RE: Short term stay in Amsterdam, or nearby: recommendations please

I didn't mean to correct you, Liberat - just thought I'd add the part about the WHV. Of course you're right about the Schengen 90/180 day rule.

Hi everyone.

OK thanks to those who provided some kind of helpful, technical suggestions. I didn't realize I had to write my life story, before people could provide some kind of assistance. To me it feels like a normal question - where do you stay for extended short term. Anyway, I have a working visa, so that whole paragraph on 90/180 days was totally irrelevant, but thank you for the time in writing. I will be looking for a room to share. I don't want to spend more than €1000/ month for rent, nor do I want to spend €1000 for two-weeks at hostel/hotel in a private ensuite, while I look for a place to live.

Couchsurfing was a great link - thanks, but I'll need to get my bearings before I just crash at someone's place. I think I prefer a hotel, but it would be nice to have someone to show me around. I think the major concern is really because I'll have my laptop and slr camera, which I don't usually have, plus all my clothes, which will cause me some tension while I'm outside. I guess I can just carry my camera/ laptop with me at all times. I know that dorms will be the cheapest option. But, I wasn't looking at dorm rooms in hostels, because I never really stayed in dorms before - I always got my own room - and I'm not looking forward to having all my stuff in a shared room. I know there are storage lockers.

Anyway, I'll figure something out. Maybe, I'll post on a different forum for expats, etc. Thanks again.

If you can't/won't pay for a hotel, don't be too anti-Couchsurfing.

There is a really strong chance that no-one will reply to you, or that you will be denied (I'm sure you can imagine how many emails come from people wanting to stay in Amsterdam cheaply), but sign up and send a few emails now. You can always change your mind, and if you are lucky enough to be offered a spare bed, its a GREAT way to get your bearings in a new city. You're staying with a local, who will know plenty, and they may just have some tips on the best way to rent your own place.

And start looking at dorm rooms in hostels. A bed in one of these will set you back about €20 - €25 per night. That's the cheapest accommodation you'll find in this city, I guarantee it. If you have a working holiday visa, get thee to the standard first stop for backpackers in Amsterdam (The Flying Pig) and ask about working in exchange for room and board. They do it, but you need to be a bit charming. That should save you a few bucks.

Your camera and laptop will be fine - you're probably not the first person to stay at a hostel who owns a camera or a laptop. Some of us can even afford both :-)

I'm sorry if I sound like I'm laughing at you, but you seem so scared of all the things that normal travellers do, yet so unwilling to explore the alternatives! Best of luck, hope you're able to unwind a bit.

didn't realize I had to write my life story, before people could provide some kind of assistance
Look, sodaya: you posted on this forum because you needed information and specifically mentioned your budgetary restraints, so there's no reason to get annoyed when people ask you the fully legitimate question what that budget is, before we make recommendations that you cannot afford anyway.

If you're seriously looking for advice, stop being a smartass and give a normal answer to checkback questions - i.e. help us help you in a better way.

I don't want to spend more than €1000/ month for rent, nor do I want to spend €1000 for two-weeks at hostel/hotel in a private ensuite, while I look for a place to live.

€1000/ month for rent = sharing an apartment in Amsterdam, you could look at http://www.kamerverhuur.nl/, the site is only in Dutch but you might able to manage (www.translate.google.com might help). Some ads are in English.

For your first two weeks, you have three options; hotel, which you've ruled out as too expensive, hostel - which could be a good option, lots of other travellers figuring stuff out. Or couch-surfing - which you rule out and I'm not sure why. I know some of the people doing couch-surfing and they're good people. You express concerns about storing your laptop and camera in someone else's house but they'll be giving you keys to the house and trusting you with that so I think you could give a little credit.

Anyway good luck.

If you're after expat forums www.expatica.com has a section for the Netherlands and a lot of info for foreigners.

I completely agree with imogenzedder.

If you read other threads you might notice that my replies are normally much more helpful and detailed than the one I gave in #3, but your question was so vague that I couldn't come up with more than this. A lot of other regular posters haven't replied yet, I think because you're asking the impossible. Or as us Dutch would say it: "voor een dubbeltje op de eerste rang willen zitten" > wanting to have a front row seat for a dime.

I don't think you realise that you are coming to a city where even the kids who want to move out of their parents' house, have to look for an affordable place for years, and are lucky if they find an illegal sublet without a shower in someone's attick.
It feels a bit like you're shooting the messengers (us).

"Short stay" is way expensive, it's not like Berlin where they have all kinds of cheap apartments just for tourists.

All in all hostels and couch surfing are your best bets for your budget. Or you might be very lucky and find an ad in a supermarket or on the internet from someone who is looking for a pet sitter for a few weeks. But not a lot of people would let a complete stranger do this while they're away. You could post an ad yourself as well.

One other option is Camping Zeeburg and pitch your tent. You don't say when you're coming. They also have cabins and wagonettes which are relatively cheap. It's a 20 minute bike ride to the centre.

I think I prefer a hotel, but it would be nice to have someone to show me around.
Eehhhhhmmmm.... COUCHSURFING! (if you're lucky enough to be accepted, you don't have any credits/reviews yet)

For more recommendations about things to do and where to stay in Amsterdam, go to my website > Travel > Amsterdam Tips.

Veel plezier en succes,
Cécile (who found her first legal rental place after 6 years and having lived in 8 different places: sublets, anti-squat, house-sitting)
Amsterdam

Edited by: Cecilia

Thank you for for the updates imogenzedder quailia, and cecila. Again, some of you provide some great technical assistance - and imogenzedder you're correct in that I am overly nervous, but the reason is that I expect to be working a professional job most likely in an office, because that is where my job leads are to date. So for me to lose my laptop and my business clothes is just such a huge expense and I'm already spending quite a lot just in travel. Anyway, I think I found a few places for less than 60 euros - so that will have to do for now.

Regarding places nearby, I was hoping someone could post more info about Haarlem, or other surrounding areas, but I guess I will have to wait to meet locals and go out on the train a few times to see the surrounding areas. I will post my couchsurfing profile, soon, before next Monday.

Thanks again. I think my questions have been mostly answered in this thread.

@ Aribo - you're useless. Really, re-read your posts in this thread; you didn't offer one good suggestion. Please don't post anymore on this thread.

Haarlem and Utrecht could be options for you, Haarlem won't be any cheaper, Utrecht will be - but not much.

Leiden is a lovely city and could be worth considering esp if you're working on the Sth side of the city.

Having said that... Amsterdam's more fun to live in!

Sodaya, I think Aribo pointed out in a decent manner (by Dutch standards, welcome to your first culture shock!) that you were indeed being a smartass while people were trying to be helpful. Your comments about "having to write your life story" were pretty sarcastic.
It was pretty clear that people were trying to help you (for free!!) but they needed more information because your question was too vague. You should be happy that these people took the effort to ask for more details, they could have ignored the question entirely. Instead you sort of bashed them.

The more details you provide in your question, the more useful answers you will get.
And being friendly instead of sarcastic also helps...