MONEY
ECB keeps key interest rates unchanged after June increase
On 23 July 2026 the ECB kept its three key rates at 2.25%, 2.40% and 2.65%.
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Understand what moves the numbers.
Concrete explanations for better inputs and more robust decisions.
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German banks tightened credit standards in Q2 2026
The Bundesbank reported tighter standards in all three surveyed loan categories.
Featured guide · Cars
Lease or buy: a fair comparison
Why monthly payments are insufficient and how depreciation, resale value and contract costs decide the comparison.
Read article →TOPIC HUBS
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GUIDED LEARNING
Learning paths
Follow a practical sequence from first principles to your own calculation.
Cars · 5 steps
Understand leasing properly
Move from the monthly payment to a complete economic decision.
0/5 completed
Home · 5 stepsDecide on a home purchase
Put budget, transaction costs, finance and holding period into a robust sequence.
0/5 completed
Energy · 5 stepsEvaluate solar economics
From energy flows and self-consumption to NPV and the storage decision.
0/5 completed
Money · 5 stepsBalance debt and investing
Make certain interest savings and uncertain market returns comparable.
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12 results
Cars7 min read
01Lease or buy: a fair comparison
Why monthly payments are insufficient and how depreciation, resale value and contract costs decide the comparison.
Read article →Cars6 min read
02Finance a car or pay cash?
Compare borrowing cost and capital return over exactly the same period.
Read article →Cars7 min read
03EV or petrol: TCO beyond the fuel bill
Combine depreciation, energy, maintenance, tax and charging into complete cost.
Read article →Cars6 min read
04Car depreciation as a scenario
Why resale value is not one certain number and how three scenarios improve decisions.
Read article →Home8 min read
05Rent or buy: compare net wealth
Put down payment, debt, transaction cost, rent and invested differences into one fair model.
Read article →Home6 min read
06Mortgages: payment, interest and balance
What an annuity mortgage does each month and why early overpayment matters.
Read article →Home5 min read
07How much home fits your budget?
Move from a chosen monthly budget through rate and term to a transparent purchase-price range.
Read article →Home6 min read
08Property appreciation without false precision
What growth rate to use and why a crossover is better than one forecast.
Read article →Energy8 min read
09Solar payback, NPV and IRR
Why simple payback is insufficient and how cash flows make solar economics transparent.
Read article →Energy5 min read
10Why self-consumption drives solar cash flow
Value avoided grid purchases separately from export revenue.
Read article →Energy7 min read
11Heat pump versus gas: seasonal COP
How COP, heat demand, energy prices and investment combine into present value.
Read article →Energy6 min read
12Battery storage economics
Translate usable cycles, price spread, efficiency and degradation into NPV.
Read article →EDITORIAL
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