The importance of rational water use

Extreme weather events are becoming more and more frequent. It can rain too much or not even a drop for months. As Coral Santacruz, a chemical engineer and member of the 11Onze marketing team, argues, rational water consumption is necessary to guarantee water supply and contribute to slowing down climate change.

Rainfall in March and April is making the situation of the reservoirs in Catalonia improve “a little” after a few abnormal months in which “it has hardly rained at all.” This is what Coral Santacruz explains in a new chapter of Territori 17.

Despite this improvement, the chemical engineer and member of the 11Onze marketing team stresses that we must not forget the responsibility that each one of us has when it comes to conserving such a precious resource as water: “It is just as important that it rains, as it is that we are conscious of the way we consume that water.”

Although it is true that in Catalonia the industrial and domestic sectors “consume approximately 20% of water and the remaining 80% is consumed in the agricultural sector”, we can all do our bit to avoid wasting water at home, reasons Santacruz: “We think thato our personal consumption doesn’t have a global effect, but if everyone adopts certain habits, we can significantly help in countering climate change.”

The binomial of water and plastic

As the chemical engineer explains, one problem linked to water consumption is all the plastic generated by bottled water. To give us an idea of the extent of the environmental tragedy, she gives a shocking statistic: “In the last 70 years we have dumped more than 150 million tonnes of plastic into our rivers, seas and oceans.”

In fact, if we don’t put a stop to it, “there will come a time when there will be more plastic than fish in the sea.” And it should be borne in mind that “plastic takes a long time to degrade.” Moreover, these plastics can even reach our bodies because fish and other animals in the marine ecosystem “end up ingesting microplastics,” says Santacruz.

The option of filtered water

To help reduce the generation of plastics, the chemical engineer advocates replacing bottled water consumption with filtered tap water, as the filters allow “many impurities” to be eliminated. Moreover, as Coral Santacruz explains, “they retain chlorine and lime, the main impurities that cause the bad taste of tap water.”

The member of the 11Onze marketing team also stresses the impact that this saving of water and plastic has on the domestic economy thanks to the use of filters: “If we really did the calculation, we would realise how much we save per year” because of “all these bottles” of water that are no longer purchased.

The reality is that the economic factor and the environmental issue are increasingly linked. As Coral Santacruz says, “in the end everything counts, everything is related.”

If you want to discover how to drink the best water, save money and help the planet, go to 11Onze Essentials.

Credit cards were created in the 1950s, and with the arrival of smartphones, virtual cards became popular. Let’s review the history of cards and their possibilities.

Sixty years ago the first payment card was introduced and, since that day, the way we shop has changed to adapt to the era of e-commerce, bringing about a radical change in the way we pay. The way we consume is constantly changing, specially with the increase in e-commerce, following the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, as can be seen in the study carried out by Kantar, which states that 3 out of every 4 Spanish households have made purchases online in 2020, and that these households will continue to shop online in 2021. Households that now shop online account for 74.4%, which has increased e-commerce consumers by 8.4% since 2017. As detailed by Kantar in its study, the remaining 26.6% of consumers are older people who commute to buy products themselves, as they prefer a personalised service. And just as the consumption model has changed, so has the payment model. Welcome to the era of virtual cards.

What are virtual cards? 

Virtual cards are more secure cards, and unlike conventional payment cards, they are completely virtual. They are exclusively used for virtual purchases, but with the possibility to be used in physical establishments if you have the card linked to a wallet on your smartphone. The virtual card has a number, an expiry date, and a control number, as Rankia details. The financial website also states that the security controls of virtual cards are very varied. Some banks have a dynamic code that changes with each purchase, while others allow very few purchases to be made, and if there is money left on the card, this money is automatically returned to the account from which the card was recharged. Each customer is free to make a new virtual card whenever they need it, it’s as simple as that.

How was the virtual card born?

Since the world’s first payment card from Diners Club in 1950, the world of payment cards has come a long way, from the arrival of credit cards in Spain in the 1960s to virtual cards, according to Finanzas. A website specialising in finance reminds us that virtual cards were born with the arrival of mobile telephony, with the payment systems known as “wallets”.

How are they regulated?

The European regulation PSD2, the new European regulation on electronic payment services, came into force in September 2018, with the aim of reinforcing security for consumers with e-commerce payment systems. With this regulation, which has been in force for three years now, it can be said that something is changing in the way we make payments. In short, we can say that virtual cards are here to stay as another means of payment.

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

The product that 11Onze Recommends continues to add satisfied and surprised customers who can achieve income of between 9% and 11% safely and, in addition, with a social purpose. “Everything went like silk, I’ll repeat”, affirms Salvador Llopis.

When 11Onze offers products to its community, its own or through a supplier, as is the case with Litigation Funding, it often receives mistrust as a response. It’s normal, “Why don’t other financial institutions offer these products with these profits if 11Onze can?”, customers may legitimately ask. The answer from 11Onze is that we have no idea what prevents banks and large financial institutions from creating products that can make their customers money and help them make a fairer world. We don’t know. But at 11Onze we try to do with absolute normality what, for others, seems impossible.

This is the case of Litigation Funding, a product that makes it possible to achieve incredible gains with savings. Between 9% and 11% depending on the contribution which, in addition, can be made in an aggregated way between several users.

The case of Salvador

Salvador Llopis, right from the start, didn’t believe it and confesses that “I was curious”. Through 11Onze, he was directed to the British provider of Litigation Funding, who provided him with all the information transparently and answered his doubts in Catalan. Once he had everything clear, he made his contribution, attracted by the profits and the social purpose of Litigation Funding. But what weighed more, the profit or the social band? “Let’s see, the profit is important, let’s stop with watermarks. But of course, if it turns out that they explain to me that this comes from manufacturing weapons… I wouldn’t have got involved at all. The function also has its importance, of course”.

After that, all Salvador had to do was wait and trust that everything would go well. At the outset, the high earnings of Litigation Funding surprised him: “I thought it was a scam. There are many. But no, no… everything was as they said. It went like silk,” he says. Salvador explains that he was receiving reports on a regular basis explaining the evolution of his funds and that, when the money and benefits were to be returned to him, the procedure took a few days longer than expected. “They took a little longer, due to bureaucratic issues, of course. What surprised me was that they also paid me for those days. It didn’t count, but look, a tip!”, he remembers. You can recover the entire conversation with Salvador Llopis on 11Onze TV.

The reaction of the environment

Litigation Funding tends to generate astonishment, due to that usual mistrust when something seems too good. “People don’t react too much when I explain it to them. I don’t know why. I have a positive case, which is mine. And when I can, I will repeat it, because it works”, says Salvador Llopis.

The Litigation Funding product that 11Onze Recommends is not some kind of inexplicable miracle or a scam. It is a product of financial innovation on the rise since last year. In fact, litigation funds are expected to be one of the star products in terms of investment for the next 10 years. The large amount of pending litigation, the profit margins and the social work behind it is pushing this sector hard. The only thing 11Onze has done is move forward by offering the product to its community, through a British supplier.

Finance Litigation: earnings and safety

In the case of Litigation Funding that 11Onze Recommends, the percentage of victories in these cases is over 90%. Equally, however, the funds are 100% covered by insurance, so the initial capital is guaranteed. Currently, Litigation Funding offers profits of between 9% and 11% and the minimum contribution is 10,000 euros. Of course, this contribution can be made in aggregate, that is, between several users (friends, family, colleagues…) who agree.

Fund lawsuits against banks. Get justice and returns on your savings above inflation thanks to the compensation the banks will have to pay. All the information about Litigation Funding can be found at 11Onze Recommends.

The Barcelona rumba singer Joan Ximénez Valentí, El Petitet, passed away yesterday, October 11, 2024. Catalan rumba loses one of its great references. From 11Onze we want to express our condolences to the family and mourn the death of the author of our anthem, “La rumba del calerons”.

“El Petitet was one of those special people, gifted with talent, joy and a creative capacity beyond measure. It was easy to notice in his house. You were with him, in the dining room, chatting in front of the TV and you realized that he, connected to the machine that helped him breathe due to the myasthenia gravis he suffered from, was moving his fingers rhythmically: he was thinking about music. He was always thinking about music,” explains Toni Mata, director of content and communication at 11Onze.

Joan Ximénez, a gypsy from Calle Cera, was the son of Ramón el Huesos (one of Peret’s first clappers) and has been one of the most prominent figures in Catalan rumba in recent decades. From when the Raval was home to gypsies who worked in textiles and went out into the street all dressed up, the handsome gypsies, as Petitet said. From when clothes hanging out to dry gave colour to the streets and rumba was the most powerful urban music in Europe. At that time, rumba dancers filled the music venues and Petitet, with his group Tobago and his album Rumbamanía, competed in sales with David Bowie and Michael Jackson.

But that world disappeared, and illness conditioned the last years of Petitet’s life. However, he had the strength to keep a promise. When his mother was on her deathbed, he promised her that he would bring Catalan rumba to the Liceu. And he succeeded, because “when a gypsy gives you the word, that’s it.” That adventure, that of bringing the music of the people, such as rumba, to the opera house and the upper classes, was captured in the documentary Petitet, by Carles Bosch. The film was awarded the Gaudí Prize for best documentary film. The screenwriter of that film, David Vidal, is the author of this obituary for Petitet.

Petitet and 11Onze

“In 2022 we contacted Petitet because we wanted to make a song for 11Onze. We wanted a rumba because it is Catalan, it is cheerful, it is from the people, and it represents the gypsies, who have often had to live on the margins of society and have managed to survive. All this connected directly with the ideology of our entity,” explains Toni Mata. The understanding was immediate. Petitet understood and embraced the idea of ​​11Onze and its community vision. The collaboration gave rise to “La rumba de los calerons”, the first critical rumba ever composed.

“Petitet was a perfectionist,” Mata recalls, “he would send me versions, adjusting the lyrics, adding layers of music… he even convinced a harpist from the Liceu to come to the studio to record. Of course, the harp would act as the piano, and without sheet music! The harpist managed it, but it was really clear that Petitet and his gang were made of different stuff.” The video for La rumba dels calerons was recorded on the Rambla del Raval, at a huge popular festival next to the streets that saw Petitet and Catalan rumba grow.

Today 11Onze and all those who knew him mourn Petitet’s death. “With him we lose the author of our anthem, a beautiful person, faithful, dignified and full of love for the people,” says James Sène, president of 11Onze. At “The rumba dels calerons,” explains Toni Mata, “he ended up asking for peace in the world. He didn’t achieve it, but he certainly did a little better.” We said goodbye to Petitet, passing on our condolences to the family and dancing with him because, as he always said, “it’s better to laugh than to cry.”

11Onze is the community fintech of Catalonia. Open an account by downloading the super app El Canut for Android or iOS and join the revolution!

The Spanish government has reached an agreement with the trade unions to improve contributions, which has to make it possible to pay the pensions of the baby-boomers when they retire. But what is the small print of this negotiation? The financial director of 11Onze, Oriol Tafanell, details it in the current affairs magazine of Ràdio Ciutat de Badalona.

Thus, the first outline that the Spanish government and the CCOO and UGT unions have agreed on foresees that companies and workers will contribute 0.6% more to the social security system, through salary contributions over the next ten years. In this way, the increase for workers will be 0.2% and for companies 0.4%, figures that have not pleased the employers’ association CEOE, which has withdrawn from the negotiations.

However, Tafanell warns that the measure does not save pensions. “If you read the small print, I disagree quite a lot with the agreement,” he says. The reasons, according to the financial director of 11Onze, are that pensions will continue to rise because life expectancy is also increasing and that the baby-boomers will retire with high pensions because they have worked under good conditions. In short, the demographic and socio-labour context suggests that the new law could be insufficient.

But, above all, there is one thing that worries the financial director of 11Onze. “With this measure, the Spanish government has assured that it will collect around 0.2% of GDP, while it is estimated that at least 4% of GDP will be needed. Imagine the difference, there is still a very large gap,” he argues. In fact, some Spanish media are already pointing to an even bigger gap that would force a radical rethink of the pension system.

Accompanying for financial growth

Tafanell points out that the solution lies in being financially sovereign. “Spain has been bankrupt for some time now. You only have to look at how the country’s indebtedness has been growing. So what should we do? We have to worry personally about saving,” the 11Onze financial director says. 

For Tafanell, “there is not a lack of savings capacity,” as people have been led to believe, but rather a great deal of precariousness, but also a very great lack of financial culture on the part of the public. This, says the CFO, is partly the fault of traditional banking. That is why a proposal like 11Onze, which is a fincom, a community fintech, could be the key. “With people who explain to you in a transparent and honest way what is the best decision you can make to save,” he argues. 

The other pillar that must allow the pension system to be overcome, according to Tafanell, or at least provide enough financial sovereignty so that it is not a concern, is the community. “By creating a community, you ensure that there are high, medium and low incomes and, if you make good links, the former can help those who need it most,” he concludes.

11Onze is becoming a phenomenon as the first Fintech community in Catalonia. Now, it releases the first version of El Canut, the super app of 11Onze, for Android and Apple. El Canut, the first universal account can be opened in Catalan territory.

11Onze consolidates its commitment to economic literacy with the launch of El Diner, an animated series to learn everything there is to know about money, the economy and financial mechanisms.

The chapters can be found in the Learn category, and after watching them, users can answer a short questionnaire to evaluate the knowledge obtained. With the results, they will accumulate ‘Peles’, which can be used in the marketplace that 11Onze will set up for its community.

One of the strategic goals of the 11Onze project is to empower citizens, offering them as much knowledge as possible about the economy, without traps, so that they can make the right decisions with their savings. “We want you to learn, through the 11Onze community, about finance, learn about the economy,” explained general manager Natàlia Cugueró in a recent interview.

“El Diner”  (The Money) is an original production of 11Onze TV in collaboration with the animation studio Luee from Manlleu. After having collaborated with the Super3 channel, 3XL or having turned Gerard Piqué into his character in the video game Pro Evolution Soccer, the director of audiovisual projects at Luee, Àlex Roca, is proud to take on the challenge of El Diner. “It allows us to participate in a key project like 11Onze from the beginning. One of the main goals of the series is to explain very complex concepts with very simple drawings,” says Roca, who adds that “one of the most surprising things we’ve learned by making “El Diner”  (The Money) is that most of what we thought we knew about economics was wrong! And this is the impression we think a lot of people will have”.

In a conversation with staff, 11Onze president James Sène explained that “money is so important, it’s so central to our lives, that I think it’s insane that people aren’t taught where money comes from.”

The series, scripted and voiced by Toni Mata, will have a premiere episode every Wednesday. Open educational content for the 11Onze community.

Do you want to be the first to receive the latest news about 11Onze? Click here to subscribe to our Telegram channel.

Obrir comptes amb IBAN europeus, diversificar els estalvis, invertir en borsa, obrir un dipòsit… ja saps tot el que pots fer amb El Canut? T’expliquem quins serveis té el nostre moneder de moneders i quins en tindrà ben aviat.

A banda d’obrir un compte 11Onze i sol·licitar una targeta virtual o física, actualment El Canut et permet fer transferències instantànies, accedir a la comunitat d’11Onze, al servei d’atenció 24/7 i aplegar els teus comptes d’altres entitats en un únic lloc, gràcies a la directiva europea PSD2. El teu compte tindrà IBAN búlgar, però en breu podràs triar entre IBAN d’altres països, com Bèlgica, França, Estònia o Alemanya.

A més, amb El Canut tens tot 11Onze a la teva mà. Això vol dir que pots participar a La Plaça o accedir a productes com 11Onze Segurs o Preciosos 11Onze des de la nostra aplicació.

Però El Canut anirà sumant serveis fins a arribar a una cinquantena. Així, per exemple, l’app permetrà invertir els teus estalvis en diferents actius: moneda, paquets ETF, criptomonedes o Peles, i podràs fer pagaments o retirar diners a través d’una xarxa de ‘partners’ d’11Onze. També podràs obrir dipòsits amb unes condicions competitives que t’ajudin a estalviar, demanar préstecs a un interès baix o contractar hipoteques amb les millors ofertes del mercat. A més, et donarem la possibilitat de fer un rènting, podràs invertir en projectes de la comunitat 11Onze o gestionar els teus estalvis amb eines de control financer. 

Què esperes per descarregar El Canut? Ja està disponible per a Android i iOS!

11Onze és la fintech comunitària de Catalunya. Obre un compte descarregant la super app El Canut per Android o iOS. Uneix-te a la revolució!

At 11Onze we want to help you protect your savings in an easy and secure way. That is why we have launched Preciosos 11Onze so that you can buy gold at the best price. We’re talking about physical gold, the real thing. But why should you buy gold? How do you do it? Sara Casals, a member of the 11Onze product team, explains.

There are at least three compelling reasons why buying gold is a good solution for protecting our money. The first is undoubtedly inflation, which reduces our purchasing power. The second is the low price of money, which makes savings in financial accounts unprofitable and uninteresting. Gold, on the other hand, does appreciate in value. In times of instability, gold is the ultimate safe-haven asset. Want to know how to buy gold with Preciosos 11Onze? Watch the video below and find out. It’s very easy!

If you want to discover the best option to protect your savings, enter Preciosos 11Onze. We will help you buy at the best price the safe-haven asset par excellence: physical gold.

Catalonia suffers a high rate of home burglaries, a problem that worsens during holiday periods. Gemma Vallet, director of 11Onze District, reminds us of the most important tips to protect our homes correctly or minimise the consequences in the event of a burglary.

Fortunately, home burglaries were reduced by 23% during the pandemic, but the Mossos d’Esquadra have been warning for some months of an increase, which could be accentuated during the holiday period. Moreover, it should be borne in mind, as Gemma Vallet points out, that Catalonia “leads the ranking of thefts” in Spain.

According to data from insurance companies, the average value of thefts is 800 euros and the municipalities with the highest value stolen in each incident are Girona and Sant Cugat del Vallès. As for shops, the most affected are those in Reus, Mataró and Lleida.

Guidelines to avoid unpleasant surprises

The director of 11Onze District offers a series of tips to protect yourself from theft or minimise its consequences:

1. Leave objects of more material or sentimental value in a safe place.
2. Install an alarm.
3. Check all accesses, doors and windows, as burglars are increasingly using more elaborate systems to gain access to homes.
4. Be discreet about your absence, being careful about what you post on social media, as this can alert burglars to your location.
5. Ask someone to visit the home regularly, collect correspondence and check that nothing unusual is going on.
6. Do not leave messages on the answering machine indicating that you are away.
7. If you hear any noise or detect the presence of a stranger, alert the Mossos d’Esquadra immediately, without confronting them.
8. If you have taken out insurance, make an inventory of your property so that you can claim the corresponding compensation in the event of theft.

In addition to theft, Gemma Vallet warns that it is advisable to take measures to avoid problems with windows and water and electricity installations during your holiday absence.

If you want to discover fair insurance for your home and for society, check 11Onze Segurs.

In this edition of the 11Onze Podcast, we have once again invited Oriol Blanch, Affiliate Marketer at Bitvavo, to review the latest news in the world of cryptocurrencies. We talk about the buying options in the current bear market and the approval given by the Bank of Spain to Bitvavo.

Fluctuations in Bitcoin and the cryptocurrency market in general are nothing new. In fact, bitcoin has experienced some corrections after reaching an all-time high above $73,700 last March, taking it to just below $60,000 when writing this piece.

Although these bitcoin corrections are not surprising and are part of a certain normality, “all altcoins and other cryptocurrencies that are not bitcoin have had more significant corrections that have caused more than one scare to some“, points out Oriol Blanch.

At the very least, this confirms that bitcoin continues to be one of the safest crypto assets, partly thanks to its market capitalisation and, as Blanch indicates, “Looking at it from a long-term perspective, these corrections are minuscule and we continue to bet on this market because it looks like it will continue to rise”.

A good opportunity to enter the market?

A bear market can be a good opportunity to buy, but nobody has a crystal ball. On the other hand, we must take into account the “halving” event, which in previous cycles has behaved very positively, but as Blanch stresses, “it is not an immediate effect, it may take between six and eight months to really see a parabolic rise in the price of bitcoin”.

In any case, Blanch advises its family members to “make regular purchases”. Bitvavo offers the option of setting up a recurring buy, so you can buy the cryptocurrency you want to accumulate once a month or on a specific day. However, the affiliate marketer recommends placing buy or sell orders with a price limit, so that if the market rises or falls, the buy or sell order is automatically executed.

Bitvavo, more reliable than ever

Bitvavo’s ambition to become Europe’s leading cryptocurrency exchange has been reinforced by receiving approval for registration as a Virtual Asset Service Provider from the Bank of Spain, allowing the exchange to offer cryptocurrency products and services in the Spanish market. Previously, it had already obtained registration from regulators in Austria and France.

These authorisations are important because they mark the process of implementing the Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation (MiCA), the first global regulation governing the crypto-assets market, establishing obligations for both issuers and cryptocurrency service providers. Blanch explains, “These regulations will apply to all crypto asset providers and, as a user, you have to be careful not to fall into the trap of using an exchange located in the Cayman Islands, because there you would have no protection whatsoever”.

11Onze Recommends Bitvavo, cryptocurrency trading made easy, safe and at a good value.