(Editor’s note: This is Pt. 1 of a two-part post. You can jump to Pt. 2 here.)
When you move to a new country, it can take time to learn the way things work and how to best reap the benefits of what the country has to offer. After living in Gothenburg, Sweden for the past two years, I have had the chance to pick up on some valuable life hacks that will improve your Swedish experience and help you save some money to boot!
Go outside when its sunny – and buy a sun lamp
It sounds simple, but growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, I never gave the ever-present sun a second thought, except maybe going inside when it’s too damn hot! Well, it’s the exact opposite in Sweden.
When the sun decides to come out, you have to drop everything and find a way to enjoy it.
At the very least, sit near a sunny window. You will have weeks-long stretches with no sun and you had no idea how much you missed it until it was gone. Trust me, soak it up whenever you can!
On that note, when September comes around, I set up my sun lamp and spend 30 minutes each morning sitting in front of it for the next six months. It hasn’t improved my Vitamin D levels, but it certainly improves my mental well-being.
Order pharmacy items for online pick-up
For some unknown reason, ordering items from the pharmacies’ websites and picking them up two hours later (or getting them delivered for a small fee) makes many items cheaper than buying them in the store. You would think having to find the item and put it in a bag would create more work for the staff, but nonetheless I have found the same items to cost 30-percent less online. Some pharmacies even have a lock box for easy pickup.
Dagens (daily) lunch specials
Weekday lunch specials are an institution in Sweden. Nearly every restaurant is deeply discounted and many include an entree, salad bar, coffee, and dessert all for 100-150 krona ($10-15). Even fancy restaurants do this, so it’s a great opportunity to try expensive places you wouldn’t go to, otherwise. A good lunch can be found in unexpected places, too. For example, both the library and my favorite hot chocolate cafe offer a soup lunch during the day.
Biltema
I wish I had known about this great store sooner! Think Ace Hardware meets Walmart. When my husband and I arrived, we were buying most of our house and hardware things at Clas Ohlson – which is fine (and convenient because they are located in cities). But, Clas can be a little on the expensive side. Biltema, on the other hand, has a huge selection (they even sell bikes and other recreational stuff) and low prices, which is a little rare in Sweden. The products seem to be good quality, too. They also have their own snack items, which I’d like to try sometime. And they have a counter selling super cheap hotdogs and Swedish meatballs – just like IKEA!
Right of public access
Allemansrätten is translated to “every man’s right” to access nature, which means you are free to roam, camp, ski, bike, and pick berries and mushrooms (the chanterelles are amazing) on any land you choose in Sweden, with the exception of close proximity to private homes. Even when you’re on someone else’s property it’s okay, as long as it’s a reasonable distance from where they dwell. The key is to just use common sense and be respectful. Sweden also has free shelters scattered across the countryside where you can sleep and seek refuge from the rain or snow.
Church music
Besides being beautiful, the churches in Sweden are very active and most offer free musical entertainment which is open to the public. Upon arriving in Gothenburg, I found an epic-looking church and one of the first things I did was attend a lovely organ concert in the middle of the day. Sometimes they have violinists, harpists, flutists, etc. and offer coffee and sandwiches for sale. And on 13 December, there are Lucia concerts, which feature a choir in white robes singing traditional songs. A girl playing Lucia dons a crown of candles, which represents a lighting up of the darkness. Free concerts are held at libraries sometimes, as well!
These are just a few insider tips sure to enhance your life in Sweden as an expat, straight from someone who has the experience of living here for awhile and has had to learn a lot.
There are certain things that only a local knows, so now you do, too!
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See more about Sweden here in Dispatches’ archives.
Jess Bretin
Jess Bretin is a communications and content specialist, and an American living in Gothenburg, Sweden. While in the states, she spent 2 years on the road living in a van and visited every state. She then married a Frenchman, so she has spent alot of time in France. Jess is also a singer/songwriter in a rock band and loves to cook and stand-up paddle board.
See her posts here:
• Walk like a Swede, talk like a Swede: How to make friends in Sweden
• Chistmas in Sweden: Tradition, light and togetherness
• The cost of living in Sweden 2025: What's actually going on.
