there is no numeric "score" like there is in the US.

[@annabackman3028]

About the questions on the test for the drivers license. In Sweden SAFETY is always first, and I believe most of those questions are about awakening the brain and understand what the consequences could be. 30km/h doesn't seem to be fast, but the human body is in fact relatively fragile. Also the questions about how long way the vehicle will move until it finally stops. Worth having in mind when you drive in areas where there is a lot of moose and deers. These are things depending on the weight of the vehicle, and the status of the road.

[@meDi850]

But before you take a loan the banks calculate if you will be able to handle an increased interest rate or not, if not, they wont let you take the loan. Its also possible for us to lock in the interest rate so that we pay a fixed amount, but we have to do the research ourselves and be a good negotiator and see what different banks can offer us.

[@jokervienna6433]

...and we also don´t want any "credit bubbles". He forgot to mention that.

[@petergrandien1440]

That is just not true, the banks in Sweden dont care shit if you cant pay the mortgage, they just do paperwork in order to comply with FI. The reason why they dont care is that the holder of the loans is responsible to pay the loans, the bank in US however take all the risks if the person owning the property cant pay the loans, the bank will take the property.... and the risks involving it

[@jokervienna6433]

@@petergrandien1440, that is if you even can get a loan in a Swedish bank. Which is definitely not sure.

[@vfr492]

Around 12:20 not really defending those kind of questions, but I think the idea is to visualise the dangers in low speeds. Even though it's not any dangers for the driver, anyone outside the car might have their last day in life if a collision occurs.

[@FinnishLapphund]

Nothing wrong with defending that type of question, I think it's a good question. Intended to try to make future drivers aware about how their decisions to drive at X speed could potentially affect the lives of other road users/people needing to cross roads etc.

[@robin2thek]

Totally agree a good question that makes you think about speed.

[@evaseed2861]

Thank goodness you are back!! I have missed you. I am a Goteborgare but live in Rhode Island since many years. I always find it so interesting when you compare the 2 countries. Hope to see you soon again.

[@lrd5900]

I had a PFO-closure (heart surgery). Cost in Sweden $12. In US, wouldnt afford it most likely. In 2018 a PFO cost for the universal heathcare system was about $18000, so I most likely got a $25000 surgery for $12 👍

[@F1rstWorldNomaD]

The point of those "random" questions is to really cement into your consciousness how dangerous a car can actually be which in turn will (hopefully) act as a constant reminder to drive responsibly.

[@benjaminobrien429]

I've missed your videos! Music was a bit loud in the beginning but happy to see you back!

[@MarcusBjorkander]

When I started university, many years ago, I did observe a clear pattern: the smaller place you were from, the more likely you were to have a driving license. I moved to Gothenburg and those of my friends who were from here generally did not have their driving licenses but those of us who had grown up in smaller cities or towns generally did.

[@g0679]

I’m a fan of public transport. If I didn’t have to drive, then I wouldn’t - except for a car rental several times each year.

[@Thaerii]

And even in those smaller places, there's often a similar divide between those who grew up out in the country and those who grew up in town. Not as big, naturally, but it's there.

[@TheErikjsm]

if you need to ride for 40 50 min to get the next town over in any direction a licence just make sense. ive recently moved south and ive noticed that next to none of my friends 20s-30s have a license here the buss is just so convenient.

[@TwiggehTV]

The only real reason to drive a car in Stockholm is if you need to transport something, otherwise you are better off just taking the subway or bus, itl be quicker and way less hassle.

[@prideandprejudice99]

Hey guys, you feel very self centered. A license is also convenient if you apply for a position where it happens you have to travel places by car. As an employer I would be hesitant if a potential employee has no license. The lazy alarm goes off. All things considered, why wait when you probably end up taking it anyway sooner or later. Don’t be that free rider all the time just because of convenience.

[@ibmikkelsen5831]

Very interesting. Thank you so much😊

[@tonymeijer8532]

There are actually a credit scoring system, in a sense, called UC, but the system is vastly different than in the US. In Sweden, you get a score that is deducted when you fail to make payments or have large debts more or less. So, you have a credit score, but you need to mess up for it to be relevant, kind of (there are special circumstances where this is not so, but the normal person will never run into those).

[@velmad3091]

Interesting topics. Nice to see you. Happy New Year💕

[@StefanThyron]

🥳🙌🏼

[@knightofthehiddenrealm9895]

You often need 2 years of taxreturn to get a loan in Sweden and if you have to many loan/credit request in 1-2 years you can be temporary banned from take out loan/credit.

[@M.Norton]

Note on how long time it takes to see a doctor: If it's considered an emergency (but not in a "you will die right here on the spot") things will be rushed/prioritised. Ex. It was discovered that I had a significant cell change in my uterus (not native English speaker so medical terms are definitely not my thing) and I was scheduled for a biopsy within a week, operation was done the following week. From when the initial test results where received, to biopsy, to operation it didn't take more than 10 days. But yes, if it's not an emergency and just an inconvenience (e.g. deviated septum) it can take months because, you know, they prioritise emergencies over inconveniences.

[@petercsontos5236]

Welcome back on your KZbin channel - it’s been a while, I missed you!

[@rolar321]

"Credit score", finns, men du måste ha en fast inkomst ex.vis. Det görs en kreditprövning. Du glömde hur svårt det är att deklarera sin inkomst i USA, medans man i Sverige kan göra det på mindre än en minut i mobilen...

[@johanngerell]

Mentioned in a previous clip

[@Zandain]

Good to see you again, Stefan We have all the same oddities here in Denmark, as you mentioned for Sweden..no differences at all 🙄 hello from Denmark 🌸

[@mholm4962]

Owning your own business here in Sweden wasn't always like your explanation, it was similar like to the US. But, people here used the system by covering up the income by taking payment under the table, " cash directly ".. Meaning to skip paying the taxes. By skipping taxes it will affect basically everything. The Swedish healthcare, house taxes, shopping,... You probably can see where this is going. everything is connected.

[@pernilla6017]

It's soooo easy to get an "enskild firma". Doesn't cost anything and it's done in a jiffy

[@ceicli]

Yeah, the cost is to register the name! 😊

[@fortune300]

You can lock morgage rate for example 10 years if you want.

[@pontusdav7170]

The credit score system do exist but in a different way, you got something called UC score in Sweden thats effected by the amount of loans and payments thats tied to you as an individual. The UC score is what the bank, private loangiver and eaven the apartment lease giver checks before giving out a loan/allows you to hire say an apartment. Meaning that if you do have a bad UC score tied with late payments at your previous loans or lets say many bills from the "inkasso" or eaven the "kronofogden" the landlord wont let you rent that apartment or/and the bank wont grant you a new loan, and eaven the car dealer wont let you lend money to buy that car. And ofc the UC score is tied with your "personnummer" so in that sense it kinda works somewhat the way the score system works in the US but also completely different. As you as an individual the day you turn 18 have a good UC score as youve never had a loan. It dosnt work like you have to loan on say a credit card to get the score higher or lower, much like the US system seams to work like. Here you more or less start high than it goes down depending on how much loans, economic aspect on % etc. But ofc theres ways to improve the individual UC score and ofc make it lower. Kinda like if you are a Swedish citizen and you struggle with payments and inkasso turns to kronofogden this will mean that you wont be able to take loans or eaven rent a place to live by the big players sutch as the big banks and bigger apartment leasers, ofc you can go to private landlords that has different terms and also different banks like say Bluestep or something like that, that actually can loan you based on idk what terms but ofc everything has a price as the rents will be like 10 times as much as like a big Swedish bank like Swedbank, Nordea etc. So instead of say 3% interest rate at a house loan you would have to pay 15-20% so yeah there is a score system but it works completely different 🙂👍

[@glowerworm]

Stefan you're starting to have a very noticeable Swedish accent, it's a very beautiful thing to have your voice broadly tell your story in a moment

[@revanful]

I was going to say just this! I can hear it creeping in.

[@jmolofsson]

I've listened for (almost) all years, and am amazed by how the accent has developed. Being a Scandinavian, I understand the now developed Scandinavian accent better than the original Oregonian or California. But the development is very interesting!

[@StefanThyron]

This is pretty cool! It perhaps reflects on who I have become as a person having spent so much time here.

[@j.obrien4990]

I think it is affecting his cadence primarily.

[@andreask4810]

Regarding the speed question (that i failed tbh) the reason is to highlight the purpose of the 30km/h speed limit around eg schools and hospitals and the reason to slow down. But yea, that particular one is odd since its out of context in the actual test.

[@stebberg]

Awesome 🎉 congrats, I really think its a good thing for both you and for sweden.

[@StaffanSwede]

Good to see a video from you again, though I know I said in a comment that I'd rather have you making a video when you feel you have some interesting content to share instead of weekly posting "according to schedule".

[@videodima]

The faster service for healthcare in the US is just not true anymore, maybe 10 years ago. I have basically the best healthcare you can get in California, and doing anything besides very basic things takes months. Just like in Sweden. I had to wait over 2 months just to get a physical therapy consult, and 2 months to get a surgery that I needed pretty much immediately. 3 weeks to get a mold of my foot to make an ankle brace, and at the office visit they said it's going to take another 6 weeks to actually get it. 2 and a half months for an ankle brace.

[@FINsoininen]

It took me 5 years of nagging to get an xray of my knee. The doctor kept sending me to physical therapy and I kept saying that it was a mechanical issue. I believed it was a bone fragment stuck inside the knee joint. Turns out I had walked around with a tumour the size of my thumb for over 5 years. The only reason I finally got the xray was because I got the company I work for to get me an appointment through their health care. Luckily it was benign. I am glad that he mentioned it in the video because most swedes pretend like its all sunshine and rainbows here.

[@philip_3.000]

I have seen almost every video you uploaded :)

[@StefanThyron]

That’s amazing to hear 🙌🏼

[@andersmalmgren6528]

We have credit scores too, if you buy online for example the company will do a credit checkup on you. Funny thing, doing many credit checkups will affect your score negativly. So I was extremely high, and then I did a few loan checkups with different swedish banks to find the best intereste, and after that my score wenr down to high for a year until it became extremly high again.

[@HafgrimrSWE]

One thing about the interest rate. The intererst rate isn't the problem, people buying homes they really can't afford is the problem. When buying a home, always calculate with the worst possible situation and see if you can't afford it. If they answer is yes, then you can most definitely afford it

[@cathyellis248]

The driving rules regarding drivers licence it is the same the world over. I've lived in South Africa, Holland, UK and now Sweden. I've taken multiple driving tests. I didn't mind as it has made me a good driver. There are subtle differences in driving rules in many countries. Do your Swedis test! You will pass it with flying colours!

[@RobertClaeson]

There's credit scoring in Sweden, both for businesses (especially for businesses) and for people. It's run by UC, which is owned by the major banks. The score for people is coarse, running from 0 (no credit) to 3 (excellent credit). Everybody begins with a 0, but after filing your first tax return, you'll typically get a 2 or 3 (depending on income). If you have a history of failed payments or huge debts, then the score decreases. That is, after about 2 years in the country, most people can get a decent credit card or overdraft facility, and keep it like that as long as you keep up with paying the bills.

[@Mazoox500]

Credit cards negatively affect your “credit score” in Sweden. Even if you don’t use it every $ you have as available credit on each card is deducted from any other credit you would be able to get (buying a home, car etc.)

[@clasnyberg6592]

My son moved from Sweden to California a few years ago. Same thing there, he was allowed to drive for a year on his Swedish license before having to get a California liicense.

[@akeolsson8020]

When we moved to California for a six year stint years ago we had to get us driving licences very quickly (no one year grace period). I believe we had a month or so. Otoh the tests were ridiculously easy. Remember one question for the motorcycle license I got later "What part of the body does a helmet protect?"

[@Cascadeis]

This matches what I've heard about the American driving standard... XD

[@joachimlind69]

They want you to be a Great driver understanding all of the things around driving issues! So get busy and learn! Check out death numbers differens between the countries to population and you Will understand😊

[@barrylenihan8032]

On the driving test issue, the same is true in reverse, or at least it was 30 years ago. Having been born and reared in Ireland, I held an Irish driver's licence. However, when I moved to live in Ontario, Canada and later to California, USA, I was granted limited permission, certainly not a year, to undertake a local driving test in order to obtain a local driver's licence. So, it is not surprising that this is the situation. The standard of testing varies from country to country and therefore there is no reciprocal arrangements in place to accept a foreign licence as proof of competence. As regards driving on the other side of the road, that is not a major issue. I do it on a regular basis between Ireland, France, Italy, Spain, Canada and USA and provided you concentrate on what you are doing there is no issue.

[@Mosern1977]

The US house loan concept is different from Sweden (and Norway where I live) apparently. In Norway (and I guess Sweden), you cannot change the interest rate of a fixed rate loan before the time is up. If you re-finance, you will have to pay the difference between the current market rate and the rate you have locked in. Meaning if you save 2% by re-financing, the bank would charge you those 2% when you end your loan early. Not sure how that is done in the US. (Also, my understanding is that in the US, the bank only has the house as collateral, in Norway (and probably Sweden), they have the house AND your future income). Meaning if interest goes through the roof, you cannot pay your morgage and you are forced to sell at a loss, then you still owe the bank money.

[@henriccarlsson9052]

Yeah, this was about to be my comment also. In US you loose the house, in Sweden you loose the house and all future-to-be interest.

[@kirgan1000]

You can select fixed loan rate, or movable rate if you take a house loans in Sweden. The movable is better then the rate is stable. But the fixed is "safe"

[@edvarddrake]

​@@kirgan1000There is nothing saying fixed interest rate is higher than a floating interest rate, necessarily. Every now and then it is the other way around, for various reasons (that i cannot necessarily explain). Over a longer period of time, floating is typically better, though

[@kirgan1000]

@@edvarddrake I did say then the rate is stable, and also that fixed is safer.

[@TheGoodRod]

@@kirgan1000 I think edvards point is that when the rates are high and expected to go down, then stable rates are actually lower from the get go. 🙂 But if the variable rate is expected to be stable/go up the the fixed rate will be higher from the get go.

[@joerivh]

The system of loans for houses is indeed different. Also think about the amorteringkrav. You only need to pay back a few percentage of the investment in the house back per year. Meaning you can buy a larger house and pay a lot of interest and only return a vit of the loaned money. For me this feels like you rent you own place longterm paying the bank a lot of interest.

[@trixycat]

Is it possible to lower the music in the future?

[@tariqkhader6196]

As well as the fluctuating monthly mortgage payments, I imagine that you have to submit all the forms to the IRS every April?

[@user-mo6qx1ed3e]

Hmm. We have the same here. A credit score is based on your credit history, which includes information like the number accounts, total level of debts, repayment history, and other factors.

[@stefan_HEX]

An example. I broke two bones in my wrist this winter in Sweden. Cost me 250kr ($25) to get all the help i needed. I have to go to another place that is not same hospital for my next checkup and then pay $25 again as it is another company. But that's is about it.

[@liahk1000]

In Sweden you wouldn't normally even go surgery on a torn MCL 😉 It can be considered several month after the accident if it causes major instability, but usually only in elite athletes. In generally surgeries are done with a lower threshold in the US compared to in Sweden.

[@TinksiehTink]

They do take out a "credit check" for lots of things bought on credit, which shows the two past years of income and whether or not you have any issues with kronofogden (failed to pay off loans/credit before). Generally speaking the company only gets to know the "score" which is expressed with words, bad/fair/good/great.

[@Thaerii]

The difference is that keeping away from credit cards altogether in Sweden will never be seen as a bad thing, while in the US you have to have a couple, use them, and make sure to keep up with payments in order to build a good credit score. The closest thing we get in Sweden is how banks like to sell packages where you get a slightly better rate on your mortgage and bank fees in general, packages that usually include a credit card.

[@Prophallus88]

Not to be rude or anything. But if you dont get it why they bring up the risk of mortality when hitting someone with a car at a certain speed, then you're not mature enough to drive either. It's a simple understanding of why you shoulden't just go over the speed limits and why certain streets have 30km/h. They want to put the thought in your head so you reflect before doing something reckless after getting the license. So when you have your license and driving around, the feeling they want you to have in the back of your head is "Hmm if i drive 50 here and hit someone, then the risk of death is really high, i should slow down a bit". If you dont learn this before the accident happens, the risk is that you will driving to fast because the feeling when driving in 30km/h is really slow. It's a known fact that young men take more risks than women and mens brain is not mature enough or not fully developed untill the age of 25. Most time in cities if a street has 30km/h for a speed limit its because there are no bicycle lanes and instead they use the car road. Otherwise it's normally 40 or 50km/h. All questions is designed and have a purpose to make you reflect and make you a better driver.

[@tomasa1357]

I did some googling and the interest rate for a 10 year mortgage seem to be around 7% in the US and around 4% in Sweden as of today. Just interesting to see the difference in %. I am not sure how it works in the US, but in Sweden the interest payments are deductible from income tax. I also looked up some tax numbers for Sweden. Income tax when earning 360.000 SEK/year before income tax (34.000 USD) is around 20%, and when earning 720.000 SEK/year (68.000 USD) it is around 29% and for 1.440.000 SEK (136.000 USD) it is around 42%. 7 of those percentages goes to your pension. Sales tax on food is 12%, travel 6% and other stuff you buy usually have a sales tax of 25%. Corporate tax is usually around 21%. There is no sales tax on an apartment or house. There are also taxes on alcoholic beverages, fuel and "sociala avgifter" (ca 30%) for the employer to pay to the government. Ca 10% of the "sociala avgifter" goes to your pension, ca 10% to the health care system, parental leave etc, and the remaining 10% is just a general tax to finance our EU membership and other ramdom stuff in the state budget.

[@kvalvagnes]

Basic - the pro-part the Bank will make the profit if the rates are fixed. So a loan with market rates will be cheaper - but you need to plan for a reasonable rise in rate...

[@ericwedin4154]

Regarding driving licenses… we don’t get a license just by driving around the block without killing someone…😂

[@karateabbe1]

So basically tmin sweden the banks dont take a big risk when they give you the loan, if they interest rise your monthly pay also rises to the bank. In US the bank take the hit if the interest rise and its in fact makes it possible for the bank to go bankrupt if they have too many long term loans with a low interest

[@IJustHadToDie]

We have "UC score" which give you a credit score depending on credit cards and alot of different variables.

[@solveigjansson8613]

Compare the pensionsystem in US and Sweden. I think it is very different !

[@perbjorndahl6023]

It used to be in Sweden that you could send in your non-Swedish driving license and get a Swedish. My California born wife did so when she moved here, but that was back i 1985. Why was this fully legal possibility removed? One reason was that it was identified that in some countries, you could get a driving license by bribing the inspector. This meant that a person who had done that, could have a driving license but in reality not know how to drive a car. The rule makers concluded that the rules should be the same for people irrespective of the country where they got their driving license if they come to Sweden and want a Swedish driving license. (That was slightly changed later related to EU driving licenses). That's why holders of non-EU driving licenses nowadays have to take the tests.

[@stiglarsson8405]

In anyway, you can do a video about swedish EPA-traktors.. EPA culture, the right name for those veichels is now A-traktors.. they have a big impact for people/kids living in our countryside! You can get to drive those veichels at 15 years old.. the downside is.. those must be restricted mechanicly or electronicly to not go faster then 30 Km/h!

[@mariahdaley4773]

They can really tie up traffic in rural areas too. I have to allow plenty of extra time to get where I’m going in case I get stuck behind one

[@fredrikschroder]

He’s probably unaware of that culture, living in Stockholm inner city. 😅

[@melvinsandgren7516]

Stefan! The junior hockey championship is today (friday 5 jan) and Sweden faces the US, who you are cheering for??

[@einherrjare]

In Sweden we do hade scores aswell, you but it’s the government and only a few privat bank that keeps track of it. All of them uses different system but the mist common one is called kreditupplysing that gives a score from 0 - 100 how lightly you are to be able to pay your next bill, it’s calculated with more then 50 variables like age, incomes, street you live in, what kind of car you own and other information that’s offentlig, also we have a good blocking system kalled betalningsanmärkning so if you failed to pay as little as one bill at 100kr you can be blocked from taking any loan or even get an apartment until 5 years after that’s resolved,

[@matildaranggren4917]

About the credit score. We do have the uc score that will be effected, in a bad way, if you have done many credit controls for example trying to get loans, credits ore subscription contracts for your phone etc. But I don't think there is a way of geting a vetter score just because you pay on time, onley way, I think, that you can vetter up your score is to not take any credit controls at all.

[@matildaranggren4917]

About the drivning theoretical part of drivning and the math, something tella me that IF you have som kind of knowledge how yor speed will affekt the colisions outcome will teatch you that you don't gain that mutch even if you for exampel brake the speedlimit in traveling time but it will affekt the outcome of a potential crash. There are a lot of free aps where you can take The theoretical test for free and also get explanations of all the questions so it will be easier for you to pass the real test when you need to.

[@edvarddrake]

The point of what you think is pointless %-ages is that to remember it even just for the test forces you to think about what speed means to risk. And once you think about it properly, you hopefully understand the increased risk with speed. And THAT is the point. Not the percentage number as such

[@user-qk3ss4jz9u]

There are no free lunches - not even in Sweden, we pay the highest taxes in the world for medical care and other social services.

[@blueeyedbaer]

Fluctuating interest rates are crazy. I haven't bought a house or an apartment yet but I'm leasing a car. My monthly payments has increased by almost 1000 Swedish crowns over a year because the Swedish central bank has raised interest rate. Although the car itself hasn't gotten more expensive (in fact the value has decreased), the insurance hasn't gotten more expensive and the service fee hasn't gotten more expensive. Fluctuating interest rates is just a way for banks to get more money. Of course, if interest rate gets down, I wil pay less, but that is highly unlikely with current situation in the world.

[@ErikTheAndroid]

As a Swede I finally understand the whole "refinancing loans" thing. I have heard about it so many times without ever understanding it :P The whole home buying situation is fucked.

[@ceicli]

The Swedish youth get free dental care up to the age of 23, before it was 21 years. Though the clinics have trouble keeping in touch with them after they move for university and such! About the Swedish credit score, it has become more of a thing (or I noticed it) in the last few years. I got the "skuldsanering" (debt restructuring) and it was finished almost 2 years ago but I still can't even get a "buy now - pay in 14/30 days". I can't get medicin on monthly pay either. It's because I used to have problems with my economy before, I checked with the finance institutes! That means that I have no way to build a new score either! 😒

[@johannaengman2594]

It used to be more common to have a fixed interest rate here as well. Not sure if for 30 years but at least 10 years. The thing is that the bank charge you for that. You pay for it. I follow some Americans who make YT about houses and I have noticed how much more they are paying than what we do. The problem now is that we have had such a low interest rate for a long time som specially young people think that that is the norm. When I got my first apartment I got 9,75 % interest and thought that was such a great deal. My parents had a rate at around 13-15 % for a long long time. That was the norm then. And always remember bank makes money on your money. Over time it has proven to be a better deal to not look your interest but you have to make sure you can handle a higher %s.

[@13z]

It’s so odd hearing how you have a slight Swedish accent now. I think that’s kinda cool

[@MDobri-sy1ce]

Hej, Stephen, I hope you are well. I have been wondering where you have been lately. I am serious lol.

[@pnwdayz6287]

is that a bit of the swenglish accent that i hear from you, Stefan? :D

[@andrewdoyle1772]

Its funny, almost all the things you mentioned about Sweden is the same here in Australia. It seems that the US is the odd one out with locked in mortgages and healthcare systems. You definitely have a type of "credit score" in Sweden, as Australia, but its just not displayed in the same way as a credit score. For example, if you go to apply for a loan and you have a credit card open, even if you never pay interest on it and effectively use it as a debit card (and to collect airline points) they'll still say thats an additional $500 per month liability.

[@Doglover-qc1uo]

I'm autistic and I live in Sweden. Here I can have "boendestöd" via a law called "LSS", whereas in the US, you can't get that. You have to do it all by yourself. And there's not "daglig verksamhet" or "arbetsträning" either, just go to work and start working right away, even if you're not ready for it yet. Also, there's "praktik"/temp jobs here in Sweden. In the US, I heard it's extremely easy to get fired while as in Sweden, it's not as easy. Only if the company is "varslar" folk. Or having layoffs due to budget cuts, or similar stuff... But not just for getting sick, or staying home with your child. I also have ADHD, and my medication is much more affordable here, than what I've heard of from some US citizens. Also, the transgender healthcare. Here in Sweden, I've been waiting in queue for like 4 years, while in US you could get your appointments, medications and gender-affirming surgeries, but the negative thing is you have to pay for it all. While in Sweden, you don't have to do that. But the con is the very, very, very long waiting times. So it's both good and bad. Depending on who you are. It's not as bad as in the UK (4.5-5 years waiting queue), or in Finland (6 years waiting queue), but it's not Denmark or Norway either. Idk how long you have to wait over there, but I'm pretty sure it's like shorter than 4 years, at least... I've been waiting now for an investigation since like 2020. Didn't get any diagnosis my first time because they said I have to talk to "someone", about my psychological traumas. I've tried getting talking therapy/samtalskontakt since I started at my Adhd-mottagning in 2017, but haven't gotten it yet. I told a friend about it. And he said over there, I would've gotten help right away. (That was in Lund. I live in Stockholm), he said it's worse in the bigger cities. But I'm stuck here because I'm waiting on investigation (utredning) for gender dysphoria. The clinic is situated in Uppsala. So that's much closer to Stockholm. Why I'm like stuck here. If I could get the investigation, diagnosis, and start treatment, I could maybe move to another (smaller) city, and be able to start my trauma therapy/trauma treatment, too. But for now, I'm stuck in Stockholm. Because of the transgender healthcare that I need, but are in the meantime, waiting for...

[@ingvartorma9789]

This by taking a loan to buy a home. When my parents bought a house in the 70s, there was a 30-year loan at the time just like you have in the US. However, do not know when this possibility disappeared in Sweden. Stafan the day you become a parent you will really see the big difference with being a parent in Sweden compared to America.

[@ericwedin4154]

How about if you buy real estate in the US at a fairly high rate and it just keeps going up? Hard to refinance in that situation. You have probably been used to extremely low interest rates for a very long time.

[@g0679]

Living in Hogtown, Florida. Visited Sweden about a dozen years ago. On numerous occasions, women around my age approached me in public places and began conversation. I’m long overdue for a return visit.

[@kalegolas]

Sweden have credit score to actually, you can be denied taking loans and credits, rent a new apartment or use any of the ”buy know pay later”deals if you have a bad creditscore. Your friends who asks you why you dont have loads of different creditcards have probably a very low credit score without knowing it themself 😅

[@sabrina9326]

what do you think about the war situation maybe happening here in Sweden? :/

[@undcin4929]

Same thing in the US. You can use your International Driver's license for a year. Then, you need to get an American driver's license.

[@olasjoberg2111]

a educator that cant stand the thought of learning:) thanks for the vid...

[@HH79]

We have UC score in Sweden and depending on debt and loans you will have a score and can be rejected or receive better or worse rates so you are wrong Every request for a credit line indifferent to private loan or house loan will require a UC credit score check

[@toonsoffun5733]

This was a good video. Usually it’s the same talking points over and over. While holding the microphone is pretty cringe.

[@Ohem1]

I found the theoretical test much easier than the driving, the theory is just memorization.

[@SinzPet-]

lol, i never knew what a deviated septum was. heard it alot in american movies and tv shows. now i know i guess xD

[@303anders]

Interesting I like to get a 30 years loan on the house like in the US. I’m paying 5k more a month now then a year ago in just interest. The Swedish banks are making alot of money.

[@ELHoffa]

UC in Sweden is similar.

[@wendajones9040]

Don't forget that you can drive at 15 in Sweden in a "EU moppebil" that goes max 45 km/h.

[@sarareuben566]

Är lite sent ute men välkommen till Sverige! 🥰🇸🇪

[@biankakoettlitz6979]

Some Americans could chance their American licence in Germany because they're from a certain state, isn't that possible in Sweden?? (I watched it on several videos on Yt)

[@barrylenihan8032]

Yes there are cultural differences between countries, which some people may find strange. For example, in the USA you can obtain a driver's licence at age 16 but can't have a beer until you are 21. Given that driving a car is inherently more dangerous than drinking a beer, why is that the case. In general Europe has it right by permitting both at the age of 18. Obviously, drinking and driving is a big no-no, but that is the case everywhere.

[@deestewart6782]

18mph or 30kph 70% ok wind Iam flagging Ill think about it

[@Chronic_Town]

Interest rates are not rising "right now"? They are dropping, in Sweden and elsewhere. They were rising up until maybe a month ago.

[@86Akos]

Once again, you do pay for the healthcare. With one of the world’s highest taxes. So you can’t really make this comparison unless you compare tax brackets in the US and how much get to keep on your earnings. Essentially less tax, keep more, but you’ll have to cover more by yourself. It’s also important to compare the quality of the healthcare, generally Swedish healthcare is pretty sub par and the municipality will straight out refuse to do certain treatments or operations if they believe they’re too expensive or unnecessary. We do have credit scores, essentially you’ll be checked anytime you’re taking stuff on credit/ monthly payments or loans. If you’re seems not being able to keep up with payments you’re going to be turned down.

[@mark88]

But but....when driving in Sweden it is super important to remember how many accident there were between elks and cars in 1987. 😂

[@locodeedee8577]

Credit cards arent really that common in sweden, most people just use their debit cards. I think that is part of why we dont really have the credit score system 🤷🏼‍♀️

[@andreaspettersson5711]

There is indeed a credit score system in sweden, far before us in time

[@NomHeads]

The theoretical test thing is very true also in Finland. I remember a question something like "You're driving at 80km/h, how many meters have you moved forward in 2 seconds?" Now that you said it, yeah these questing in the tests seem odd 😂

[@danielcarlsen9228]

It's meant to illustrate how little time to react you have if something suddenly appears in front of you which is why you should adapt the speed to current sight conditions.

That's really basic physics though that everybody should have come across in school at the age of 14 or something... (80/3,6) * 2 ≈ 44 m

[@Drakey_Fenix]

That kind of makes me not want to take the drivers license myself. I know I would fail the math questions over and over again since I absolutely suck at math.

[@danielcarlsen9228]

@@Drakey_Fenix It's not the exact answer that matters. It's that you have some semblance of how fast you're going.

[@ArchieArpeggio]

Bank loan for property as a house or appartment has similarities with finnish system. In Sweden if you take first time loan to by appartment the government gives you insurance for 75% of the loan so you have to have 25% of the money or you need someone else to cover that part if you need 100% funding from the bank. Here in Finland it is the same thing, but you need only 15% your own money or someone else to cover that part of the loan. Who ever is signing up for that have to have money or property that qualify to do that. So as i tok my first loan with my ex we didn´t had those options and we missed twice a good deal for appartment from good spot. Third time there were new option to cover that 15% was a firm that did this, but getting them to cover it they charget 450€ (about 4500kr) and the loan were build up that way that we had to pay that first 15% in certain time off so that firm got of the hook after that. I think it was 4 year time limit to do that. Also in bank loans we have different options how we pay the monthly. I chosed sertain sum that i pay every month and it stays the same even that the interest rate swings it doesnt effect to the sum that i pay or other option is that have sertain sum that you pay off that dept plus interest so you don´t exactly know what it will be if the rates changes. My way it is hard to know when my last payment will be becouse when the interest rate goes up the time of my loan gets longer but in that other system the deadline is known and it will stay the same. After you have used that advantage and took first loan and you want second loan you need to have that same 25% your own money to get the loan from the bank or you have to have some kind of fortune that covers for that 25%. Of course if i have payd this first property and it is mine and the value is enough i can get that loan for next one. We need to register the business here in Finland too before we start our own business. That is becouse government wants to be sure that it will get the tax money from your firm/business. At least in Nordic countries are so byrocratic countries that you cant do anything without serveilance of tax office. Also you might need shitload of other permits to that firm before you can actualy do anything. Depending what you are doing. But if you don´t have income at least 10000€ you don´t have to have registered firm. All the other things are about the same here and Sweden. Credit card world is so different here. Interest rates depends where you take the card and amount of the fees are different too. I have few cards and interest rate is from 12 to 18 and the fees are from zero to 12€ per month so i rather not pay anything with credit if i don´t have to.

[@stiglarsson8405]

I belive that driverslicens is more of a right in USA, becuse its a necessity? But in sweden its more like a privilege.. and to get it one need real education.

[@JDkonsult]

3 Month is the most commen rate