
One in five Irish adults manage to save over €125 a month despite rising cost of living
And one in 10 adults are able to save more than €500 a month, according to the survey for AIB.
Irish households have €164bn in savings, but most of this money is sitting in low-interest accounts earning little or nothing.
In the first quarter of the year, people saved 14pc of their disposable income, according to Central Statistics Office data.
The research, conducted by Opinions, found that three-quarters of adults are mostly managing their finances though a mobile phone app. This is particularly the case for those between the ages of 25 and 44.
The survey of 1,000 adults found that most people have never invested any spare cash they have, as opposed to putting money in a savings account. They cite a lack of knowledge as one of the main barriers to investing.
Most respondents to the survey said that just saving and not investing could be a missed opportunity to grow their money.
Among those who have never invested, four in 10 said a step-by-step guide in their banking app would help them to feel more confident.
A similar proportion said the ability to invest a small amount of money every month instead of a lump sum would attract them to start investing.
For those considering a medium to long-term financial goal, the main motivations for saving include building a financial safety net, renovating their home, supporting their children and saving for a holiday of a lifetime, the survey found.
ADVERTISEMENT
AIB's head of wealth and insurance Ciara Ryan said: 'If you are saving for something that is five years away, or more, then investment is a good option to consider, as it can deliver higher returns than saving.'
The bank has launched its first fully digital investment advice tool for customers via the AIB life hub on the bank's mobile app.
The new service allows customers to access investment guidance and products in a way that is convenient for them.
The new service will offer access to regulated investment advice and appropriate products while ensuring customers are offered guidance on making investments that are suitable for their risk appetite or needs, according to AIB.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Examiner
21 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Restaurants Association chief says Vat cut is not taxpayers 'subsidising' the food service sector
The chief executive of the Restaurants Association of Ireland has said he does not see a Vat reduction as taxpayers subsidising the industry, but rather as a correction to help businesses be more sustainable. This comes as the RAI publishes a new report, written by economist Anthony Foley, which seeks to make the case for the reduction in the Vat rate for the food service sector from 13.5% to 9% from January. The reduction in the Vat rate to 9% for the food services sector is expected to cost €674.6m. According to the summer economic statement last month, the Government plans on introducing an overall budget package of €9.4bn, which includes a tax package of €1.5bn and additional public spending of €7.9bn. The reduction in the Vat rate is expected to make up 45% of the overall tax package. Given the size of the tax package, and the proportion of it which is made up of this Vat reduction, the Government has much less space to cut taxes for taxpayers like it has done in previous budgets. On the Vat rate making up so much of the budget tax package, RAI chief executive Adrian Cummins said: "I don't see it subsidising the industry,' but rather a 'correction' to bring it down to a level comparable with the rest of Europe. He added the reduction would help restaurants be more sustainable and more competitive when it comes to tourism spending. Mr Cummins said he was 'quietly confident' the Government would implement the reduction, saying it was in the programme for government. According to the report, small firms, employing between one and nine people, account for 76.6% of the food service sector. However, the proposed Vat reduction would apply to all food service businesses across the country, including some of the larger fast food chains that operate in Ireland. The RAI report cited data from Bord Bia, which showed of all food services companies, 37.4% were categorised as 'quick service, fast casual, and food to go' while 11.7% were categorised as full-service restaurants. Mr Foley said the Government could, if it wanted to, target the Vat reduction at smaller companies, but it would be 'difficult to manage and implement'. "The Government could do it if they developed the systems to do it. So you could say, firms with more than a certain turnover pays a higher Vat than others,' he said. When asked why the RAI was not advocating for a more targeted approach to help smaller Irish food service business, rather than larger chain fast-food restaurants such as McDonalds, Mr Cummins said 'McDonald's are a member of the association'. He also added that under EU law it would be illegal to have one Vat rate for fast food operations and another for full-service restaurants. The RAI said businesses were experiencing a weakening of operating margins with Central Statistics Office data showing food services sales volume and value are declining in 2025. This coincides with a decline in tourism, and tourist spending, to the country, experienced throughout much of this year. Mr Foley said the primary objective of this Vat cut was to reduce the cost of doing business, which enables firms to have better margins and reduce the chance of price hikes in the future. Mr Cummins said there had been 307 restaurant closures to date this year. The RAI represents 3,000 members out of about 20,000 food service businesses in Ireland.


Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Protest calls on Central Bank not to renew Israel bonds
Protesters have urged the Central Bank of Ireland not to proceed with the approval for the sale of Israel bonds ahead of an upcoming renewal date. Around 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Central Bank in Dublin on Tuesday to demand an end to the authority's role in approving Israel bonds for sale in the EU, for the Government to include services in the Occupied Territories Bill and to pass that legislation. The bank is the designated authority in relation to the sale of Israel bonds in the EU, and has determined the securities meet the standards of the bloc's prospectus regulations. Israel bonds have been advertised as supporting the country's economy and, more recently, websites promoting the securities emphasise their role in supporting Israel's military operations in Gaza. Protesters say the bonds are intended to fund the war in Gaza (Niall Carson/PA) Protesters and opposition parties have called for legislation that would give Ireland the power to refuse the sale of Israeli 'war bonds' over human rights concerns. They say the bonds are intended to fund the war in Gaza, while Ireland has an obligation under the Genocide Convention to use all means likely to have a deterrent effect on those suspected of preparing genocide. The Central Bank has said regulations require it to approve prospectuses that meet standards of completeness, consistency and comprehensibility. The Israel bond prospectus is up for renewal on September 2. The Joint Committee on Finance has recommended that the bank carry out an immediate review before renewing approval of the bonds. Meanwhile, Social Democrats TD Gary Gannon has launched legal proceedings against the Central Bank over claims that investors in Israeli bonds could be legally complicit in genocide in Gaza. It is alleged that the Central Bank's failure to ban the marketing, distribution and sale of Israel bonds exposes investors to risks that have not been disclosed to them. Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign chairwoman Zoe Lawlor said: 'The government has to end the direct involvement of the Central Bank in apartheid Israel's sale of genocide-funding bonds. People take part in a protest outside the Central Bank in Dublin (Niall Carson/PA) 'The Central Bank is an organ of this state, and its complicity in genocide makes Ireland complicit.' David Landy of Jews for Palestine, and Academics for Palestine said: 'We are asking the Central Bank to do the absolute minimum required of it under law — to end the sale of Israeli war Bonds, to finally end this direct Irish participation in Israeli genocide.' Sinn Féin's foreign affairs spokesman said the government 'must use every lever at its disposal' to show leadership on Gaza. Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire said: 'Clearly ending the facilitation of Israeli war bonds is one of those.' He added: 'The people of Gaza and of Palestine need us to act.'


Agriland
2 hours ago
- Agriland
Tractor sales surge in Ireland but John Deere down 9% globally
Despite the strong performance of the Irish tractor market this summer, the big manufacturers are still wearing long faces as they record depressed sales and avoid making any optimistic forecasts for the near future. Indeed, in its latest news release on the company's performance in the third quarter (Q3) of 2025, John Deere made no mention of its expectations at all in its summary. Instead, it focussed on its continuing plans for digital technology when looking forward. In outlining its financial position, the company noted that worldwide net sales and revenues decreased 9%, to $12.018 billion, for Q3 2025. This represented a decrease of 18%, to $33.290 billion, for the first nine months of 2025. Despite the poor results, John Deere is doubling down on its digital farming efforts Net sales were $10.357 billion for Q3 and $28.338 billion for nine months, compared with $11.387 billion and $35.484 billion last year, respectively. Although the figures are depressing for the company overall, a closer look reveals one or two notable trends. The most obvious is that it is North America which is taking the biggest hit, with projected revenue from this region being down 30% for the 2025 fiscal year. Revenue from Europe, on the other hand, is likely to be much the same as 2024, although a slight decline - no greater than 5% - is possible. The other big takeaway is that it is the big ticket items which are suffering the most. Production and Precision Agriculture may have been down 16% overall but Small Agriculture and Turf showed a decline of just 1%. John Deere has not been idle in the face of this decline and notes that it has proactively managed inventory and matched production to retail demand. It also notes that the operating profit declined 50% in Q3 for Production and Precision Agriculture while lamenting it had experienced 'unfavourable price realisation' in this segment. This would suggest a degree of price cutting to shift stock, which may not appear too healthy in the short-term but looking ahead it clears the dealers yards ready for the latest machinery.