This is how much more expensive electricity and gas will be from January

Energy grid fees will be increased at the start of 2024. We already pay a lot for electricity and gas, but from January on, you will have to prepare for even higher costs. This is because the grid fees will be increased at the start of 2024. For electricity, the average increase across Austria will be around 11.25 percent, while gas network charges will rise by an average of three percent, the regulatory authority E-Control announced on Monday. For an average household with an annual consumption of 3,500 kilowatt hours…

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The new vignettes for 2024 are a popular gift. But: in addition to innovations, there is also a trap you could fall into

The new vignette year started on December 1, 2023; this also marked the start of the validity period for the new adhesive vignette in sunny yellow and the 2024 digital vignette. This year, however, there are a number of innovations in addition to the color of the vignette, and these are also important if you either give the vignette as a gift or receive it as a present. “New to the offer for the first time is the 1-day vignette. Like the 10-day vignette, it is now valid immediately after…

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What’s changing about pensions in Austria: Raising the retirement age for women will take effect for the first time in 2024

The increase in the retirement age for women will take effect for the first time in 2024. Female insured persons born between January 1 and June 30, 1964, can only retire at the age of 60.5. For those born between July 1 and December 31, 1964, the standard retirement age increases to 61. This pattern continues in further half-yearly steps up to the 1968 birth cohort. For women born after June 30, 1968, the standard retirement age of 65 will apply, as for men. Substantial pension increasesAnd what else? Austria’s…

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How most Austrians celebrate Christmas

Interesting facts about Christmas: artificial Christmas trees, Christmas sweaters—on average, Austrians put on just under a kilo—and they are the money savers when it comes to wrapping paper Seventy percent of Austrians are certain that they will be experiencing a white Christmas. Nevertheless, one in two people dreams of spending the festive season in warmer climates. This was the result of a survey by Marketagent. In addition, fir, blue spruce, and the like are increasingly being replaced by artificial specimens. Whether real or not, tinsel on the Christmas tree is…

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“Second life” for Christmas trees in Vienna: collection points open on 27.12.

The trees collected by the 48ers at the Christmas tree collection points are used by Wien Energie at the Pfaffenau waste incineration plant in Simmering to generate electricity and district heating. A Christmas tree provides light and warmth—ideally twice at Christmas and after Christmas. First, it provides warmth in the heart and sparkle in the living room, and second,” it provides light and warmth in the home. 583 Christmas tree collection points open until 14 JanuaryFrom December 27, 2023, up to and including January 14, 2024, the 583 Christmas tree…

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Cheaper than last year | Fuel prices give car drivers a “Christmas present”

Anyone who has looked at the pumps recently will have noticed that fuel prices, whether diesel or gasoline, are suddenly below the magic €1.50 mark. At least at domestic filling stations, this year is coming to a conciliatory end from an inflation perspective. “While overall prices have risen by around eight percent this year, the prices for Eurosuper and diesel are almost nine percent lower on average this year than in the previous year,” calculates the VCÖ. What has remained the same: Eurosuper was again cheaper to fill up with…

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Climate bonus vouchers: Over 50 million euros expire at the end of the year

Many people are familiar with the situation: Christmas presents are often only bought at the last minute on the last Saturday of shopping. Apparently, there are more deadline junkies in Austria than previously known: Because over a million climate bonus vouchers are set to expire at the end of the year. There is not much time left to redeem them. Between 250 (under 18-year-olds) and 500 euros (adults) in climate and anti-pollution bonuses were available in 2022. In most cases, the payment was made directly to the recipient’s account. However,…

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Thousands of e-cards will be blocked in January 2024

Over 100,000 Austrians’ e-cards will be blocked in January 2024 because they lack a photo! But there are exceptions. The e-card in Austria has been changed for four years now, from an e-card without a photo to an e-card with a photo! However, the deadline is now, and e-cards without a photo will be blocked in mid-January 2024. But not for everyone, “Heute” reported. Certain people, such as young people, the elderly, and people with a higher level of care, are allowed to keep their e-cards even without a photo.…

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Up to 15 degrees: Mild weather over Christmas

There will be no white Christmas this year; the upcoming long weekend will be mostly mild and snow-free. Only the wind will be stormy over the holidays. Weather experts are expecting temperatures of up to 15 degrees in eastern Austria. Saturday will start mostly cloudy and rainy in places throughout Austria. Quite stormy winds will spread across the west. The snow line will be between 1000 meters in the west and initially 600 meters in the central mountains and the Mühlviertel. Temperatures will climb to a maximum of ten degrees.…

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