Your Guide to Smart Spending in February

If you’re looking for ways to save money in Germany, you’re in the right place. This month, we’ve got a great Payback coupon at Edeka, free Ariel detergent and pet food, plus mildly depressing economic updates on unemployment, rising costs, and ever-growing rents. If you want even more deals, follow Smart Living on Instagram — I post time-sensitive discounts, freebies, and savings tips that don’t always make it here. Now, let’s get started!

💰 February’s Best Deals on Groceries and Essentials in Germany

I stayed loyal to Rewe even after they left Payback, so I rarely go to Edeka, but this deal is hard to pass up: until March 6th, Edeka is offering a 15x Payback coupon on your purchase, which translates to 7.5% off. These kinds of grocery savings don’t come around often, so it’s a great time to plan a big grocery run (including more expensive items) activate the coupon in your Payback app and stock up. This is a good example of how being strategic with your shopping can save you money. If you’re new to Payback, check out our full guide here for the best ways to earn and redeem Payback points.

💪 Free MyProtein Whey Protein Box

If you’ve been wanting to try MyProtein, here’s your chance: New customers can get the Impact Whey Protein Selection Box (worth €18.99) with ten of their best-selling flavors (25g each) for free — just cover the shipping fee of €4.99. Create an account, add the box to your cart, and checkout. Grab it here!

🫧 Free Ariel Laundry Detergent

Ariel is running not one, but two free detergent promotions. Right now, you can get a full refund on their Frische Baumwollblüte (doesn't it sound poetic?) liquid detergent or pods — buy it, submit your receipt, and get your money back. And if you haven’t already taken advantage of their other ongoing offer for Touch of Unstoppables detergent from our last issue, you can still do so — read more about it here.

🦷 Free Odol-Med3 Toothpaste

There are so many toothpaste promotions lately, I can’t remember the last time I paid for toothpaste! This time, you can try Odol-Med3 White & Renew toothpaste for free — just buy a tube, submit your receipt until May 4 and get a refund. More details and receipt upload here.

🐶🐱 Free James Wellbeloved Pet Food (Up to €15)

If you have a pet, you can save on pet food with James Wellbeloved’s promo — they are offering a refund of up to €15 on their dog and cat food (kibble, pouches and canned food for dogs, as well as kibble for cats). Buy a bag, submit your receipt, and get reimbursed.

🍽️ Marley Spoon Meal Kit: 35% Off + Free Delivery

If you’ve been curious about meal kits but hesitant about the cost, this might be a good time to try Marley Spoon. Your first box is 35% off with free shipping, and the second is 32% off. That brought my first box down to €28.74 for 6 meals (€4.79 per portion) when I ordered — a great deal considering the quality of ingredients. I really liked the meals, and you can choose from over 40 different recipes each week. Cancel anytime after your first delivery. Order your first box here.

💳 Best Credit Card Deals in Germany Right Now

🏆 Consors Finanz Mastercard®

This is a really solid free credit card with no annual fee that currently offers €75 welcome bonus (the highest in Germany right now as far as I’m aware). Apply by February 28th, use it at least five times by April 30th, and spend a total of €300 — quite easy conditions for a generous reward! It's a great travel card since it lets you pay in foreign currencies without currency fees — something that AmEx, for instance, doesn't have. It also lets you withdraw cash worldwide without fees — a rare perk for a free credit card in Germany. When it comes to repayment options, it’s also more flexible than AmEx: you can pay immediately (debited directly from your checking account), delay payment for up to 90 days interest-free (just like a standard credit card, but with a longer grace period, as most of them debit your account monthly) or opt for installments with interest if needed. If you’re looking for a free credit card, you can hardly do better. Apply hereApply here and get a €75 welcome bonus! https://www.financeads.net/tc.php?t=73479C395489098T

✈️ American Express Gold Credit Card

If you want to step it up a notch and don’t mind a monthly fee, the AmEx Gold is a strong option for earning air miles. For €12/month, you earn Membership Rewards points (1 per €1 spent), which can then be redeemed for air miles or hotel stays (partners include 12 frequent flyer programs and 3 hotel programs).

Right now, they’re also offering a massive 40,000 Membership Reward Points bonus — much higher than usual 15,000! This bonus alone could cover a one-way transatlantic flight. To get the bonus, you need to spend €6,000 within the first 6 months — so this is somewhat of a commitment, but it does pay off. I own this card and really like it; full review coming soon! Apply here until March 11th to get your welcome bonus.

https://www.financeads.net/tc.php?t=73479C395489098T

📉 Economic Slowdown Continues

Germany’s economy has been struggling, and 2025 isn’t off to a great start. The Deutsche Bundesbank now expects the economy to contract by 0.2%, reversing its previous forecast of 0.3% growth. The unemployment rate rose by 0.4% since December to 6.4% and now is at its highest level in a decade. Inflation rate started increasing again: prices are up 2.6% in December and 2.3% in January compared to the same month last year. The ECB cut interest rates to 2.75%, but whether this will boost growth or just fuel inflation further remains unclear.

💸 Berlin rents keep climbing

In other news that will surprise absolutely no one living in Berlin, rents in the capital city are rising faster than anywhere else in Germany. The latest study confirms what Berliners feel in their wallets: rents surged by 8.5% in a year — almost double the national average. Back in 2014, a newly rented Berlin apartment cost €8.10 per square meter; now, it’s up to €16.35 — more than double. If you bought property or secured a long-term rental contract in Berlin back then, congratulations — drinks are on you.

🏦 Illegal fees on savings accounts

I had no idea, but apparently, banks were charging so-called custody fees on savings accounts during the low-interest rate years of 2016-2022. The federal court has now ruled these fees illegal — because if your money is shrinking instead of growing, it sort of defeats the purpose of having a savings account. The good news? If you had a Tagesgeldkonto (instant access savings account) or Sparkonto (regular savings account) and were charged these fees, you can request a refund from your bank. Definitely worth checking your old statements. Banks can still charge negative interest rates (fees) on checking accounts (Girokonto), but you know better than paying those — there are plenty of banks that offer checking accounts for free, like N26, Commerzbank or Comdirect, and some throw welcome bonuses on top. As for me, Trade Republic remains my go-to for both savings and everyday spending because they fully match the ECB rate for savings and have the best debit card with 1% cashback — read my full review here.

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