The bonkers.ie podcast

Do you want to learn about Ireland's latest recycling initiative?

From the 1st of February, the Deposit Return Scheme will come into effect.

Considered to be one of the biggest social and behavioural changes since the introduction of the Plastic Bag Levy and the smoking ban, Caoimhe and Daragh take a look at the scheme in detail and examine its benefits as well as its potential pitfalls. 

So if you're wondering how this new recycling initiative works? Or what types of bottles are accepted by Reverse Vending Machines? Make sure to tune in!

Caoimhe sat down with David Brady, the Director of Spry Finance to address common myths and misconceptions surrounding lifetime loans. If you or your loved one is considering taking out this form of equity release, check out our interview with David to hear everything you need to know! You can apply for a lifetime loan on bonkers.ie!

#bonkers #bonkerspodcast #lifetimeloans #equityreleasemortgage #mortgageadvice #spryfinance #factorfiction #mortgage

Caoimhe talks to budgeting advisor and author, Ann-Marie Gaynor about how you can have a budget-friendly Christmas this year. 

Ann-Marie, also known as the 'Irish Budgeting Mammy', shares how she manages her finances at Christmas as a mother of four, the dangers of relying on credit cards, and the importance of setting financial boundaries with friends and family. 

So if you want to find out how you can have a Christmas to remember without having to break the bank, make sure to check it out. 

#bonkersiepodcast #bonkers #podcast #personalfinance #budgeting #money #saving #switching #debt #debtfree #finance #wellness #moneytips #moneyadvice #spending #budgetingtips #womeninfinance #annmariegaynor #irishbudgetingmammy #christmasshopping #christmas #christmasshopping 

The Budget 2024 has been announced, and with it plenty of major talking points. 

In episode 36, Caoimhe speaks to Daragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at bonkers.ie, to break down everything you need to know about the key announcements. 

How much will the income tax changes impact you? What’s the deal with the electricity credits? Listen on to find out, and more.

#bonkersiepodcast #bonkers #podcast #budget2024 #personalfinance #moneyadvice #incometax #energybills #moneytips #news #budgeting #tax #mortgage #mortgagerelief #usc #incometax

In this month's podcast, Caoimhe speaks to money mentor, author, and podcast host, Santis O'Garro, about financial wellness and how you can manage your finances in the midst of a cost of living crisis.

Santis, also known as the Carribean Dub, shares her top budgeting tips, how to tackle debt, and explains how she managed to pull herself out of €15,000 debt in one year.

#bonkersiepodcast #bonkers #podcast #personalfinance #budgeting #money #saving #switching #debt #debtfree #finance #wellness #moneytips #moneyadvice #spending #nospenddays #budgetingtips #womeninfinance #santisogarro #cariribeandub

Retrofitting is becoming an ever more popular option for homeowners looking to increase the efficiency of their homes.

In episode 34, Caoimhe speaks to two special guests. First, she hears from Dr. Oliver Kinnane, an associate professor at UCD, and a leading mind in the world of retrofitting. They discuss the wider state of retrofitting in Ireland, and what the future of housing may look like.

Then, we hear from Caroline Ashe Brady, Commercial Director at KORE Retrofit, a company that specialises in a one-stop-shop approach to retrofitting works. They discuss the retrofitting process, and what grants are available.

#bonkersiepodcast #bonkers #podcast #retrofitting #environment #construction #housing #professor #consumeradvice #grants #energy #solar #ireland #climatechange

Car insurance is a fact of life for anyone owning a vehicle. But how can you lower the cost of this unavoidable bill?

In episode 33, Caoimhe speaks to Daragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at bonkers.ie, to discuss how you can lower your car insurance costs in 7 ways, as well as delving into the car insurance market in Ireland. 

You’ll also hear from Enda Brazel, our Head of Insurance, and other members of staff who share their personal advice on how they cut their insurance costs.

Installing solar panels on your roof promises to cut the cost of your electricity bills, make you money, and lower your carbon footprint, but are these renewable energy generators a good investment for you?

In episode 32, Caoimhe speaks to Dr. Paul Deane, a Senior Research Scientist in Clean Energy from University College Cork, about the benefits of solar panels and the micro-generation scheme.

Paul shares his advice for prospective buyers and the future of solar energy in Ireland. 

Home insurance is designed to protect your most important assets; your home and your possessions. However, more and more policyholders are finding themselves underinsured or with the incorrect type of cover. 

In episode 31, Caoimhe and Daragh speak to the CEO of Insurance Ireland, Moyagh Murdock about the dangers of underinsurance and how to avoid it.

Our hosts also discuss the difference between building, contents and specified items cover as well as how you can cut the cost of your premium by making your home safer. 

From saving for a mortgage deposit to getting all of your documents organised, getting ready to apply for a mortgage can be a daunting task for first time buyers (FTBs) in Ireland.

With that in mind, Caoimhe and Fionn sat down with our special guests to find out what mortgage lenders consider to be a desirable mortgage application, as well as what FTBs can expect to experience while applying for a mortgage. 

Our hosts talk to Patrick Callan, QFA, a mortgage advisor from the bonkers.ie mortgage broker service and Oliver Clarke, a first-time home buyer who is currently in the middle of his mortgage application journey.

As public and private electric vehicle (EV) charging points spring up across the country, motorists have become more incentivised to switch to EVs due to the grants and incentives that are available. In light of this, Caoimhe and Fionn sat down with a series of guests to discuss electric vehicles in Ireland.

Our hosts talk to Michele Collins, Senior Account Executive for Ireland at Wallbox, a company which installs public and private charging points around the world, as well as two electric vehicle owners, who speak about their experiences with driving and charging their cars here. 

On the latest episode of the bonkers.ie podcast, Daragh and Caoimhe sit down to discuss their top tips and tricks for saving money and making more environmentally-friendly decisions this Christmas. 

From savvy gifting ideas, to clever ways for you to cut the cost of your Christmas food shop, this episode will help you prepare for the festive season without having to face a hefty price tag.

On the latest episode of the podcast, Daragh and Caoimhe discuss the launch of the Government’s First Home Scheme.

The new initiative is aimed at helping first-time buyers to bridge the funding gap and get their foot on the property ladder.

The team talk you through everything you need to know from how the scheme works, to the specific criteria you need to be aware of before applying.

On this month’s show we're joined by Pádraig Power, Marketing Manager for Refurbed.ie in Ireland, an online marketplace for refurbished electronic devices. 

We chat about the company’s success to date, the services it offers, as well as some interesting data on the types of people who use its site.

And with the holiday season in full swing, in the second half of the podcast Daragh and Caoimhe talk about foreign exchange fees and how to avoid them.

When it comes to choosing a new bank, its fees and charges, its customer service and the size of its branch network used to be the main considerations.

Increasingly though, the quality of a bank's mobile app is what interests customers the most.

And with KBC and Ulster Bank exiting Ireland soon, hundreds and thousands of people will be on the lookout for a new current account provider and may be wondering how all the banks' apps currently compare.

So in this episode of the bonkers.ie podcast, Daragh is joined by founder of Goosed.ie, Marty Meany, to discuss each bank's mobile app and decide which one is offering the best experience for users. 

Households nationwide are currently getting to grips with their new smart electricity meter, with more than 750,000 having already been installed by ESB Networks in homes across the country.

Smart meters are the next generation of electricity meter and are designed to help households be more energy efficient.

But what exactly is a smart meter and how do they work? What types of energy tariffs can people sign up to? And how can households use their new smart meters to save money on their bills?

We spoke to Susan Whyte, Smart Metering Programme Manager at Electric Ireland, about everything you need to know, from activating your new meter to getting signed up to the right tariff.

Inflation in Ireland has shot up over the past year and is currently near a 20-year high. 

But what exactly is inflation? Why is it increasing? What goods and services are rising the most? And is there a way to offset the price hikes?

In the latest episode of the bonkers.ie podcast Rob and Daragh sit down to discuss just that!

So if you’re looking for ways to put some money back into your pocket to help deal with the soaring cost of living, make sure to listen!

In this episode, we sat down with David Kerr, the founder and group CEO of bonkers.ie to chat about our new car insurance service as well as the simple ways to reduce the cost of your cover.

And listen in for details on how to win two tickets to see Derren Brown's new show in the Gaiety in April.  

In 2022 Ulster Bank and KBC are set to start closing up. This means over 500,000 of you will soon be looking for a new home for your daily banking. So in the latest episode of our podcast Rob and Daragh discuss what to consider when choosing a new current account.

Earlier this month Virgin Media announced that it is to invest €200 million on upgrading its broadband infrastructure to full fibre over the coming three years. Meanwhile, SIRO has announced a further expansion of its fibre broadband network to over 700,000 premises over the coming months.

In this podcast we chat to Cian O’Mahony, Head of Operations at SIRO, to talk about the growth in the demand for pure fibre broadband in Ireland. We discuss why a fast broadband connection is so important in today’s world, the growth of smart homes, and in the second half we discuss some of the best superfast broadband deals available on the market right now.

In this episode of the bonkers.ie podcast Daragh sat down with Rebecca Wylie, Product Manager of Financial Services at An Post Money, to discuss the recent launch of its new app for current account customers as well as its plans for the future.

We also chat to our very own Group CEO and founder of bonkers.ie, David Kerr, about the launch of our new, fully online and paper-free mortgage broker service. So whether you're a first-time buyer or mover looking for the perfect home or a switcher looking to save on your bills, listen in to see how we can help you!

Last month Electric Ireland and retrofit experts Tipperary Energy Agency announced a new joint venture called Electric Ireland SuperHomes, which aims to deliver up to 35,000 home retrofits over the coming years.

Home retrofits have become increasingly popular as homeowners look to lower their energy bills as well as their carbon footprint.

While certain retrofit measures are more costly than others in the short term, a wide range of grants and services are available to homeowners who are looking to make green improvements, whether that's installing new insulation or upgrading your home heating system.

In this episode we chat to David Flannery from Electric Ireland SuperHomes to discuss the new joint venture as well everything you need to know about retrofitting your home.

With Ulster Bank and KBC both announcing plans to exit the Irish banking market, many of you will be looking for a new home for your current account.

And while options for switching may be looking more limited, there is still good value and choice on offer from the remaining players who still offer current account services in Ireland.

In this podcast we take a deep dive into current accounts to see which provider is offering the best value.

There's been lots of movement in the mortgage market recently with Finance Ireland and Avant Money both launching new products, including the country's first ever 20-year fixed-rate mortgage from Finance Ireland. In this episode we discuss the rates on offer as well as the pros and cons of choosing a fixed rate.

We also discuss recent price increases from three energy suppliers, why energy prices are on the rise, as well as the accelerated rollout of rural broadband provider Imagine's 5G wireless service to customers nationwide.

In this episode we discuss everything from KBC's planned exit from the market and what this means for customers and competition, to research we conducted with RED C which reveals some interesting insights into how people feel about those in long-term mortgage arrears.

We also discuss Avant Money's expansion into the Irish mortgage market and whether this spells good news for mortgage holders, as well as discussing why electricity prices in Ireland are so high and what consumers can do about it.

In this episode we're joined by Daragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at bonkers.ie to discuss SIM-only deals. 

The new style of mobile plan, made popular in recent years by the likes of GoMo, can be one of the most cost-effective ways to save money on your mobile bills, and all without having to sacrifice any calls, texts or data. In this episode we take a look at SIM-only plans in detail and where consumers can find the best value.

In this episode we chat to Daragh Cassidy, Head of Communications at bonkers.ie, to discuss some alternative savings options. 

With a record €127bn on deposit in banks and financial institutions, many people are looking for a home for their savings. However, with interest rates at an all time low, the traditional savings environment now offers little to no reward. So, what other options are there for your hard-earned cash? We take a look.

Getting on the property ladder is a struggle for many first-time buyers as they grapple with high rents while also trying to save for a mortgage deposit. And unless you're hoping to come into an inheritance (and have some very old and sick relatives!) then hard choices lie ahead. 

However, there are a few things you can do and should know about that will make the process easier, which we discuss in this podcast with our Head of Communications, and recent home buyer, Daragh Cassidy.

A person who’s approaching retirement today, could, theoretically, spend almost as much time in retirement as they did while working. Which means retirement planning is something that needs to be taken seriously and considered carefully. So, in this episode of our Looks Closer series, we chat with Moneycube Co-Founder and Chief Financial Advisor Ralph Benson to get the lowdown on what you need to know as you approach your golden years.

In the fourth episode in our Guide to Adulting podcast series we caught up with Greg Dixon, a fellow of the Irish Institute of Pensions Management who is currently the regional sales manager at New Ireland, one of Ireland's leading life and pensions companies.  Greg talks to us about savings tips, pensions in general and why it's so important for younger people to think about retirement planning.  

In the third episode in our Guide to Adulting podcast series we caught up with careers coach and founder of Interview Tutor, Orla Donagher, to discuss the best ways to get a job in today's working environment. 

In the second episode in our Guide to Adulting podcast series we caught up with Marie Sherlock, Head of Policy and Equality at SIPTU to discuss the changed working landscape in 2019. 

A couple of weeks ago Conor sat down with the Head of Communications Daragh Cassidy to chat about why mortgage interest rates are so high in Ireland. Check it out on this week's episode of bonkers.ie Looks Closer.

71% of renters  don't think they'll ever own their own home. But let's say you did want to buy a home, how would you even start? I had no idea either, but being in this job I had access to a whole range of experts in the industry to pick their brains.  So I called a few of them up. 

In the first episode in the Guide to Adulting I sat down with Daragh Cassidy the Head of Communications for bonkers.ie, and prospective homebuyer, as well as digital content producer and homeowner Kevin Bolton to talk about all of the stages in the long path to buying your first home, to hopefully demystify the process a little. 

In our inaugural episode, bonkers.ie Head of Communications Daragh Cassidy sits down with host Conor Dever to tackle a question many people have asked themselves over the years: why is Ireland so expensive?