ᐅ Gas Prices – Where Is Gas Still Affordable?

Steven schrieb:

Hello

The gas price is expected to quadruple.
Mr. Habeck mentioned that next year 50% of the population will not be able to cover their expenses from their own income. At least he is slowly starting to be realistic.

Steven

You said you would stay away until after the heating season.
Always these empty promises. And please take that other guy with you as well.

It would be helpful to think in terms of connections, as many things are interrelated.

Putin can generate the rubles needed to pay for the Russian arms industry and military himself.

He needs foreign currency for raw materials. He still has some and will continue to have some in the medium term.

But what if, because of sanctions, no one sells him the necessary goods anymore? Then he would have a problem. However, this problem is reduced by the fact that only a small part of the world is actually imposing sanctions.

The conclusion is that he does not urgently need money for now, since he can trade quite well within Asia.

Nevertheless, certain business sectors in Russia are collapsing, specifically those that cannot replace raw materials from Europe or the USA. This is where the decline in GDP comes from.

Does he care? It doesn’t seem so. So, we have a situation similar to those head-on traffic situations where two cars approach each other and each waits to see who will swerve first. It can also go wrong and end in a collision.

I do not see it as certain that a regime change in Russia will happen just because we wait long enough, as is often assumed.

Please explain exactly which intermediate or finished products Russia is generally unable to produce itself.

And can't they simply order parts from Brazil and then ship them to Russia? Or from China or India?

There is nothing that Russia does not have or could not have.

And foreign currency is not a problem. If you have raw materials, you also have foreign currency.

Did not everyone in the West shout shortly after the invasion that Russia was bankrupt? Where exactly? That was six months ago now.
The only ones who are bankrupt are us.

Knautnaundorf schrieb:

Hello Steven,

I personally know four families from my closest circle of friends who have emigrated to Paraguay. One of them was a school friend of mine. They sold their house very well in Germany and are moving there in mid-August. She was frustrated here.

By now, I can understand their decision very well. The 500,000 for the house plus their savings will last them a lifetime, including a comfortable life in Paraguay.

Another acquaintance sold his company and his house and also emigrated to Paraguay. He bought a ranch and raises cattle there.

The climate is warm, there are German colonies, German schools, and a very large German community.

For me, it’s not really an option—it would be a bit too exciting for my old age. But I also don’t see a real future in Germany anymore. This country seems lost somehow.

You just have to read the posts in this forum. People have simply lost their way.

I find it alarming how quickly people give up. For years and decades, life in Germany was calm and considered. As soon as things change slightly, people just leave. The population here is very spoiled and doesn’t really know what it’s like to have little. I just imagine the situation with Ukraine in Germany. Honestly, I don’t believe that people (Germans) would defend Germany that much. At the slightest sign of trouble, most would emigrate.

Although it’s not a perfect example of rising gas prices, about 17 years ago, when I worked as a student intern at a chemical company, people were already complaining because the 13th-month salary was only supposed to be 50%.

Knautnaundorf schrieb:

Could you please explain exactly which raw materials or products Russia generally cannot produce itself?

Apparently everything related to the automotive industry. Avtovaz is releasing vehicles without exhaust aftertreatment, electronic stability control (ESC), anti-lock braking systems (ABS), or airbags.
There also seem to be some shortages in agricultural machinery; otherwise, why else would Ukraine be targeted for looting?

I don’t think many people would emigrate if there was a war here. A sense of belonging to one’s homeland is something different altogether. But overall, we are really doing well... if you have the capacity to decide whether the color of the washing machine matches the rest of the furniture, or whether to get a third dog, the next horse, or if there are (paid) diversity officers/professorships... yes, on the whole, things are good for us. Of course, exceptions exist, and I don’t want to dismiss those or ignore the challenges ahead. Nevertheless, the core idea of becoming less dependent over the next decades is very important. Otherwise, the next government will have control over us.

What are you currently paying for gas per kWh?

Am I correct in understanding that only tenants will be affected by these additional charges because they don’t have an overview of when the price was increased and how high their consumption is?
I asked our previous landlord in January if the gas price had gone up, otherwise I would pay more. The casual answer was, “I don’t know, we’ll see next year.”
I would expect some degree of responsibility and care from landlords in this regard.