Making household finances sustainable too
21/09/2022
We have often stressed the importance of planning your finances, drawing up realistic budgets, saving and being responsible with our economic decisions. These are timeless issues, fundamental to maintaining sound personal finances, but there are times, such as now, when this advice becomes even more relevant and meaningful.
We are all concerned about energy prices and their impact on our personal finances. While this situation has arisen unexpectedly, fuelled further by the tensions caused by the war in Ukraine, the advice we offer below encourages responsible consumption of natural resources, which are not unlimited. This new awareness has come to take root in our lives and in our financial habits.
As a result of this reflection, you may be considering some renovations to your home to make it more efficient, which, although they may represent an investment initially, will have an impact on your future consumption and on your bills:
- Cladding the façade of your house or building, changing windows or installing awnings.
- Improving heating systems.
- Installing solar panels.
- Replacing old appliances with others with a better energy rating.
- If you are going to change your vehicle, consider the possibility of acquiring a hybrid or electric vehicle.
Some financial institutions’ catalogues include specific financing products for this type of project, with reductions in interest rates and fees.
As we always recommend, get information from various banks and compare their conditions, looking mainly at the Annual Percentage Rate (APR), which reflects the total cost of the financing.
Making our finances sustainable is a task in which all of us –governments, institutions, companies and individuals– can cooperate.
