On The Money

People will likely be paying at least €1,000 more between now and next September for energy than they did in 2021

Outside basic welfare payments, there are two schemes specifically focused on easing the financial burden on parents of young children

Bank data and online services can tell you when bills are due and if your account is at risk of being unable to meet direct debits

Finding the balance between security, investment and customer experience is something most lenders still need to work on

Getting products to buyers, unexpected charges and scams are just some of the issues for online retail as well as impact on high streets

Views on inheritance tax are determined by politics but it might be better to focus on more practical issues

Do the savings, grants and growing list of discounts unlocked by a higher BER justify the the costs of retrofitting your home?

Concerns about overtourism alongside a shortage of long-term accommodation and rising rents makes change inevitable

Retailers use loyalty schemes to quietly mine data about your shopping and spending habits for various reasons

For people on social welfare, a windfall can unravel the financial support available without careful advance planning

Paying off credit card debt, topping up your pension or saving for a rainy day are among the options for mortgage holders who find they now more money in their pockets following the recent ECB rate cut

Buying a house is more difficult than ever but some basic rules remain unchanged for aspiring homeowners

When deposit interest rates rose with inflation, the Government-backed saving products were less attractive

Retirement Planning Council strongly advises that people need to engage with retirement decisions about two years before they expect to retire

How much you will pay with Ryanair or Aer Lingus depends on the time of year, your route, at what point you book the bag and its size and weight

Age, illness, cost and the potential to switch are all factors to consider when looking at options

Homeowners could be paying up to €7,800 more than they need to every year by sticking with their current lender

Simply by moving money to notice accounts or fixed term deposits, you can improve your return by up to a factor of 30

You need to pay attention to the cost of an extra person or two around the house but rent-a-room relief means anything you earn should be tax free

Details of the State’s low cost loan scheme for energy upgrades have finally been unveiled: so who qualifies and how can you apply?

The phrase ‘I want a supervisor’ can be less effective than ‘I want to log a formal complaint’

There are four issues feeding into decisions around electric vehicles: the initial purchase price, charging infrastructure, longevity and resale value

The ECB is expected to start cutting interest rates but consumers should not presume that they will automatically benefit

Ireland has one of the highest rates of students progressing to third level but the number who leave their course between first and second year is rising

Inflation linked price hikes that are impossible to avoid are not the only way you might be paying over the odds for your phone

Some in the annuity sector seems to be anything other than focused on openness and transparency with customers

Mortgage holidays can give you some breathing space when times are tight but, like all holidays, the bill falls due eventually

Drawing up an enduring power of attorney or an advance healthcare directive is not morbid; it’s common sense

‘Pricewatch receives more complaints about travel than any other area, although telecoms come close’

Report on UK mandatory pensions shows they have transformed the pension savings landscape within 12 years

Irish customers have access to rates across Europe that cast local options in a poor light

As the private health cover rises sharply, insurers need to be more proactive in telling customers when cover changes so they do not face surprise demand for payment upfront

Things can go wrong on holiday, or ahead of it, for all sorts of unexpected reasons

Looking at your bank savings, energy bills and insurance cover are no brainers even if you’re reluctant to tinker with health insurance and your mortgage

With salaries expected to rise above inflation this year, take care first to pay down your most expensive debt and then consider your options

Well done on what you got right in your personal finances this year; 2024 will offer opportunity to look again

There is just over €150bn on deposit with Irish banks and €142bn of it is sitting in instant-access accounts with ‘useless’ interest rates

Pensions in Ireland: Reluctance to accept risk and failure to realise how long your fund needs to last make planning for retirement unnecessarily difficult

Almost all of us think we’re good drivers but mechanics will tell you that the evidence says otherwise

On The Money: Knowing how your payoff will be taxed and your rights to other support are important in a position few plan to find themselves in