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The final stretch of winter comes with changes in sight that will force you to make some adjustments to the family budget, although it will not always be time to tighten your belt. The moderation of prices and the cheaper mortgages are the positive note of this beginning of the year, but not everything will be a bed of roses…
Discounts in sight. The worst nightmare of those with variable rate mortgages, the Euribor, is beginning to give up despite the slight increase it registered in February. But don’t worry: the forecasts are promising, although there may always be some unexpected surprises. With no planned changes in the monetary policy of the European Central Bank (ECB), calm reigns in the mortgage sector, which is beginning to make its particular discounts, although the requirements for singles are difficult to meet.
Forced sales. But if the bank denies the loan, there will always be the option of renting, although getting access to a rental apartment in large capitals ends up becoming an odyssey due to the lack of supply and high prices. For the Spanish and Catalan governments, the solution is to limit rents through an index that will halve the prices offered in the center of Barcelona and Madrid. It will soon come into force in Catalonia.
Multiply. The measure has come as a shock to large housing owners. Although if the business does not turn out completely well, they can always invest their money in other sectors, such as the infrastructure sector, which provides stability to the portfolio and the returns can be attractive, although not for all budgets. Another option is bitcoin, which is once again appreciating strongly despite its high volatility and the doubts it raises.
Slowing down. Although visiting the supermarket continues to be a cause of financial stress for many households, February once again confirmed the downward trend in prices. Inflation is at its lowest level in recent months, below 3%, thanks in large part to the cheaper electricity. A reason for optimism not without side effects: the reduced VAT on the electricity bill is coming to an end.
The rule of saving and investing for the sake of financial health is clear, but the truth is that it is becoming easier to spend. New technologies have become an ally of waste, as demonstrated by the exponential growth of mobile payments, a method that at least 25% of banking customers already use, according to CaixaBank data.
We must not forget, however, that to keep money safe you must always be cautious with lovers of other people’s things. A new study reveals that ransom payments that companies have paid to cybercriminals to free their servers and devices from computer infections have reached a new record.