Mortgages
Interest rates are only rising. Is there any point in negotiating the mortgage rate then? Yes, thinks Robert Boije, chief economist at SBAB.
– I think that when the interest rate goes up, more people start to worry and wonder if they get the best interest rate. I believe that customers will be more about themselves and around them, and that competition for banks will increase, he says.
When interest rates have been low, customers have not cared as much, he believes. But now the interest rates are becoming noticeable, and that means that there may be money to be made from making that contact with the bank, he suggests.
Américo Fernández, private economist at SEB, also thinks it is worth trying to lower his interest rate, but also points to the possibility of reducing his loan repayment for a period if it is tight. The size of the amortization requirement depends, among other things, on the loan-to-value ratio.
Has the villa risen in value? There is an opportunity to re-evaluate the villa after a few years, and thus get away with the amortization requirement. Stock Photography.
– There is an opportunity to have your home valued. Then you can reduce the amortization and take the money for current expenses for a while, he says.
The accommodation
Review the finances well in advance. If it does not go together, you have to do something, states Annika Creutzer, private finance expert.
– Maybe you can increase the income, for example by renting out a room. If it is really bad, you need to move to cheaper housing, she says.
The heat
Is it possible to reduce the heating costs in the villa? It is worth watching, states Américo Fernández. He thinks that you should get help from an energy consultant to review consumption.
Maybe a blanket is needed in the sofa corner as the heat is lowered. Stock Photography.
According to Vattenfall, approximately 60 percent of the electricity that homeowners consume goes to heating, 20 percent to hot water and 20 percent to household electricity. Maybe it is possible to lower the temperature in one or a few rooms a few degrees, turn off the floor heating when it is not necessary and make sure to seal doors and windows. Really big savings can be made if you make sure to change heating, according to Vattenfall. However, saving on small things such as switching off lights or appliances in standby mode does not provide very large electricity savings, according to Vattenfall.
The streaming services
Streaming giant Netflix already stated in the spring that revenues decreased when people started to review their subscriptions. This autumn, it may be time for more people to do the same. If you have several, it’s about thousands.
Américo Fernández estimates that the cost of a streaming service of around SEK 1,500 per year roughly corresponds to the cost increase after the Riksbank’s latest interest rate increase for an average apartment owner in Stockholm.
The gym card
Hand on heart, what’s up with that gym card and training? Is it worth the money, or is it possible to train cheaper? At least during the summer?
Work out at the gym, or out. Stock Photography.
Américo Fernández estimates that it is possible to save up to 3,000 in six months if you skip the gym card and train outside instead.
Car driving
When petrol and diesel are expensive, we will probably start thinking about our car use. Is it possible to ride together, and is it really necessary to transport the children everywhere?
The food
Bark bread and blood pudding, well, it probably does not have to go that far. But of course there is money to be saved. Low prices and extra prices of course, but also what we eat and drink.
Most noticeable is the outdoor lunch at work. Américo Fernández expects a saving of SEK 22,500 per year if a person skips the outdoor lunch and fixes a solid lunch box instead. If two people in the household do the same thing, the savings will of course be double.
Box for lunch. Stock Photography.
Many people like to have a coffee on the go in the city. But the habit becomes expensive. A cup for SEK 30 per working day costs many thousands of kronor every year.
Second hand purchases
– Second hand is trendy and environmentally conscious, and now it’s just right. Now it’s good that it’s not shameful anymore, says Annika Creutzer.
She believes that we will be better at both buying and selling used in the future.
Hemestern
Our travel will be affected if we get worse financially, Annika Creutzer believes. Maybe we will stay home for our holidays in the future, even though we have longed to travel during the pandemic.
– The home holiday can be part of saving. Not to fly, and not to waste petrol, she says.
The savings
In bad times, it is especially important to have a saving.
– Review the finances in good time. What happens if someone falls ill? How does it go together when everything goes up? Review savings, says Annika Creutzer.
The parties
Large lavish parties, expensive wines and fine food may be a little more rare now. In expensive times when everyday life barely goes together, it is hardly time to plan for expensive weddings and luxurious birthday parties.
– In worse times, it can be a revenge for the tie party. Everyone brings something with them, like in the 70s, says Annika Creutzer.
Tie party with various dishes – is that how we are going to party this autumn? Stock Photography.