October Top Deals and Money News in Germany

🔥 Deal Highlight: BahnCard 50 at Half Price

Deutsche Bahn is offering their BahnCard 50 with a generous 50% discount: you can now get it for €122 for one year instead of the usual €244 (for 2nd class). Even if you're not constantly hopping on trains, this discount might make BahnCard 50 worth it – if you spend more than a few hundred euros a year on long-distance train tickets, this card already pays for itself. Plus, use Shoop cashback browser extension for extra 2.5% cashback.

What exactly does BahnCard 50 give you? 50% off Flex fares and 25% off saver (Super Spar and Sparpreis) fares on ICE, IC/EC, ÖBB Nightjet and local trains (IRE, RE, RB, S-Bahn). If you’re feeling fancy, the 1st class card is going for €246 (down from €492). And for those under 26, there's a My BahnCard 50 for just €69.99.

The offer is valid until October 13. Just remember, this card turns into a full-priced subscription after one year, so if you’re not planning to keep using it, cancel it online at least four weeks before.

💰Smart Spending Roundup: Deals, Discounts and Freebies

€10 Off in Online Pharmacies

Germany's finally embracing the digital age with e-prescriptions, and online pharmacies are practically throwing money at us to try them out. Both DocMorris and ShopApotheke are offering a €10 discount (no minimum spend) when you scan your insurance card in their apps and order at least one prescription item. If you have public health insurance, redeeming a prescription costs €5, so with this promotion you basically get two prescription meds free. As a cherry on top, your order will be delivered free and super fast – we're talking next working day delivery!

To use this deal, download DocMorris or ShopApotheke app, create an account or log in into an existing one, and let your phone work its NFC magic with your insurance card. Order at least one prescription medication (the rest of your order can include anything from non-prescription meds to beauty products) and use code “Rezept10” at DocMorris or “10Rezept” at Shop Apotheke at checkout (very original promo code naming, I know).

GEFRO Seasoning Free Sample Box

GEFRO is sending out a sample box packed with their sauce, soup, and seasoning mixes – completely free. You don't even need to pay for shipping or leave your card details. I ordered one expecting to receive a few samples, but was pleasantly surprised by the seven products they sent, some of them full-sized. If you enjoy experimenting in the kitchen or trying new flavors, this promo is for you. Read more and grab your box here.

Redeem Your Payback Points at REWE with 10% off

Have you been hoarding your Payback points? Now is a good time to cash them in at Rewe – they offer a 10% discount on your points until October 13. To take advantage of the offer, redeem your points (up to 2000°P, or €20) in Rewe app or on their website, and the amount will be deducted from your next purchase automatically. If you’ve read my guide to Payback points, you know that I recommend that you always wait for at least 5-10% discount to redeem your Payback points – this is one of these opportunities! Read more about the promo and redeem your points here. For more money-saving tips for shopping at Rewe, check out the article linked below.

More deals

• 2% cashback on all online purchases <€50 with Visa debit and credit cards until Oct 15. Register here.

• Increased rewards for opening a free AmEx Payback credit card: 3000 °P + €20 Payback store reward voucher, so up to €50 total welcome bonus (plus all those Payback points you’re going to collect!). Read more about the card in my article or sign up here.

• Free 1-month trial for Classpass with 62 credits (which is more than enough for a whole month of workouts in very nice studios). Read my review of Classpass here or sign up here.

• For the lucky ones who haven’t used Uber Eats yet: €60 worth of free food (4 times x €15 off with €20 minimum order) when you sign up as a new customer.

• €110 welcome bonus when opening a new free Commerzbank account (Girokonto) until Oct 13: €50 from the bank + €60 worth of Payback points. Activate a Payback coupon to get an increased bonus. If you need a “traditional” bank account with an EC-Karte, this is a solid option.

📉 German Economic News Digest: The Good, The Bad, and The Pricey

Inflation's at it again, and the Deutschlandticket is getting a price bump in 2025, jumping from €49 to €58 per month. Transport Minister Oliver Kirschner is calling it a "moderate" increase and still a "very favorable offer" – however, 18% price jump is not insignificant. You've got until the end of 2024 to enjoy the current price. If you live in Berlin and don’t travel on regional trains often, the €29 Berlin subscription ticket might make more sense to you.

Meanwhile, Deutsche Bahn just announced it’s going to increase Flex tickets prices by 5.9% in December (Spar- and Superspar ticket prices will remain unchanged). Deutsche Post is also planning to increase prices in 2025, but it’s not yet clear by how much – we’ll know more soon. Despite all these price hike updates, the overall inflation in Germany is finally easing: the annual inflation rate dropped to 1.6% in September 2024 – better than expected and definitely down from the sky-high numbers we've been seeing in the last two years. The Federal Statistical Office also reported that consumer prices in September remained unchanged from August, suggesting we might be hitting the brakes on price increases. Is the worst really behind us?

Inflation might be cooling off, but so is economic growth. The Kiel Institute is predicting a 0.1% shrinkage in GDP for 2024 and have dialed back 2025's growth expectations from 1.1% to 0.5%. The job market's feeling the pinch too, with unemployment projected to increase to 6.1%. Na ja.