Charlie Weston
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charlieweston.bsky.social
Charlie Weston
@charlieweston.bsky.social
490 followers 27 following 540 posts
Irish Independent personal finance editor. Regular on TodayFM’s ‘The Last Word'. Campaigning journalist of the year for breaking tracker mortgage scandal story.
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charlieweston.bsky.social
Your money questions – ‘Is there a tax-free way I can fund my grandson’s fees for attending a private school?’
Plus, what’s the best way to invest €100,000
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Your money questions – ‘Is there a tax-free way I can fund my grandson’s fees for attending a private school?’
Q My grandson is starting private secondary school in September 2026. I would like to finance his fees. I am in my late 70s and would like to put monies in a fund for him. Is there a tax-free way of d...
m.independent.ie
November 22, 2025 at 10:01 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Online shoppers warned about taxes and duties if buying from outside EU for Black Friday
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Online shoppers warned about taxes and duties if buying from outside EU for Black Friday
Revenue has warned online shoppers ahead of the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales to check that the price of goods they are planning to buy includes taxes and duties.
m.independent.ie
November 21, 2025 at 10:08 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Slight rise in number of single people getting a mortgage, banks confirm
However, sole borrower levels are well below those seen during mid-2000s
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Slight rise in number of single people getting a mortgage, banks confirm
Sole borrowers now account for one in 10 mortgage drawdowns by first-time buyers.
m.independent.ie
November 21, 2025 at 6:55 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Rush to clamp down on firms attempting to undermine My Future Fund auto-enrolment pension
Some companies trying to force staff to join subpar in-house pension schemes
m.independent.ie/irish-news/r...
Rush to clamp down on firms attempting to undermine My Future Fund auto-enrolment pension
The Government is being forced to bring in emergency regulations to stop companies attempting to subvert the new auto-enrolment pension.
m.independent.ie
November 20, 2025 at 6:59 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Spike in number of households in long-term energy arrears
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Spike in number of households in long-term energy arrears
There has been a jump in the numbers of households who are more than three months behind on their electricity and gas bills.
www.independent.ie
November 19, 2025 at 2:38 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Property prices surge another 7.6pc, putting huge pressure on buyers
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Property prices surge another 7.6pc, putting huge pressure on buyers
Property prices have continued to surge, locking more buyers out of the market.
www.independent.ie
November 19, 2025 at 11:26 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Levy on health insurance policies to rise in blow to consumers
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Levy on health insurance policies to rise in blow to consumers
The Government levy on health insurance premiums is to increase next year in a new blow to people who have private medical cover.
www.independent.ie
November 18, 2025 at 4:30 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Middle-income workers going to St Vincent de Paul as they struggle with high mortgages and inflation
The charity has launched its annual appeal to help families deal with rising costs
m.independent.ie/irish-news/m...
Middle-income workers going to St Vincent de Paul as they struggle with high mortgages and inflation
There has been a rise in middle-income earners seeking help from St Vincent de Paul (SVP) because they are sleeping in cars or struggling with mortgages and rent.
m.independent.ie
November 18, 2025 at 6:56 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Stretched shoppers turn to grocery goods on promotion to manage budgets
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Stretched shoppers turn to grocery goods on promotion to manage budgets
Consumers are showing a strong preference for buying grocery items that are on promotion as a way of coping with the cost-of-living crisis.
www.independent.ie
November 17, 2025 at 11:28 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Social-media influencers are now having an ‘outsized’ impact on what shoppers buy in sales
Most people do not trust discounts and price tags during Black Friday events
m.independent.ie/irish-news/s...
Social-media influencers are now having an ‘outsized’ impact on what shoppers buy in sales
Social-media influencers are having an outsized impact on the purchasing decisions of shoppers during sales.
m.independent.ie
November 17, 2025 at 6:57 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Troy Parrott is an emotional wreck in his after-match interview, and has every right to be.
Hero.
November 16, 2025 at 4:20 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Your money questions: ‘Irish banks pay very little to savers – so is German bank Raisin a safe option?’
Plus, health insurance costs and rent-a-room reliefs
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Your money questions: ‘Irish banks pay very little to savers – so is German bank Raisin a safe option?’
Q I have a retirement lump sum, some of which I will spend and some of which I will invest or save. I have a Bank of Ireland ‘super saver’ account. Irish banks give very poor interest rates.
m.independent.ie
November 15, 2025 at 8:12 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Breaking | Hopes of supermarket price war raised after Lidl cuts bread costs
www.independent.ie/business/per...
Hopes of supermarket price war raised after Lidl cuts bread costs
Discount retailer Lidl has followed up its move to cut the price of milk with a new reduction in the price of bread.
www.independent.ie
November 14, 2025 at 3:47 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Inflation rate shoots up as food prices and college costs rise
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Inflation rate shoots up as food prices and college costs rise
Inflation has risen again and is now at its highest level in a year and a half.
www.independent.ie
November 13, 2025 at 11:37 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Hundreds of thousands miss property tax return deadline despite extension
Revenue denies IT issues affecting online reporting of home valuations
m.independent.ie/irish-news/h...
Hundreds of thousands miss property tax return deadline despite extension
Hundreds of thousands of homeowners have missed the extended deadline to file their property tax return.
m.independent.ie
November 12, 2025 at 8:34 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Mortgage rates hold steady but are expected to fall in the next few months
www.independent.ie/business/mon...
Mortgage rates hold steady but are expected to fall in the next few months
Mortgage rates held steady in September but are due to fall further.
www.independent.ie
November 12, 2025 at 11:10 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Renting an apartment will now set you back a third more than before pandemic as average cost per county revealed
Cost has increased for 18 quarters in a row, with no sign of stopping
m.independent.ie/irish-news/r...
Renting an apartment will now set you back a third more than before pandemic as average cost per county revealed
Rental costs are now a third higher than they were before Covid-19 struck. They have risen now for 18 quarters in a row, according to the latest Daft.ie rental report.
m.independent.ie
November 12, 2025 at 6:52 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Revealed: Single people pay premium to afford same lifestyle as couples
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Revealed: Single people pay premium to afford same lifestyle as couples
The cost of being single is laid bare in a new survey that shows going solo comes with a huge bill.
m.independent.ie
November 11, 2025 at 6:55 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Homeowners using top-up mortgages to renovate rather than move
With fewer homes for sale, mover mortgage activity is close to its lowest in a decade
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Homeowners using top-up mortgages to renovate rather than move
Homeowners are increasingly using their mortgage to fund renovations of their homes.
m.independent.ie
November 10, 2025 at 7:04 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Banks warn of fake AI celebrity investment scams now targeting retirees
Investment fraud shot up in the three months up to October
m.independent.ie/irish-news/b...
Banks warn of fake AI celebrity investment scams now targeting retirees
A new generation of scams featuring AI celebrity endorsements is duping people out of thousands of euro.
m.independent.ie
November 10, 2025 at 6:56 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
I helped to uncover the tracker mortgage scandal — I fear something similar could happen again
Personal Finance Editor Charlie Weston reflects on the impact of the banks debacle, recently revisited in a new RTÉ documentary
m.independent.ie/irish-news/i...
I helped to uncover the tracker mortgage scandal — I fear something similar could happen again
Suicide, financial ruin, homes ­repossessed, mental breakdowns, health issues and ­relationships torn apart.
m.independent.ie
November 9, 2025 at 8:48 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Your money questions: ‘I’m downsizing so how soon should I put my home on the market to avoid renting?’
Plus, what is key-person business insurance, and how do I know if my car insurance quote is competitive?
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
Your money questions: ‘I’m downsizing so how soon should I put my home on the market to avoid renting?’
Q I am downsizing into a new home, likely to be ready early next year, but I am unsure when to put my current house up for sale. I have the deposit and savings for the 10pc on the contracts, but I wil...
m.independent.ie
November 8, 2025 at 10:12 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Revenue extends deadline for local property tax to next Wednesday as thousands yet to file
www.independent.ie/business/per...
Revenue extends deadline for local property tax to next Wednesday as thousands yet to file
The deadline for filing a local property tax return has been extended until next Wednesday at the end of the day.
www.independent.ie
November 7, 2025 at 3:58 PM
charlieweston.bsky.social
Revealed: The 35 health insurance plans flagged as bad value that consumers have been advised to avoid
Consumers urged to review policies before renewal after recent price increases from VHI Healthcare, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health
m.independent.ie/business/per...
Revealed: The 35 health insurance plans flagged as bad value that consumers have been advised to avoid
Consumers have been warned to avoid a number of dated health insurance plans.
m.independent.ie
November 7, 2025 at 6:55 AM
charlieweston.bsky.social
More than a quarter of taxpayers may be due a refund from Revenue, figures show
PAYE workers urged to file a tax return to find out if they are owed money back
m.independent.ie/business/mon...
More than a quarter of taxpayers may be due a refund from Revenue, figures show
Thousands of income tax payers are due refunds, money that could help fund Christmas spending if claimed back now.
m.independent.ie
November 6, 2025 at 6:57 AM