Your Guide to Smart Spending – July 20

July 31 is the deadline for filing your 2025 tax return if you’re required to file and not working with a tax advisor – which means you have less than two weeks left. If the words “tax return” fill you with a low-key sense of dread, you’re in good company, but before you panic, it’s worth checking whether you even need to file at all.

You’re legally required to file in a handful of cases: you and your partner use the Steuerklasse III/V combination; you had two employers at once and one taxed you under class VI; you received more than €410 in benefits like unemployment, parental allowance or sick pay; you earned more than €410 from side income like freelancing or renting out a flat; or you’re self-employed. The Finanzamt can also ask you to file even when none of that applies. If you’re a regular employee in tax class I with one job and no extra income, you’re most likely off the hook.

Not having to file isn’t a reason to skip it, though. For most employees a voluntary return ends in a refund, you can automatically deduct the €1,230 employee lump sum (Arbeitnehmer-Pauschbetrag) without any receipts, and the July deadline doesn’t apply to you – you can file up to four years back. Common reasons people get money back include commuting costs (by any means of transport, even if you cycle), the work-from-home flat rate, moving expenses and job-related costs, or simply having worked for less than a full year.

If you want to know what you can actually claim, my two-part guide to tax deductions in Germany (part 1 and part 2) goes through it in detail. And if you’re not in the mood for all that reading and just want it done before the deadline, head to Wundertax* – it’s in English, guides you step by step, and shows your estimated refund before you submit, so you only pay the €34.99 if you decide to file. The questionnaire takes about 20–30 minutes, covers most situations, and works even if you’re self-employed. I use Wundertax myself, and it’s about as painless as German bureaucracy gets. See your estimated refund here*.

Another good option is SteuerGo*, which also works in English and costs €34.95. If you submit your return by July 24, code EARLYBIRD5 (advertisement) gets you €5 off, so it comes to €29.95. Check it out here*.

The weather has been lovely lately, and there are few things I enjoy more than riding an e-scooter through Berlin on a warm evening. Scooters have a reputation for being expensive, which is true if you pay by the minute – at Dott (formerly Tier), the regular rate is €0.27 per minute plus €0.49 to unlock, so a 15-minute ride can cost ~€4.50.

The passes are where it gets more interesting, and Dott further dropped the prices recently. The Flex pass costs €0.99 and gives you unlimited rides of up to 30 minutes for €1.50 each, unlocks included, valid for 30 days. This month’s special Pride Pass is €9.99 for 100 minutes over 30 days, with €2 from every pass going to Schwulenberatung Berlin. Both are excellent options: if your rides are short, the Pride Pass is better value; for longer rides, Flex wins.

If you’ve never used Dott before (even if you have used Tier), you can get a free 20-minute ride with the code Q1DGE8G (advertisement). Hop on here.

I traveled to London recently and got reminded again of why I like ClassPass* so much: it was so easy to find studios and book classes without registering on yet another website or paying a drop-in rate. Plus, I was able to get food and coffee through the app too! I also use it in Berlin all the time: I find the studio selection much better than what you get with Urban Sports Club and there are more spots available.

Credits are the app currency, and how far they go depends on where you book. Regular studios in Berlin cost around 5–7 credits per class, more premium ones can be 9–13. It’s not only workouts either: you can book massages, saunas, manicures and beauty treatments through the same app, and it’s often cheaper than paying directly.

New users currently get a 14-day free trial with 67 credits, which is enough for roughly 8–12 classes depending on the studios you pick. If you want the full breakdown of how the credit system and pricing work, you can check out my detailed guide to ClassPass in Germany. If you’d like to try Classpass, sign up for the free trial here*.

If you’re a freelancer or run your own business in Germany, Finom*’s bank account is worth a look right now. New customers get a €350 welcome bonus, and you also get 5% interest p.a. fixed for the first 5 months on the interest account – well above what any other savings account is currently offering. After that, the rate goes down depending on your pricing plan (max 1.75% p.a.).

To get the bonus, you need to spend at least €1,000 per month with your Finom debit card (physical or virtual) in both your first and second month after activating the account. The promotion runs until July 31, so you’d need to open your account before then to qualify.

On the interest side, there’s no minimum deposit, interest is calculated daily, and the money sits in low-risk money market funds rather than a classic Tagesgeld account. You can move it back to your Finom wallet at any time without any fees, so your cash stays accessible. Note that this is a business account, so it’s only available if you have a registered business activity – as a Freiberufler, Gewerbetreibender, or other. If that's not you, have a look at my guide to the best bank accounts in Germany instead, where I list the highest welcome bonuses available for regular current accounts. Open your Finom account here*.

Money-back grocery and household product promos are one of the easiest ways to cut everyday costs. A lot of promotions from previous issues are still active – you can find them all here if you’d like to try more. For more free grocery products, Rewe product tests are worth a look as well.

Germanpedia is a weekly newsletter that breaks down how German systems actually work, all in clear English – taxes, pensions, healthcare, renting, bureaucracy, legal topics and more. Even after many years here, I still learn something new from almost every issue. You can subscribe here.