Prices in Germany have been rising for months. Inflation has been around eight percent over the past three months. Experts expect that the value will remain at a high level. Consumers must expect further adjustments. FOCUS online shows what has become expensive and how you can take countermeasures.
Prices continue to rise. The expensive whip strikes in the everyday life of the people in Germany.
The cheapest butter now costs 2.29 euros at the discounter. The liter of long-life whole milk exceeded the neuralgic 1 euro mark and baked goods from the bread counter have become ten cents more expensive on average. Around 600 products have become more expensive in the past three months. The entire range of Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka and other retail chains in Germany is affected.
This is how you save: flip through brochures, compare prices and always take your shopping list to the supermarket. A full stomach helps to reduce all impulse purchases. There is also particularly large savings potential in the private labels of Aldi, Rewe, Lidl or Edeka. Big food companies such as De Beukelaer, Müller, Homann, Maggi, Teekanne and other large corporations are behind “Ja”, “Good and Cheap”, “K-Classic”, “Milbona” or “Penny”. Basically, retailers and manufacturers keep it a secret about who is behind the private label. How to find out who is behind the cheap product, proceed as follows.
The price champion’s tip: use apps! Often there are even free groceries if you use the coupons.
Not only groceries and drinks are getting more and more expensive. Consumers also have to dig deeper into their pockets at dm, Rossmann and Müller. Toilet paper has become up to 30 percent more expensive in some cases, shampoo costs 20 cents more and cosmetics almost 50 percent more.
How to save: For everyday household goods, it pays off to look for the best prices from different suppliers. The in-house apps from dm, Rossmann or Müller often come with coupons and discount codes that customers can use to save a lot of money at the checkout.
At the drugstore Primus dm there are serious price differences from branch to branch, especially for brand manufacturers. If the branch is located in a city center, it is usually significantly more expensive because the branch has to calculate with higher expenses.
The price master’s tip: Wholesalers who specialize in companies sell bulk packs of toilet paper and soap on the Internet. The XXL pack with 64 toilet paper rolls is usually significantly cheaper than the classic 12-roll pack in the drugstore.
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 savings tricks? Did you notice anything while shopping? Then send an e-mail to Konstantinos.mitsis@burda-forward.de with your name and telephone number
High inflation made clothes and shoes more expensive.
How to save: Paying full price for clothes is not worth it. Compare different providers and take advantage of discounts that the dealers give. You can find them here.
The price master’s tip: buy second-hand products. Savings are high, prices remain low given the oversupply of clothes and shoes.
The high butter, milk and flour prices have an impact on bread prices in Germany. Spelled, multigrain or white bread has sometimes become up to one euro more expensive at the bakery. Experts are expecting prices per kilo of eight to ten euros next winter if prices continue to rise. Customers often have to pay more than one euro for the classic butter croissant.
How to save: Regularly buy yesterday’s goods from the bakery! The rolls and bread from the day before taste just as good and are often available for half the price. Being quick is worth it. The goods from the day before are usually available between Tuesday and Saturday in the morning hours. Some bakeries have also opened special branches that only sell such products. Note the shorter opening hours!
You can also save a lot of money with biscuits or molded cakes. Before the shops close, there are also discounts at the bakery in many places. The last spelled bread on the shelf then often costs 30 percent less.
The price master’s tip: Buy rye bread instead of wheat bread. In contrast, rye bread has a shelf life of one week, which is twice as long as wheat bread (about three days).
The price trend for meat is particularly strong. Pork schnitzel, turkey breast or sausages have become up to 30 percent more expensive. Consumers have to dig much deeper into their pockets due to the increased feed prices and higher delivery costs.
How to save: Watch out for special offers and take plastic boxes with you. Many companies reward customers if they do without the packaging. On average you can save up to 50 cents. Loyalty cards are also catching on. If you frequently buy from the same butcher, you get a discount after a number of purchases. Even meat that is about to expire can be cheaper at the butcher. Ask the staff directly.
If the butcher is too expensive for you, you can also buy meat in the supermarket. In the evening hours there are many products that are about to expire, at half price.
The price master’s tip: It can also be worth shopping for several neighbors at the local butcher’s. In many cases there is sausage and meat as a small thank you on top.
Electricity prices are exploding. According to the evaluation of the comparison portal Verivox, a family of three with an annual consumption of 4000 kilowatt hours (kWh) paid an average of 1171 euros in January 2021. In January 2022, 1626 euros are due for the same amount. The Ukraine war caused prices to rise sharply. For the period from January to April 2022, the Federal Statistical Office reports a price increase of 7.4 percent. On average, the price of electricity rose by 20 percent. The family of three has to reckon with an annual consumption of almost 2000 euros.
This is how you save: Changing providers does not currently bring the desired savings effect. Still, it helps to keep an eye out for cheap deals. Pay attention to the contract period, the offer and the fine print. With minor interventions in everyday life, at least the electricity costs in the household can be reduced. Many refrigerators are set too cold – that costs money. Experts advise seven to eight degrees, measured in the middle subject.
The price champion’s tip: It is recommended that freezers be defrosted regularly. This saves up to 50 percent in electricity costs. Replace your old light bulbs with LED lights. With ten pieces you can save over 150 euros.
Autumn could be a big challenge for many tenants. The ancillary costs are skyrocketing due to the sharp rise in energy costs. In some cases, single households have to reckon with a three-digit additional payment.
How to save: The scope for action is limited! As soon as the service charge bill arrives, single and family households have to raise a large sum within a few days in order to be able to make the back payment. Depending on hot water, heating and gas consumption, in the worst case there could be an additional payment of a good 1000 euros for 2021. Experts – including the German Tenants’ Association – advise preparing for such shock bills now. Tenants should refer to the ancillary cost bill from the previous year and add around 30 percent to the heating costs. Tenants should now set aside ten percent of this amount each month.
In August, too, there was no relaxation in the price of heating oil for households. In the middle of the month, 100 liters of fuel were available for about 145 euros. This means a price increase of around 50 percent compared to February 2022.
This is how you save: Turn down the heating, save heating oil. This is the most important rule for saving on heating this winter. A heating oil substitute can also be worthwhile in the longer term. Heat pumps can be an alternative to fossil fuels.
These tap into the thermal energy stored in the ground, in the groundwater or in the air. This is available everywhere and usually free of charge. Interested parties should, however, expect high acquisition costs and installation costs. At 15,000 euros, it can take 40 years for a heat pump to pay for itself.
Saving regularly makes sense in good times. In an expensive phase with high inflation, however, that quickly becomes too much.
How to react correctly: If you have a bank or ETF savings plan, you should ask yourself whether you can reduce the rate. With savings products, it is often possible to adjust the savings rate.
The price master’s tip: Attractive savings contracts should not be terminated too quickly. Bonuses could be lost as a result. The situation is different if the contract brings little return or is rather expensive. A termination should be considered here.
Saving energy is the order of the day. You can even save on water.
How to save: Taking a shower uses far less water than bathing. An average bathtub has a capacity of 150 litres, and as the water cools, more hot water is often added. With an eight-minute shower at 38 degrees and with a medium pouring amount, about 80 liters come together.
Consumers should only heat water on the stove with the lid on, otherwise a considerable part of the energy is lost. When using a kettle, make sure that only as much water is heated as is really needed. If you only want to drink a cup of tea, you don’t have to heat a whole liter of water to 100 degrees.
The price master’s tip: There are shower heads with a saving button. When you lather, press the button and the flow stops. Other models light up and warn when water consumption is particularly high due to a higher temperature. You can find such a model here. Water-saving shower heads are slightly more expensive. This saves between 60 and 120 euros per person and per year.
Petrol and diesel are expensive despite the tank discount. Motorists pay just under 1.90 euros for a liter of diesel or petrol. Until the end of August, the tank discount brings a slight relief of around 35 cents for Super and E10 and 17 cents for diesel.
How to save: leave the car at home and switch to a bicycle or public transport. If you are dependent on the car, you should compare prices and use coupons, apps or vouchers. We tell you exactly how this works here.
The price champion’s tip: ADAC members always save one cent per liter at Agip. Customers can collect points at Aral and Esso. After a certain number of points, credit coupons can be issued that drivers can use when filling up.
The overdraft facility is convenient but expensive. The interest rates on the overdraft facility are sometimes outrageously high. Up to 13 percent interest is possible depending on the bank.
How to save: Those who keep slipping into the red with their checking account balance should think about an installment loan. This can be much cheaper financially.
The price master’s tip: If income and assets are no longer sufficient to settle the arrears, this is referred to as over-indebtedness. In this case, it makes sense to get help. One possibility: Discuss the topic with friends or family first. If no solutions can be found here, advice from consumer centers or debt counseling services can help. The sooner problems are resolved, the better.
Anyone who has to travel short distances to work should switch to bus, train or bicycle. But good bicycles, e-bikes and pedelecs are in demand and quite expensive.
How to save: Leasing models for bicycles and e-bikes can be lucrative. Such offers are known as job bikes, company bikes, service bikes, company bikes or bike leasing.
The models purchased or leased by the employer are made available to the employees, who are then paid off in monthly installments from their gross salary. The financial advantage compared to private purchase makes bicycle leasing particularly lucrative.
Employees can save up to 37 percent on the acquisition costs when leasing a bicycle or e-bike compared to a classic purchase.
Ikea and other furniture retailers have raised the prices for furniture, textiles and decorative items in several rounds since the beginning of the year.
How to save: If you want to buy a new kitchen, you should compare prices and get several offers. Used furniture is a cheap alternative. While a modern shoe cabinet made of solid wood from a brand manufacturer costs between 500 and 1000 euros, there are second-hand alternatives for less than 200 euros. Painting or renovating old furniture can also help.
If you want to buy a new balcony or garden table, wait until the end of August or mid-September. Prices drop towards the end of the summer season.
Plants and flowers have also become more expensive. Seed, soil and supply prices have increased. An apple tree for the garden or a climbing rose are in many cases 8 percent more expensive.
How to save: Look out for discount stores, supermarkets, hardware stores or garden centers. Even flowers and plants that no longer look pretty are offered at half price at the tills. The trick is, with fresh soil and sunlight, the plants usually bloom again.
The price master’s tip: Approach employees directly if flowers no longer look fresh or beautiful. Ask for a discount. You will be surprised how easy it is.
Hotel and flight prices have risen sharply for the 2022 holiday season. In March, Lufthansa had return flights to Africa, South America, Asia, Australia, the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Middle East for 30 euros in economy class, 50 euros in premium eco, in 100 euros in business class and up to 200 euros in first class. Hotel operators are recalculating the room prices, the ancillary costs are skyrocketing due to the rise in electricity and gas prices.
This is how you save: Bulgaria, Croatia, Albania, Turkey and Egypt will also attract you in September with cheap all-inclusive offers. Greece, Spain, Italy, Cyprus, France and Portugal, on the other hand, are more expensive even in the low season. The demand is particularly high here, and there are hardly any cheap offers.
The price master’s tip: if breakfast costs more than ten euros per person, it’s often not worth it. You often pay less than five euros for a good cup of coffee and a roll on holiday.
Electricity, gas or smartphones can eat up a lot of money every month.
How to save: If you want to save, take a close look at existing contracts. Does everything still fit with the current life situation? Are there possibly providers with more favorable conditions?
The price master’s tip: It often pays off to obtain several offers and compare them with an existing contract.
Mobile phones and landline charges also need to be checked regularly. This does not always have to result in a change. There is often the option of changing the tariff with the previous provider and saving money.
