Inflation drives up prices in the supermarket, in housing and at the pumps. From this fall, the price shock threatens. FOCUS Online says what German citizens need to know now.
Prices are rising, consumers are groaning under the expensive phase that has been going on for months. There can be no talk of relief – quite the opposite.
Where you can save now in autumn – and where you pay extra.
Overall, high inflation is actually driving up rents. All apartments with an index rent would now be directly affected. The amount is based on consumer prices. If the last increase was at least a year ago, it could now be more expensive for tenants.
Apartments that are linked to the locally applicable rent index would also be indirectly affected. “In Munich, for example, there will be a new rent index in spring 2023. Inflation could lead to an additional increase here. That cannot be ruled out,” says rental expert Raststätter.
With a graduated rent, the increase is firmly anchored in the contract. An additional price increase that can be traced back to the current inflation wave is not permitted.
Without Russian gas it will be difficult to get through the entire winter. Timm Kehler, head of the industry association Zukunft Gas, explains that if Russian gas supplies were to fail, Germany would be short of 35 to 50 percent of the gas.
If gas deliveries through Nord Stream 1 are not resumed, filling the gas storage facilities in Germany will initially be difficult. The missing quantity can only be procured to a limited extent from other sources.
The result would also be a massive jump in prices. Anyone who can no longer afford gas should ask their provider for a deferral. In retail, Germans are currently buying stationary, electric or direct heaters, radiators or fan heaters.
They work with heating resistors that heat up when current flows. However, these electric heaters usually have a very high power consumption.
Check whether you are not already ordering heating oil. The prices increase with the heating period from the end of September.
Negotiations on conditions in the German retail sector are scheduled for autumn. It’s about the prices on the supermarket shelf. The first brand manufacturers are putting pressure on them and resorting to expensive clubs. There could be price adjustments, especially for soft drinks, beer, juices, ketchup and chocolate. Brand manufacturers want to raise prices, supermarkets want to avoid that.
How to save at the supermarket this fall?
Buy apples, pears and carrots. The fruit is particularly cheap. With the beginning of the harvest, there is usually an oversupply of grapes – for correspondingly little money.
Look actively in brochures and look for discount offers. Only buy branded products when they are on sale.
Go private label and get the biggest savings. For this you buy products that can be found on the lower shelves. If you only buy food and drinks that are at eye level on the shelf, you have to expect higher prices.
Special and weekly offers remain an important building block for Aldi Süd, Aldi Nord, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, Hit and Co.
Look in brochures and pay attention to billboards in the branches. Coupons and vouchers can also make weekly shopping cheaper. We list the corresponding offers for you here. We provide an overview of how you can save in the supermarket here: At Aldi, Lidl, Rewe or Edeka – with simple tips you can immediately save 140 euros a month in the supermarket
The European Central Bank will raise interest rates in July. This automatically leads to interest rate increases on loans. If you slip into the overdraft facility, you should be careful and possibly take countermeasures with a significantly cheaper personal loan. The interest rate could rise from 9.4 percent to over 12 percent in the overdraft facility.
Employers receive an energy allowance of 300 euros (gross) with their salary in September. This sum is automatically deducted from the salary.
FOCUS Online advises: put the money aside. You will need it at the latest for the ancillary costs, electricity and gas annual bill.
In September you can also go on holiday cheaper. The high season in summer ends for many holiday areas. There are decent bargains. For example Crete for two people and seven days in a 4-star hotel from Munich for a mere 600 euros.
If you want to travel by bus, train and rail at Christmas, you should book now. Rule of thumb: The cheapest offers are available six weeks before the planned trip.
Surf tips:
Supermarket prices are skyrocketing, but furniture, clothing, shoes and other consumer goods are also becoming more expensive. As a retail expert, I know the tricks of the trade and tell you how you can save money for you and your family every month when shopping. Would you like to talk to me about your savings tips and tricks? Did you notice anything while shopping? Then send an e-mail to Konstantinos.mitsis@burda-forward.de with your name and phone number