Better With Money

If you’ve been wondering whether solar panels are worth the costly initial outlay, this is the episode for you.“At no stage have I ever heard anyone say ‘I wish I didn’t put so many solar panels up.’ It’s usually ‘I wish I put a bigger battery in,’” says Garrett Fox, a landscaper and retrofitting enthusiast from Co. Galway. In 2018 during “The Beast from the East”, his 80s bungalow was so cold his bedroom curtains froze shut. Since then he’s added solar panels, insulation, new windows, air-to-water heating, two EVs and watched his energy bills plummet as a result.Garrett breaks down appliance costs by tariff, explains the key system parts (panels, inverter, battery and software), and outlines his (pun-tastic) “three whats” approach: what's your usage, what are your future plans for your home and what are your goals.For a typical three-bed semi, he estimates it would cost around €7,000 for 8 to 10 panels plus €4,000 to €5,000 for a 10kW battery. He believes you could potentially break even around five years later without a battery and six to seven with one installed, plus benefits from microgeneration credits and potentially lowering your mortgage interest rate if your improved BER qualifies you for a “green mortgage.”This episode is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.Presented by Aideen Finnegan.

If you have found yourself at the point at which you're finally ready to invest, but you don't know how to do your research into index and exchange traded funds (ETFs), this is the episode for you.There’s an overwhelming amount of information online about investing, but most of it is aimed an American, and to a lesser extent, a UK audience. In this episode wealth advisor, YouTube content creator and Donegal man, Kevin Elliott, brings his years of experience working for financial institutions in New York, London and Toronto and translates it jargon-free for an Irish audience.Building on earlier episodes* about index funds and ETFs (which tend to be lower risk and more beginner-friendly than buying individual stocks and shares) Kevin explains how to choose an ETF from the tens of thousands out there. He shares the checklist he himself uses when choosing funds in Ireland: use passive index funds, no "star pickers" of stocks, watch for steep fees, choose broad and ideally global indices, trade in euro and make sure the funds are domiciled in Europe for tax purposes. Plus some other tricky jargon worth knowing before putting your money into an ETF.This episode is for for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.Presented by Aideen Finnegan*You can find previous episodes which examine ETFs in detail with Dan Malone here and here, as well as our complete beginner episode with Kel Galavan here.

Aideen Finnegan speaks to financial influencer Annmarie Gaynor (Irish Budgeting Mammy) and Cian Carolan of DNG Financial Services after they attended a Department of Finance meeting with Simon Harris and junior minister Robert Troy about a proposed state “personal investment account”. It’s not an SSIA savings account that would be topped up by the Government, neither will it be a product “with a portal you log into with a password.” Rather it looks set to be a tax-incentivised “wrapper” applying new rules to existing investment options offered by banks, life insurers and trading platforms. The key aim is to encourage “middle Ireland” to move some savings from deposits into long-term investing, but major details remain unconfirmed, including annual limits, fees, tax treatment and timelines. They describe Ireland’s complex investment taxes (deemed disposal, exit tax and a life-insurance levy) as barriers to getting involved in investing, while stressing the need for a financial literacy campaign to communicate risk, understand inflation and set clear personal goals for the individual.This episode is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.

In this week’s episode, the font of all motoring knowledge Neil Briscoe is taking us through the government’s new pilot ICE to EV scrappage scheme. For us non petrol heads, those acronyms essentially mean “give up yer aul polluting car for an electric vehicle instead.” It involves trading in your end-of-life petrol or diesel car (at least 13 years) for a new EV, and is weighted 65% towards rural dwellers. Opening tomorrow with just 2000 places, the scheme is already oversubscribed. However Neil is expecting the government will announce a new round. He runs through the best value EVs on the market right now from the cheapest options (like the Hyundai Inster) up to the €50,000 grant cap. He also explains why small EVs are getting cheaper, and why the growing used-EV market shouldn’t be discounted.Presented by Aideen Finnegan

Unless you’re Dermot Bannon, doing up your house must be one of the most expensive and nerve-wracking jobs you can ever take on. In this episode of Better with Money, Quantity Surveyor Shay Lally (aka @houses_to_restore on Instagram) speaks to Aideen Finnegan about how to plan and cost the renovation of an average 3-bed semi-d in Ireland.He explains why the cheapest quote can often end up being the most expensive because of omissions or “front-loading”, where the builder gets the bulk of the payment at the beginning and then ghosts you for the smaller jobs later on.Shay also explains how getting a QS involved from early on can help your budget with estimates, making payment assessments and negotiations during the project and tracking a final tally.And he also outlines common budget risks, the need for a clear brief, and prioritising essentials like insulation, heating and rewiring over finishes. This episode also covers SEAI and Vacant/Derelict Homes grants, staged bank drawdowns, contracts, red flags with tradespeople, and renovation choices that can add or reduce a home’s resale value.This episode is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice

From supplements on hotel rooms to needing to save tens of thousands of euro on your own to buy a home, the costs of doing anything in Ireland - as a single adult - are hidden and varied. Irish Times columnist and author, Emer McLysaght, joins Aideen Finnegan and Conor Pope on this episode of Better with Money to discuss the many ways single people are penalised by the so-called "single tax". While Ireland's tax system doesn't explicitly "reward" married or cohabiting couples, it is more favourable for them. And that's before you consider the single person's financial burden of trying to save for a home at a time of record rents, energy prices and grocery bills. Would you go as far as refusing to put cash in an envelope at your friend's wedding in a bid to save money? Emer would. And she has, too.

Can changing your mortgage to a fortnightly payment plan save you money and reduce the overall term? Will striving to get your loan-to-value ratio down unlock the best interest rates? And how can you even go about that anyway? These questions and more are answered by Cian Carolan, MD of DNG Financial Services in this second episode of mortgage strategising. It’s all about finding a way to pay down that mortgage as quickly and painlessly as possible. Cian also explains what to consider if you’re rolling off a fixed-term rate cycle this year, and answers a question about how easy (or not!) it is for separating couples to buy each other out. This episode is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. If you missed last week's episode you can listen to it here, or scroll back one episode in the Better with Money feed. Presented by Aideen Finnegan.

What are the fastest and least painful ways of paying off your mortgage? Should you overpay, if you can? Or should you use any extra money to invest instead? What about switching - how much can it save you, really? These are the types of questions we're putting to Cian Carolan, financial planner and managing director of DNG Financial Services. In this episode we discuss affordability and why it's crucial to consider motivations and wider financial planning before calling your lender. Cian also explains fixed and variable mortgage rates, how much they are expected to increase this year and options like split rates where you you fix on a portion of the loan but pay variable on the other. This episode is more relevant to current mortgage-holders. Those looking to get a home loan for the first time should check out this earlier episode of Better with Money.This episode is for information purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.Presented by Aideen Finnegan

Whether it's a few hundred euro on a credit card that you just can't manage to clear, or if you have fallen behind on your mortgage repayments due to an unforeseen life event - if debt is keeping you awake at night, this is the podcast you need to hear. This conversation with Gwen Harris, regional manager with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service explores practical, step-by-step ways to regain control of your finances - from creating a realistic budget to understanding options like loan consolidation and personal insolvency. Gwen also breaks down popular repayment strategies such as the “snowball” and “avalanche” methods, and highlights how people can maximise their income by claiming entitlements they may not realise they’re eligible for. She also shares advice for families, including why it’s important for parents to have honest conversations about contributions from adult children still living at home, especially during times of financial strain. Plus, Gwen offers simple, practical saving tips that can make a real difference over time. Presented by Aideen FinneganYou can contact MABS in confidence via their web site, call in person to one of their 60 regional offices or phone their helpline on 0818 07 2000.Previous episodes of Better with Money which deal with debt can be found here:‘How we saved €100k in four years’‘I went from €17,000 in debt and jobless to paying off my mortgage early’'I cleared six figures’ worth of debt in Ireland. These are the low-risk ways to invest'Better with Money is for information purposes only and does constitute financial advice