Happy Halloween! The scariest thing in this article is the price Apple charges for a new iPhone in its own store, so I'll show you where to get the same iPhone 17 for €180 less. Also on the agenda: my picks from Lidl's sale on kitchen items, a month of 50 GB Telekom data for €1, a Halloween discount on second-hand books, and 50,000 points with Amex Gold.
Note: this article contains affiliate links, which are marked with *.
📱 Tip of the Week: Where (Not) to Buy an iPhone
The price of a new iPhone varies a lot more between retailers than you'd expect for what is, after all, the exact same product. The Apple Store (offline and online) charges full retail with no discounts, which, unless you want to pay for the experience of shopping in a beautiful store, doesn't make much sense. On the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest results in Google Shopping often come from shady shops with terrible reviews.
My two preferred places to buy are Amazon* and Galaxus*, a Swiss online electronics store (that's where I bought my own iPhone). Amazon doesn't need an introduction – it's many people's first choice for buying electronics for a reason. Galaxus is less well-known, but it's also an authorized Apple reseller, so you're guaranteed an original product, you can claim warranty through them, and you can add AppleCare at checkout if you want it.
I've ordered electronics from both of these stores many times, and the experience is consistently good: fast delivery, free and easy returns, no surprises. The main reason I keep coming back, though, is the prices. Take the iPhone 17 with 256 GB: Apple charges €1,099 for it, MediaMarkt wants €1,079, and on Amazon and Galaxus it's currently between €918 and €1,025, depending on the color. That's up to €160 less than MediaMarkt and €180 less than buying directly from Apple, for the exact same device. Shop iPhone 17 on Amazon* and Galaxus*.
🔥 Hot Deals
🍳 Lidl Kitchen Sale: Pots, Pans and a Ninja Multicooker for €199
I don't do my grocery shopping at Lidl (my heart belongs to Rewe), but I'm a fan of Lidl's online shop, which doesn't sell groceries at all: it's home, kitchen, garden and clothing instead. For things I don't want to spend a lot on, it's great value, and for kitchen items in particular, I usually find it cheaper than Amazon. I also like that products have star ratings and reviews – even when there are only a few, they can help you choose. This week, they are running a sale on kitchen items – here are some of my picks:
SILVERCREST kitchen utensil set* (€9.99, was €14.99, 33% off) – a ladle, skimmer, spatula and whisk, in case your current ones have seen better days.
SILVERCREST food storage containers, set of 2* (€7.99, was €10.99, 27% off) – one round and one rectangular box for leftovers and meal prep.
SILVERCREST Premium stainless steel frying pan* (€17.99) – an affordable everyday pan that comes in a coated and an uncoated version.
SILVERCREST stainless steel pot set* (€39.99) – three pots in different sizes with glass lids, which covers most everyday cooking.
Ninja Foodi 11-in-1 SmartLid multicooker* (€199) – a pressure cooker and air fryer in one, ~€60 cheaper than on Amazon.
SILVERCREST electric corkscrew* (€9.99, was €18.99, 47% off) – for wine nights when you don't feel like wrestling with the cork.
SILVERCREST Premium digital kitchen scale* (€12.99) – a rechargeable scale if you like to follow recipes with precision.
Shipping from Lidl's online shop costs €5.95. If you use the Lidl Plus app, you have a free-shipping coupon for orders over €79 until October 31, or sign up for Lidl's newsletter to get a one-off free-shipping code for orders over €79. Shop Lidl's kitchen sale here*.
If your pans have seen better days, this sale is a good excuse to replace them.
✈️ 50,000 Membership Rewards Points with Amex Gold
If you've been curious about collecting airline miles, the American Express Gold Card* currently comes with 50,000 Membership Rewards points when you spend €5,000 within the first six months and keep the card open for at least a year. Depending on how you redeem them, those points can be worth ~€500–1,000 in flights. The card costs €20 per month, so it's not for everyone, but if you want to collect miles, it's the strongest option in Germany.
I've had mine for over two years and I'm a fan – the flights for my South America trip earlier this year were mostly covered by points I collected with this card. Membership Rewards points transfer to 12 airline programs across most major alliances, so you're not locked into one carrier, and the card also includes travel insurance plus monthly credits for SIXT and FREENOW. Read my full Amex Gold guide to learn how to collect and redeem points, or sign up for Amex Gold here*.
My Amex Gold points covered most of my flights to South America this year.
💰 More Deals
Up to 14% off at medimops: medimops sells used books, films and games, and it's where I buy most of my books – they're so much cheaper than new ones. Until November 1, you get 10% off on the website with code GRUSEL10 (advertisement) on orders from €31, or 14% off in the medimops app with code GRUSEL14 (advertisement) on orders from €41. Shop the sale here*.
congstar 50 GB for €1: congstar's trial plan currently gives you one month with 50 GB of 5G data in the Telekom network, plus unlimited calls and texts, for a one-off €1. It ends automatically after a month, so there's nothing to cancel, which makes it an easy way to test Telekom coverage in your area before switching. The trial comes with a new phone number, which can come in handy for all sorts of things like creating another account with a service you use to get a new-customer discount (you didn't hear that from me!). Get your trial month here*.
KoRo sale with up to 40% off: I love KoRo, but their prices put it firmly in treat territory for me. Their sale section makes it a bit more affordable, with 5–40% off regular products. Their nut butters are luscious: right now, the pistachio butter is €19.31 (was €25.75) and the organic brown almond butter is €6 (was €8). Shop the sale*.
€5 off SIXT share packages: Until November 30, code SPOOKYSHARE26 (advertisement) takes €5 off hour and day packages, so 3 hours start from €4.99 and a full day from €14.99, plus a €0.95 unlock fee, with fuel and parking included. Enter the code in the app before you pick a package. SIXT share runs in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, and if you're new to it, you get €20 credit when you sign up with my link*.
🎁 Freebies
Huel drinks at REWE: Buy a bottle of Huel Lite (a lighter meal-replacement drink) or Huel Black Edition (the high-protein version) with a promo tag on the bottle's neck (Aktions-Neckhanger) at REWE, then upload your receipt by November 8 to get your money back.
claro dishwasher tabs: Buy claro Classic (35 tabs) or claro Multi Next (20 tabs) with the "Jetzt gratis testen" note on the pack by November 30, then upload your receipt and a photo of the pack to get your money back. New claims open every Monday at 9 am and tend to go fast, so Monday morning is the time to upload.
Simply V vegan cheese slices: Buy a pack of Simply V slices (Scheiben) in Mild, Pikant scharf (spicy), Kräftig nussig (nutty) or Würzig (savory) by November 30, then upload a photo of your receipt and the pack to get your money back. There's a daily limit, with new claims opening every day at 7 am.
MyLove-MyLife vegan yogurts and kefir: Buy up to three different participating products (coconut and oat yogurts, coconut and almond kefir, and more) on one receipt by December 13 and get up to €2.79 back for each. You'll find them in organic supermarkets like denn's BioMarkt and online at Knuspr, and you claim by scanning the QR code on the pack and sending your receipt over WhatsApp.
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.
Simply V's vegan cheese slices are free to try until November 30.
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