What!? Home loans and point-earning activities might change!? (Free materials available)

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Hello, I'm Money Gal.

Today, I'm summarizing the 'Money News That Slowly Affects Household Budgets' for June 2026.

The topics this time are home loans, credit cards, and cashless payments.

Students or new employees might think, 'Home loans might not concern me yet.' However, interest rate news is linked to future rent, home purchases, the household budgets of the older generation, and corporate business sentiment.

Besides, point conditions for credit cards and electronic money can directly relate to your payments today.

In other words, this news is about how it relates to both your 'current life' and your 'future life,' right?

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Why is home loan interest rate attracting attention?

First, let's talk about home loan interest rates.

It is reported that the Bank of Japan raised the policy interest rate from 0.75% to 1.00% at the Monetary Policy Meeting held on June 15-16, 2026. To put it very simply, the policy interest rate is the 'benchmark interest rate that affects the lending and borrowing of money in society.'

When interest rates rise, it can potentially affect home loans.

Home loans are broadly divided into 'variable interest rates' and 'fixed interest rates.'

A variable interest rate is a type where the interest rate is reviewed periodically. While the initial rate tends to look low, there is a possibility it will rise in the future.

A fixed interest rate is a type where the interest rate is fixed for a certain period or the entire term. While it is easier to predict future repayment amounts, it tends to be higher than variable interest rates.

The important thing here is that you cannot say 'which one is absolutely correct.' The right choice changes depending on your income, savings, family structure, loan amount, and repayment period.

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The 5-year rule and 1.25x rule are not just for peace of mind

For variable interest rates, there are terms like the '5-year rule' and the '1.25x rule.'

The 5-year rule is a mechanism where the monthly repayment amount does not change for 5 years even if the interest rate changes.

The 1.25x rule is a mechanism that ensures the repayment amount does not exceed 1.25 times the previous repayment amount when the repayment amount is reviewed.

Hearing just this, you might think, "Well, then I'm safe."

However, there are points to be aware of.

Even if your monthly repayment amount doesn't increase immediately, if interest rates are rising, the proportion of your payment going toward interest may increase. In some cases, the principal may not decrease as much as you expected.

In other words, you cannot simply say, "It's fine because my monthly payments haven't changed."

You need to consider interest rates not just by how they look, but by looking at the total repayment amount, how the principal decreases, and your future household finances.

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End of Epos Card point accrual for charges

Next is news about credit cards and cashless payments.

Epos Card has officially announced that it will end point accrual for charges to payment services starting August 1, 2026. This includes Mobile Suica, Mobile PASMO, Mobile ICOCA, ANA Pay, au PAY, Kyash, JAL Pay, Rakuten Edy, Revolut, and others.

The important thing here is that this is not a story about "Epos Card becoming unusable."

It is a story about there being targets for which points will no longer be awarded.

For those who regularly charge transit IC cards or have been earning points via smartphone payments, your return rate may change.

From a money-savvy perspective, I think these kinds of revisions are exactly what "people who use things without thinking" tend to overlook.

For card return rates, it is important to look not just at the advertised numbers, but also at what purchases earn points, what is excluded, and whether there are any caps.

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Checking conditions is vital for limited-time point increases

On the other hand, there are also campaigns where points increase.

The official Lalaport Yokohama website lists a "Medal de Point Up" campaign exclusively for Mitsui Shopping Park Card 《Saison》 members. The dates are from June 24 to June 28, 2026. Premium medals earn 5% points per 100 yen excluding tax, gold medals earn 4%, and silver/bronze medals earn 3%.

However, this is not for everyone either.

There are specific eligible cards, facilities, payment methods, excluded stores, and expiration dates for limited-time points. It is also clearly stated that the event period may differ depending on the facility.

That is why it is dangerous to jump on it just by looking at "Up to 5% return!"

What you should look at is not the maximum value, but whether you actually qualify.

Even though you do point-earning activities to save money, if you skip reading the conditions, you often end up thinking, 'I didn't get as many points as I expected.'

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Things to check today

If you're going to do something today, do these three things.

First.
If you have a home loan, or if a family member has one, check the interest rate type and repayment conditions.

Second.
If you use an Epos Card, check which payments will still earn points after August 1st and which payments will be excluded.

Third.
When looking at limited-time campaigns, check the eligible cards, eligible stores, point caps, and expiration dates.

Financial news doesn't benefit you just by hearing about it.

It only becomes meaningful once you confirm if it applies to you and incorporate it into your daily life.

Summary
What's important about this news is to look at both 'large amounts of money' and 'small amounts of money'.

A home loan is one of the largest expenses in your life.
Credit cards and electronic money are small, daily expenses.

However, if the conditions for either change, it could impact your household budget.

Don't judge interest rates or points just by the headlines.
Check the official information.
Confirm if it relates to you.

Doesn't just doing this significantly reduce your financial anxiety?

Please be sure to check the latest information on the official websites of the Bank of Japan, the Japan Housing Finance Agency, credit card companies, and each commercial facility. Interest rates and campaign conditions are subject to change.

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