IVF at a state hospital costs only the medicines, and two people on €900 each take home more than one on €1,800
Insurers don't pay for IVF, clinics give up to 10% off, and at a state hospital you pay only for the medicines
In a pregnancy chat, a woman asked whether it is better to have IVF in Portugal or in Spain: when she took out her policy, ASISA had promised her a discount at its Spanish clinics. The replies said insurers do not pay for IVF programmes, either in full or in part; at most there is a small discount under an agreement between the insurer and the clinic: one woman got €500 off at Ginemed with Allianz insurance. Another spent three years having treatment at the IVI clinic in Lisbon, and her ASISA Premium insurance covered nothing.
“Insurers don't cover IVF programmes, not in full and not even in part. There can be a small discount under an agreement. I got €500 off at Ginemed with Allianz insurance.”
Translated from Russianberemennost_portugal02.11.2026
You can save another 10% by joining the patients' association Associação Portuguesa de Fertilidade: membership costs €40 to join and €35 a year to renew. Partner clinics, such as IERA Lisboa, give its members 10% off IVF and other treatment.
“A Portuguese friend told me there's some association you can join. The fee is something like €35–40 a year. And membership gives you 10% off at some fertility clinics. She actually used it and thought it was worth it.”
Translated from Russianberemennost_portugal02.11.2026
The cheapest option is a state hospital. Someone in the chat passed on the experience of a Portuguese woman who had IVF at São João hospital in Porto: the couple paid only for the medicines, about €100 on average. Under the rules of the state health service, the SNS (as summarised by APFertilidade), the IVF itself is free at a state centre, and the state covers 69% of the cost of the medicines, even if the treatment is at a private clinic.
“We had IVF at São João hospital in Porto and paid only for the medicines. It's a state hospital, so we didn't pay for the treatment. The medicines are expensive, but now the state covers a lot of it: it pays about 90%. That's really good. Even so, it comes to about €100 on average, because it depends on how many injections you need.”
Translated from Portugueseberemennost_portugal02.11.2026
The SNS offers free IVF only to women under 40 and for no more than three attempts, so it is best not to put off getting a referral.
Two people earning €900 each take home more than one on €1,800: they pay almost no IRS. But two also spend more
On Reddit, someone asked whether two people earning €900 each really are better off than one person on €1,800. People agreed on one thing: the two take home more. On €900, the main deduction is the 11% Segurança Social contribution, which leaves each of them about €800 — about €1,600 between them. On €1,800, income tax (IRS) is deducted as well, and by one commenter's reckoning that leaves about €1,400 in take-home pay. On top of that, each of the two may be entitled to a meal allowance (subsídio de refeição).
“Of course. Two people on €900 each pay practically only Segurança Social contributions and, in theory, each of them gets a meal allowance. Whereas one person on €1,800 pays both Segurança Social and IRS, and, sadly, in Portugal will still be told they're lucky to have such a big salary.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
But two people also spend more: food, transport, clothes, phone and internet — everything is for two. Others countered that electricity and other bills do not double but rise by about 20%, and cooking at home works out cheaper for two. People also mentioned security: if one falls ill, the household still has the second income.
“No, because they eat for two, travel for two, and all the other costs — from toilet paper to appliances and phone bills — are for two as well. That's if we're talking take-home pay. And if it's gross, then also no: someone on €1,800 gross takes home about €1,400 at most (not counting the meal card).”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
“Yes. Electricity and the other bills don't double, they go up by 20% or so, no more. Food, if you cook at home, works out cheaper for two. Beyond that it all depends on your lifestyle.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
“Besides the money there's also security: if one falls ill and can't work, the other still has an income.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
The upshot: compare not gross pay but what is left after tax and unavoidable costs; beyond that, it all depends on rent, children, a car and spending habits.
A student with €10,000 is told to buy savings certificates: 2.5% a year, and the money is locked in for just three months
A student whose mum gave him €10,000 for his 18th birthday asked on Reddit where to put it. He does not plan to spend it and wants it at least to keep pace with inflation over three to five years. His mum's only request was that he not keep it all in the account he uses for everyday spending.
The first suggestion was state savings certificates, Certificados de Aforro: the money cannot be withdrawn for the first three months, after which interest starts to be paid, and it is the safest option while you get to grips with everything else. In November the rate is 2.5%, the maximum for the current series, and 28% tax is withheld from the interest. The certificates can be bought at a CTT post office, at an Espaço Cidadão or on the AforroNet website.
“First of all, congratulations on such a ‘present’. I'd advise putting it into Certificados de Aforro: after three months it gets ‘unlocked’ (meaning you can't take it out for the first three months) and the first interest comes in. It's the safest option until you understand things better and, if you want, move into something that can earn more but is also riskier.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
Others advised splitting it: half into certificates, half into an interest-bearing account at the German online bank Trade Republic, which reportedly pays about 3% and lets you take the money out at any time. Still others suggested an S&P 500 index fund (the 500 largest US companies), but only if the money is left untouched for 10–20 years. And almost everyone agreed on one thing: first learn how money works, and don't listen to influencers.
“5,000 into certificates and 5,000 into Trade Republic — just don't add the card to Apple Pay, so you don't spend a cent of that money.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
“Time is on your side. Learn how compound interest works and don't give in to the temptation to spend it in the next few years. With what's going on in housing, this could be the difference between one day putting down a deposit on a flat and renting your whole life at unaffordable prices. Read up on financial literacy and don't listen to influencers.”
Translated from Portugueser/literaciafinanceira01.11.2026
An 11-month-old wakes hungry at night: mums suggest formula or kefir rather than cow's milk until the age of one
In a chat for parents of babies and toddlers, a mum asked for advice: her baby, almost 11 months old, goes to nursery and has started waking more often at night wanting the breast, but she has almost no milk left. He won't drink water at night, and ordinary cow's milk upset his stomach.
The replies said cow's milk should not be given as a drink before the age of one, but fermented dairy — yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese — is fine. Several mums had given formula until age one and lactose-free milk after that: some children reacted badly to ordinary milk, though this later passed. Another mum thought the baby might simply not be getting enough to eat during the day; in that case, she said, she would give formula until age one.
“Plain milk as a drink isn't recommended for children under one. Fermented dairy is fine: yoghurt, kefir, cottage cheese.”
Translated from Russianpequenos_PT02.11.2026
“We gave formula until one. From one, lactose-free milk. There can be lactose intolerance.”
Translated from Russianpequenos_PT02.11.2026
“We decided that the need for calories had probably grown, and solids weren't enough to make up for it yet. If you don't mind formula, I'd give formula until one in situations like this.”
Translated from Russianpequenos_PT02.11.2026
They also recommended special milk for one-to-three-year-olds — essentially formula in liquid form — and Nestlé's ‘night-time’ milk with biscuit and cereal, which is sold at Continente. Another option is runny porridge: rice, semolina or buckwheat. A paediatrician or a nurse at the health centre (centro de saúde) can advise on what will suit your child.
“There's special milk for 1–3 year olds with added nutrients, basically liquid formula. Nestlé also has pyjama milk — milk with biscuit and cereal specifically for the night, so they sleep on a full tummy.”
Translated from Russianpequenos_PT02.11.2026
A lump on a puppy's paw: the chat suggests a histiocytoma that clears up by itself, or a grass seed that needs antibiotics
The owner of a six-month-old French bulldog posted a photo in the chat: the puppy has had a red lump between its toes for ten days, with no abscess, and she can't get to a vet quickly. She asked what it might be and what to do at home.
Two people whose dogs had had the same thing identified it as a histiocytoma, a benign lump in young dogs that clears up on its own within two to three months. There is no need to put anything on it, but the dog must not be allowed to lick or bite it. It is still worth seeing a vet: to be sure, their vets did cytology, a cell test.
“My dachshund had one. It's most likely a histiocytoma. It goes away by itself in 2–3 months. It shouldn't itch. But don't let the dog lick or bite it. No need to put anything on it. But it's worth going to the vet. They did cytology for us just to be safe.”
Translated from Russianportugal_pets02.11.2026
Others warned about pragana, a dry grass seed that burrows into the paw: there is a lot of dry grass about at the moment, and this happens very often. Until it is clear what the lump is, clean the paw with chlorhexidine and watch whether the dog is licking it or limping.
“If in the next couple of days this little lump gets a raised ‘centre’, then it's a pragana. There's a lot of dry grass about now, so it may well be — it's sooo common. If it is a pragana, you need to start antibiotics, so don't put off going to the vet in any case.”
Translated from Russianportugal_pets02.11.2026
If the lump develops a raised ‘centre’ or starts to leak fluid, see a vet that same week: that is what a lodged grass seed looks like, and it needs antibiotics.
