by Niels Saelens
published on Saturday, March 2, 2024 at 9:11 AM •
4 min read
March has started. As always, a new month comes with some changes that could impact your budget. An overview.
Social rate for internet connections
More than half a million Belgians will be eligible for the social rate for internet connections from next month.
- Thanks to that rate, those families can surf for a maximum of 19 euros per month.
- There is already a social telecom tariff today. This offers a discount of 11.5 euros on the monthly internet bill, but, according to responsible minister Petra De Sutter (Green), it defeats the purpose. After all, the target group must take the necessary steps themselves.
- The social internet subscription will replace the social telecom rate on March 1. The target group will automatically receive a letter in the mail, with which they can go to the store.
- This target group is also expanding to include the group of people who have been entitled to the social rate for gas and electricity for years – i.e. before the expansion due to increased energy bills.
- Anyone who wishes can add a bundle with mobile phone, television or landline telephony to their fixed internet subscription for a maximum of 40 euros per month.
Last chance to take out a cheaper renovation loan
Some lenders have temporarily reduced the interest on renovation loans following the Batibouw construction fair. The event has now ended, but at some banks you can still enjoy favorable rates until the end of March.
- KBC is the first lender to cancel the discounts. From March 1, the major bank will again apply the normal rates. You currently pay an interest of 3.99 percent for a regular loan and 3.69 percent for a green loan.
- Argenta and Belfius have also temporarily reduced the price tag of their renovation loans.
- For a normal renovation loan at Belfius you pay an interest of 3.95 percent. The interest on the green loan is 3.65 percent. These rates apply until March 31.
- Argenta charges an interest of 4.29 percent for a renovation loan. The rate for a green credit is 3.79 percent. Argenta’s discount rates apply until March 30.
Lower interest term accounts
Just as in September, the issuance of the one-year government bond has prompted some banks to increase the interest on term accounts with the same term. Currently, four formulas are more lucrative than the government bond.
- No term deposit does better than those of Santander Consumer Bank and Izola Bank. These formulas give savers a net coupon of 2.345 percent.
Some players, including CKV, have also increased the interest on three-year term accounts. Our country has nine formulas that are more lucrative than the government bond with the same term.
- Saver+ from Izola Bank yields the most. This three-year term account carries an interest rate of 2.45 percent net.
But: These are most likely temporary actions. Once the subscription period has ended, interest rates will drop again. This was also the case with the issue in September.
- You can register for the government bonds until March 1, or until February 29 for direct registrations via the General Ledger.
Do you want to stay informed of everything that is happening in the financial world? Niels Saelens, a journalist with a passion for finance, follows everything closely. Through this link you can subscribe to his daily newsletter.
2024-03-03 00:03:34
#change #money #March
