Food prices have risen sharply over the past four months. But there are also significant price adjustments for electricity and gas – in the direction of increase.
For millions of people, this is a significant additional burden.
FOCUS Online advises: From August 2022, set aside a monthly amount for the payment of utility services for 2023. Ideally, at least 50 euros.
In July and August
In several clothing and shoe stores, July usually brings good deals. Discounts are available on sneakers, jackets, suits, T-shirts and jackets. There is no official summer sale anymore, but Deichmann, New Yorker, C&A, H&M, Zara, Sportscheck and other clothing stores are tempting with the so-called summer sale. Amazon Prime Days will take place on July 12 and 13.
You can also save on garden products. Do you need a new lawnmower, solar shower or robotic lawnmower? Then strike now. Hardware stores and garden centers entice with many favorable offers. Furniture is also cheaper, because in September, new designs, collections and colors appear in the furniture store. Therefore, warehouses must be freed.
When the temperature outside rises, the prices of winter tires fall. However, it is worth paying attention to the prices. In many cases, there is still a serious bottleneck. Low supply and demand can keep prices stable. However, ask the specialty store if discounts are possible.
It’s harvest time at the supermarket. Therefore, fruits and vegetables are especially cheap. Buy more tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, dill, eggplant, zucchini, savoy cabbage or lettuce. Apricots, peaches and plums can be bought at the fruit counter. It saves a lot of money.
FOCUS Online advises: Use excess fruit to make jam for the winter.
The European Central Bank will raise interest rates in July. This automatically leads to higher loan interest rates. If you find yourself in an overdraft, you should be careful and perhaps take countermeasures with a much cheaper personal loan. The interest rate can rise from 9.4 percent to more than 12 percent on an overdraft.
- Good for everyone: Thanks to the higher key interest rate, there is interest on the call money account again! Check which bank offers a free money market account and switch.
Check whether you are already ordering fuel oil. With the onset of the heating period from the end of September, prices increase.
In September and October
Employers receive an energy allowance of €300 (gross) together with their salary in September. This amount is automatically deducted from your salary. FOCUS Online advises: Save the money. You will need it at the latest for additional expenses, the annual bill for electricity and gas.
In September, you can also go on vacation cheaper. High season ends in summer for many resort areas. There are good offers. For example, Crete for two and seven days in a 4-star hotel from Munich for only 600 euros.
If you want to travel by bus, train or rail for Christmas, you should book now. Rule of thumb: the cheapest deals are available six weeks before your planned trip.
TVs, sound systems, printers and PCs are also available at lower prices in September and October. reason? Then manufacturers release new models. Especially for the Christmas business, it is worth stocking up.
There is also a price adjustment for smartphones. For example, Apple introduces a new iPhone model (perhaps on September 13). This automatically leads to lower prices for old models of smartphones from Apple, Samsung, Huawei and others.
You should buy apples, pears and carrots in the supermarket. Fruits are especially cheap. At the beginning of the harvest, there is usually a surplus of grapes – for a correspondingly small amount of money.
Farmers and traders agree on the price of milk and butter. Here again there can be a sharp jump in price. Follow the development of events and stock up on long-term milk until the end of September. Currently, the price per liter of whole milk is 1.09 euros.
It should be noted that many management companies take readings of hot water, electricity and radiator meters in September and October. Record the relevant values so that you can determine how much fuel oil, gas or electricity you used this year.
In November and December
Buy the ingredients for baking Christmas cookies in early November. Discounters are especially enticing with special offers then. Then you will end up paying less overall than if you only bought these products at the beginning of December. As a general rule, the prices of baking ingredients have been increasing since late November due to high demand.
Black Friday this year falls on November 25. Then online stores and regular retailers lure you with decent discounts.
On November 30, the annual period for changing car insurance ends. Compare suppliers and take advantage of discounts for new customers.
Ideally, you should check your bike annually in November or December. The prices for spare parts are cheaper then, because in the spring there is a big excitement in the bike shop.
Between November and December you can also buy cycling shorts, swimwear, umbrellas or summer tires for your car. Ideally, you save up to 40 percent.
In December, companies also pay vacation pay. FOCUS Online advises: Be economical with money. In January, invoices from insurers flutter into the house.
Surfing Tips:
On the video: