Money Talks

The saying goes that time is money and money is time, but how does it all add up - and indeed, subtract - when we apply it to our own specific situation? This week on Money Talks , Katie Byrne is joined by Dale Whelehan, a behavioural scientist and assistant professor at Trinity College Dublin. His research explores why modern life makes many of us feel like we never have enough time, while his la...

Budget 2027 is in the books, so it's time to do some calculations. How much better – or worse – off are we? Has the government done enough to ease Ireland's cost-of-living crisis? On this episode of Money Talks , host Katie Byrne is joined by Charlie Weston, Saoirse Hanley and Sinead Ryan of the Irish Independent 's business team to tot up the winners and losers of this year's major financial shak...

Women’s wealth expert Laura Tynan is on a lifelong mission. Having studied finance at University College Cork, she became a chartered accountant and travelled the world, working in the higher end of the financial industry. But she wasn’t satisfied. Having developed a spiritual and strategic relationship with money, Tynan turned her attention to gender pay disparity, declaring that she doesn’t want...

Every month on Money Talks we step away from in-depth how-to guides and entrepreneurial journeys to delve into the personal side of personal finance by assessing a case study submitted by the audience. This time around, we're looking at a young couple with three children, a combined income of €80,000 and major worries about long-term earnings. "Money doesn't have to be a point of anxiety for house...

Are you the type of person who breaks out into a cold sweat when the prospect of financial planning and management comes up in conversation? Is the phrase 'Ah, I'll do it later' more likely to come out of your mouth than 'five-year plan'? And have you indeed managed to go for years, perhaps even decades, without ever so much as glancing at your annual bank statement? Well, this is the ep...

For some people, their 30s are a financially formative decade. But it’s also a decade where a lot of people are still figuring it out, and where some of their hardest lessons are learnt. ­ Money Talks host Katie Byrne is joined by regular guest Kel Galavan (aka Mrs Smart Money) to discuss the most common money mistakes people make in their 30s and how to solve them – or even avoid them altogether....

Budget 2027 is just around the corner. With that comes Simon Harris's long-awaited investment scheme. But what will it look like and who will it be aimed at? Dan Malone of Honest.ie joins Katies Byrne to unpack what the new scheme means for you and your budget, and to answer one pressing question: can you really build long-term wealth by investing just €100 a month? The content of this podcast is...

There was a time that a one-million euro pension pot might have seemed like an awful lot of money to want to retire with. But with most of us living longer and healthier lives, plus the cost-of-living crisis, it's really not as ambitious as it once seemed. ­ Nick Charalambous joins Katie Byrne on Money Talks to break down what you can do now to hit that goal - regardless of your starting age. ­ Th...

Regular listeners to Money Talks will know that the show has always focused on the personal side of personal finance. Now we’re really putting our money where our mouth is with our new Money Makeover series. ­ Financial expert Cian Carolan joins Katie Byrne to apply the actionable advice from Money Talks to real-life circumstances faced by our listeners. ­ Today, he focuses on a couple with very d...

In any given year, the prelude to the budget is dominated by familiar talking points: VAT rates, cigarettes and childcare. But conversations around Budget 2027 are bucking the trend, somewhat, as anticipation builds around a new scheme for Irish investors. So will it be the gamechanger that Simon Harris is promising? How will it actually work? And, most importantly, what will it mean for your pock...

‘ Work/life balance’ is a phrase that gets thrown about a lot – but what does it really mean? And how far would you be willing to go to achieve that balance in reality? ­ In this episode of Money Talks , Katie Byrne is joined by Anne Sheeran, a ‘de-influencer’ who put her money where her mouth is by taking a pay cut that allowed her to work a four-day week. ­ Sheeran shares updates on her lifestyl...

Do you ever wonder how much money you could save on your regular bills if you just invested a little time? The small incremental wins that mightn't seem like a lot, but really add up? You might be surprised by how much you could save by picking up the phone. It's basically the modern-day version of finding change down the back of the couch. Frank Conway, founder of Moneywhizz.org, joins Katie Byrn...

In previous years, by the time we reached this point in the summer season, you'd probably have been jetting off on a holiday booked many months ago. But recent surveys suggest that 2026 holidaymakers are holding out for a bargain.  Regardless of which school you fall into, Irish Independent travel editor Pól Ó Conghaile has plenty of suggestions for how you can make the most of your holiday b...

Throughout our lives there’s one relationship that we invariably come back to time and again. It impacts our family life, our professional life and, very often, our romantic outlook. Whatever angle you look at it from, how you feel about money could be one of the most defining relationships of your life. Loretta Kennedy, an accredited Trauma of Money practitioner, joins Katie Byrne to unpack the m...

For many people, hearing about investment portfolios or wealth generators can seem all too hypothetical.  It’d be a nice thing to have if I had the funds to do it.  On this episode of Money Talks, Katie Byrne is joined again by Robert Whelan, managing director of Rockwell Financial, to share his expert advice on how to build your first €10k, including what the common mistakes are, the be...

You may not realise it, but this is the week when we officially pass the halfway point of the year. While your New Year's Eve resolutions might be a distant memory, it’s not too late to get things back on track with a mid-year financial reset. Katie Byrne is joined by Michael Houghton, host of The Irish Fire Podcast , to review the 11 steps you need to take to stay on track for the rest of the yea...

We’re entering that time of year where many people are likely to have a wedding (or two) on the horizon. Whether you’re one half of the happy couple, planning a speech for the reception or just dusting off your dancing shoes as a guest, it's good to understand the costs involved. ­ To discuss the financial aspects of hosting or attending a wedding in 2026, Katie Byrne is joined by Irish Independen...

Whatever your preferences, and whether you like it or not, what you drive tells the world about who you are. ­ Maybe you value speed over comfort or require an SUV the size of a small school bus… Well, regardless of your needs, chances are you’ve made a few mistakes when purchasing your car. ­ Katie Byrne is joined by Alpha Wealth’s Nick Charalambous to discuss why even smart people lose money on...

We make financial decisions day in, day out. The items we buy, the money we save, the goals we set... It can be easy to forget, however, that some of the biggest life-changing money decisions might be hiding in plain sight. But what are they? And how do you make clear-eyed choices while listening to your head and your heart? Kel Galavan joins host Katie Byrne to unpack all this and more. Host: Kat...

Over the last few years, awareness of financial abuse has grown, particularly when it concerns a romantic partner. But are you aware of the red flags that might indicate you or someone you know are being abused? And do you know who to speak to if things go awry? ­ Katie Byrne is joined by expert Melissa Boyle for a discussion about the various forms financial abuse can take – and the sometimes sub...

With every summer holiday, there’s an almost inevitable routine of boarding a plane to a sun-drenched destination and then wondering: could I just stay? This week’s Money Talks guest has done just that. As one-half of the Puglia Paddys, John Nolan and his partner have swapped life in Nurney, Co Kildare, for Osteria in Italy. ­ Host: Katie Byrne | Guest: John Nolan ( Puglia Paddys ) ­ The content o...

In today’s economy, it can sometimes feel like the gap between those earning enough to save and invest for the future and those who are just earning enough to get by is growing ever bigger. But the key to building wealth isn’t just earning more. Katie Byrne chats to investment adviser Sjoerd Bak to uncover the money habits that can help you build wealth on an average salary. Host: Katie Byrne | Gu...

 In a short time, more and more people have become very comfortable handing over the (various) reins of their lives to AI. Perhaps they use it for a work pitch, a fitness regime or even a wedding speech. But what about their money? Indo Money journalist Saoirse Hanley tells host Katie Byrne about using AI as a financial therapist.  Host: Katie Byrne | Guest: Saoirse Hanley The content of this...

Recent figures from Revenue show that the average refund issued this year was €1,000, yet thousands of workers still aren’t claiming the money that they’re owed. Katie Byrne is joined by Alan Purcell of CloudAccounts to give you a sense of what you might be entitled to, just how easy it is to claim, and what you might have missed.   Host: Katie Byrne | Guest: Alan Purcell (CloudAccounts)    See om...

Being in a relationship has many financial advantages, but only if a couple are on the same page. Some quietly build wealth together while others hide spending from one another. Leah McMahon, senior financial planner with Fairstone Limerick, joins Katie Byrne to explore the habits that set some couples apart while keeping them together.  ­ Host: Katie Byrne | Guest: Leah McMahon (senior finan...