Our money
⚡ From April 1, 800,000 electricity users in Jutland will see lower grid fees during peak hours. The cost of transporting electricity to your home will drop by over 50% between 17:00 and 21:00, making evening laundry or EV charging much cheaper. Prices will stay lowest from midnight to 06:00, so night owls and smart plugs win again. Using power outside peak hours not only saves money but also supports the green transition by easing pressure on the grid.
💸 Demand for debt help is surging at Settlementet in Vesterbro, where some callers now wait over a week for a reply and up to four weeks for an appointment. Rising living costs and stricter debt collection rules mean more people, often vulnerable people, are seeking guidance. Many face wage deductions from the Danish Tax Agency, leaving them with less to live on. The center can’t erase debts but helps people make budgets, avoid further debt, and find options like repayment plans or debt relief.
🛡️ Loyal insurance customers in Denmark are paying the price — literally. A major new report finds that customers who stay with the same insurer for years often pay hundreds more annually than those who switch to new ones. The industry routinely raises prices without warning, especially for older clients and those with less education. Regulators call it “silent price coordination” and warn it’s hurting competition. Experts now urge customers to shop around every 3–5 years to avoid being penalized for loyalty.
🐾 Pet insurance premiums are soaring in Denmark, with some owners seeing price hikes of up to 100%. Tryg customers report sharp increases despite healthy pets and few or no claims. The company blames rising vet costs, but many customers aren’t buying it and some are switching providers or dropping coverage entirely. Critics say it’s unfair for insurers to post record profits while pushing loyal pet owners to the brink.
State of the markets
📚 In a twist to the digital trend, sales of printed books in Denmark rose 3.4% in 2024, while ebooks and audiobooks dropped by 3.5%. Paper still rules, especially with non-fiction and children’s books like “Ternet Ninja 3” and “Kongeord” boosting the numbers. Despite the digital shift in everyday life, 58% of the people still prefer reading on paper — maybe because you just can’t sniff an ebook.
📉 Danish stock market sees second-worst drop ever. The C25 index plunged 6.2% on Friday, marking its second-biggest drop in history. The slump follows escalating global trade tensions after China hit back at U.S. tariffs with a 34% duty on American goods. Investors fear a full-scale trade war, which analysts warn will slow economic growth. All C25 stocks fell, with banks hit hardest: Sydbank dropped 12% and Danske Bank 11.7%. Not since the COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020 has the index seen a worse day.
Entrepreneurship
A new session for the “Business Economics for Entrepreneurs” online course starts on May 6. You can learn how to use a bookkeeping system, create invoices and bookkeep expenditure, and report VAT and taxes. You can also learn about budgeting and financial planning. Sign up here.
