What will change for your money in March?

March has begun. As always, a new month comes with some changes that may affect your budget. Overview.

Social rate of Internet connections

More than half a million Belgians will be eligible for the social rate for Internet connections from next month.

• Thanks to this rate, these families can surf for a maximum of 19 euros per month.
• There is already a tariff for social communications today. This offers a discount of 11.5 euros on the monthly internet bill, but, according to the responsible minister Petra De Sutter (Green), it defeats the purpose. Ultimately, the target group must take the necessary steps themselves.
• The Social Internet subscription will replace the Social Connections price 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 – that is, before the expansion due to increasing energy bills.
• Anyone who wishes can add a package with mobile phone, TV or landline to their fixed Internet subscription for a maximum of € 40 per month.

Last chance to get a cheaper renovation loan

Some lenders have temporarily reduced interest on renovation loans after the construction fair in Batibo. The event has now ended, but you can still enjoy favorable rates at some banks until the end of March.

• KBC is the first lender to eliminate discounts. From March 1, the main bank will again apply normal rates. You currently pay 3.99 percent interest for a regular loan and 3.69 percent for a green loan.
• Argenta and Belfius have also temporarily reduced their renovation loan rates.
  • For a regular renovation loan at Belfius, you pay 3.95 percent interest. The interest on the green loan is 3.65 percent. These prices apply until March 31.
  • Argenta charges 4.29 percent interest for the renovation loan. The green credit rate is 3.79 percent. Argenta discount rates apply until March 30.

Low interest accounts

As in September, the issuance of one-year government bonds prompted some banks to increase interest on term accounts with the same duration. Currently, there are four most profitable forms of government bonds.

• There are no better term deposits than those at Santander Consumer Bank and Izola Bank. These formulas give savers a net coupon of 2.345 percent.

Some players, including CKV, have also increased interest on three-year accounts. Our country has nine more profitable versions of government bonds with the same duration.

• Saver+ from Izola Bank has the highest returns. This three-year account carries a net interest rate of 2.45 percent.

but: These are most likely temporary measures. Once the subscription period ends, interest rates will decrease again. This was also the case with the issue in September.

• You can register for government bonds until March 1, or until February 29 for direct registrations via the general ledger.

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