Tools

Finance

Best bank Switzerland 2023: neon

neon is my 100% free Swiss online bank. You are entitled to CHF 10 of welcome cash by using my special code "MUSTACHIAN" in their app (read my detailed article to understand my choice).

Another alternative that may better suit you is the Swiss online bank Zak which I have compared with neon in this article. I also negotiated you CHF 50 of welcome cash if you use the code "ONLYMP" during the account opening process with them.

Best credit cards Switzerland 2023: Swisscard Cashback Amex, Certo! One, and neon

My Swiss credit card system allows me to earn CHF 551.88 per year compared to a system with UBS, Credit Suisse or BCV credit cards. I explain my credit card system in detail in this article.

Before switching

CHF 100 of annual credit card fee
CHF 251.88 for expenses on my expenses in foreign currencies
(and I didn't earn anything in cash back)

After

CHF 0 of annual credit card fee
CHF 0 of fees on my expenses in foreign currencies
CHF 200 of cash back per year

In summary:

The Swisscard's Amex Cashback is 100% free of charge and has the most advantageous Swiss cash back program. If you order it with this code "FC40XDREG", you will win CHF 40 of welcome bonus in cash
The Certo! One Mastercard World from Cembra is 100% free too. I use it as soon as my Cashback Amex is not accepted in order to take advantage of the second best cash back program in Switzerland. By ordering it with this link you earn in addition CHF 50 of welcome cash
The free Mastercard debit card from neon to pay anywhere in Switzerland where credit cards are not accepted (including the countryside!), abroad, and in foreign currencies (shops and online)

Budget: YNAB

YNAB (aka. You Need A Budget) is the budgeting tool I have been using since 2013. It has allowed me to grow my net worth from CHF 50'000 to CHF 1'044'205 in 8.5 years (see the full article).

Best online brokers Switzerland 2023: Interactive Brokers and DEGIRO

"Stopping to work at age 35-40 while living on your passive income" is based on the fact that you invest your money.

The goal is for your money to work for you every minute of your life. While you sleep, it works. While you're at job, it's working too. While you are hiking in the Fribourg pre-Alps, it also works! And in concrete terms, what I mean by "it works" is that you earn cash without doing anything at all. I personally aim for at least 7-8% over the long term with my investments in ETFs.

As far as I'm concerned, I chose Interactive Brokers for our money invested in the stock market, and DEGIRO for the money we are saving for our children.

You will find my two complete guides for the Swiss online brokers Interactive Brokers and DEGIRO by following this link.

To buy my index funds as a Swiss investor, I recommend 3 online broker options:

Interactive Brokers is the best for a Swiss investor
DEGIRO if you prefer to have an online broker based in Europe rather than in the US
Cornèrtrader if you absolutely want to have your broker located in Switzerland. In case you choose this option, make sure you invest at least once a quarter to avoid paying their CHF 35/quarter inactivity fees

Real estate France: Horiz.io (formerly Rendementlocatif.com)

After automating my stock market investment strategy, I looked for a way to increase my returns and also to diversify my investments. By talking to several readers, real estate tempted me because of its tangible side and its returns of at least 15%!

But this world was completely new to me. With very specific calculation methods. That's when I discovered a tool that became essential for me to calculate the potential of a property in France in less than 3 minutes and this in a 100% reliable and objective way : Horiz.io

Pro tip: create your account at 29€/month when you are in intense search phase, and then stop it when you have found your property.

Best third pillars (3a): VIAC and finpension

You want to take advantage of the pillar 3a tax reduction, but you don't like the outrageously expensive funds in which your savings are invested?
VIAC or finpension (link contains welcome bonus codes ;)) is our solution. All our 3a money is invested in equity ETFs up to 99%. Minimum fees, maximum returns!

Crypto-currencies: Coinbase

I have invested 11'000€ via Coinbase (read my detailed article) in case it turns into CHF 1'000'000 in 10 years. For the moment it has been stagnating since 2017. We'll see about that :) Anyway, one thing's for sure, I'm not adding a dime to this.

Insurances

Swiss health insurance: KPT

The benefits of basic health insurance, also known as KVG/LAMal insurance, are regulated by Swiss law. Hence, the coverage is the same for all insurers. Only the quality of service (speed of reimbursement, availability of customer service, third-party guarantor, etc.) changes. But not the coverage of your costs.

As a Mustachian, I am not dependent on reimbursements. So my choice goes to the cheapest Swiss health insurance with the highest deductible (i.e. CHF 2'500 to date) which is KPT since 2023 (for our family situation, residing in the canton of Vaud).

Pro tip: one can change of health insurance every year. The cancellation deadline is before the 30 November latest. So, we always check at the beginning of the school year in September if there is not a cheaper health insurance via the official website of the Swiss Confederation "Priminfo".

Telecoms

Internet and mobile: Sunrise via QoQa.ch

I don't wanna be a cash cow paying CHF 100-200 of internet + mobile subscriptions. And you?

My current Swiss internet+mobile setup is based on Sunrise with the QoQa offer. It allows me to have unlimited home-internet + unlimited mobile abo for everything, for an amount between CHF 42 and CHF 64 (for one person), and between CHF 84 and CHF 105 (for a couple). Now you know what to do :)

Work health

Office Chair: VLUV Stov seating ball

I have a job where I sit at the computer desk for eight hours (and more). After many years in this position, I started to suffer from back pain. So my reflex was to go to the osteopath regularly and to choose an ergonomic chair.

Except that a comfortable office chair only made the problem worse because I was sitting in front of my screen even longer.

My former osteo had only talked to me about exercises to do until now... that I did 2-3 days after my session, and then I gave up afterwards.

Except one day, I changed my osteo. And he told me not to keep my ergonomic chair. And to take a Swiss ball (also called a ball chair or seating ball) instead.

The principle is simple: on the one hand, you will strengthen your muscles in your abdominal and back muscles. But above all, you will feel pain much more quickly, a sign that you need to make a mini-break because your body is made to move, not to sit for hours.

I can't stop recommending it to those around me because it has relieved my back pain, definitely.
I chose the VLUV Stove which has the advantage of having a nice look (rather than an ergonomic plastic ball) and, moreover, which is of very high quality and facture.

You can see the product details by following these links Amazon.de or Amazon.fr.

Start Now

YNAB* is my favorite tool to budget and get rich. It got me from 50kCHF to 800kCHF in 8 years.
Interactive Brokers* and DEGIRO* are the two discount online brokers that make my money work for me while I’m at sleep! Here is my complete brokers’ review for Swiss investors.
neon is my 100% free online Swiss bank. I have detailed my choice in this article. And I negotiated a CHF 10 welcome-cash bonus for you when you use the code ‘mustachian’ in their app.
Swisscard Cashback*, Certo! One, and neon are my go-to Swiss credit cards to pay the least fees and get the maximum cash back possible.

* These products and services are affiliate partners of the blog. If you click on them, you won't notice any difference but the blog will earn a small commission and I sincerely thank you for this.