On The Money

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

Food inflation in Ireland is lower than across the EU as a whole but that’s little comfort to hard-pressed Irish consumers

Rules in place to limit the amount of tax relief can prove a rude surprise to those in high paying positions

Setting out clear ground rules over how savings and spending will be managed can save couples a lot of pain in the long run

On The Money: A number of different schemes can provide State support, especially for first-time buyers or those making a fresh start

On The Money: Much loved by consumers, new legislation allowing for greater co-operation within the sector passed key stage

On The Money: More detail is required on some measures and others are likely to leave people somewhat disaffected

Many parents are paying in case their child has an accident unaware that they could have cover already through their school

Choosing to work beyond the age of 65 can help you top up your pension in the long run but can have implications for lump sums

On the Money: There is relief for small gifts or items of value but the sender must be meticulous or could leave the recipient with a financial headache

Recent price cuts from providers are welcome but energy bills still remain far higher than two years ago

Having someone you trust can make the whole investment process less stressful and intimidating

Grants, tax relief and possibly even health insurance may cover some or all of the cost but watch the warranty and get them insured

On The Money: Irish banks are making a fortune from your savings but you do have options if you’re looking for a better return

ComReg says an estimated €115m is lost each year as a result of scam text messages, and €187m due to scam calls

On The Money: Parents can face huge financial pressure ahead of the new school term but there are ways to defray the cost

‘Vampire subscriptions’ to the likes of Netflix and Disney+ can suck the cash out of unwary consumers' accounts

On The Money: Short-term letting provides a great opportunity for holidaymakers and landlords but it is a mixed blessing for Government

Lessons which are learned now will last them for the rest of their lives

If you have been on the same policy for more than three years you are probably overpaying by about 25%

On The Money: Benefit in kind rules can take some of the glow from workplace benefits - especially the new rules on company cars

On The Money: If you have a preference for bottled water, it more likely illustrates the power of marketing than any real health benefit, according to research

Retail outlets pausing their own branded gift cards has drawn fresh attention to a multibillion euro sector

Travel cover for going abroad might not cost much but it could save a whole lot of heartache

Business Today: the best news, analysis and comment from The Irish Times business desk

On The Money: Wills are not a foretelling of doom, they are an act of common sense, inexpensive and easy to draw up as long as you observe simple rules

On The Money: Motor tax, insurance, fuel, servicing, repairs, replacement tyres, NCT, depreciation and parking amounts to about €865 a month for something you use a few times a week

On The Money: Dematerialisation is an intimidating word but the process promises to be hassle free for small investors

With rental car prices all over Europe set to remain high, we look at ways to lessen the burden

On The Money: With two ways of calculating your entitlement running in parallel, things can easily get confusing

Cutting VAT to zero from this month could save the average household about €1,000 on installing solar power ... and they can sell anything they don’t use back into the grid

On The Money: It remains fundamentally a means of ensuring your preferences are respected if you no longer have the capacity to make your own decisions

On The Money: Credit unions are pushing hard to compete with the ever decreasing number of banks in the Irish market

On The Money: People are intimidated by the prospect of moving bank account but it is easier than you think and there is a code of practice in place

On The Money: New laws have given consumers more rights while empowering regulators to address issues in a more forceful manner