Free money guides for Ireland and the UK

Free, plain-English money guides for Ireland and the UK, covering take-home pay, job offers, sole trader and side-hustle tax, landlords, budgeting, debt, buying a home and small business, with figures checked against official sources.

Irish Tax & Pay Guides

• Ireland take-home pay 2026 explained (PAYE, USC and PRSI)

  How Irish take-home pay is worked out in 2026: income tax bands, tax credits, USC and the October PRSI rise, with a worked €45,000 example.

• Irish sole trader tax: how much should you set aside?

  How much an Irish sole trader should put aside for tax: income tax, USC, Class S PRSI, preliminary tax and the Form 11 deadline, with a worked example.

• Central Bank 4x rule and Help to Buy explained (Ireland)

  The Central Bank of Ireland 4x loan-to-income and 10% deposit rules, lender exceptions, and the new €35,000 Help to Buy limit from 7 October 2026, explained simply.

• Irish sole trader tax explained: income tax, USC and PRSI

  How Irish sole traders are taxed in 2026: income tax bands and credits, USC including the 3% surcharge over €100k, Class S PRSI, and your marginal rate at each profit level.

• PAYE job plus side income in Ireland: tax and how to declare it

  Got a PAYE job and a side hustle in Ireland? The €5,000 / €30,000 rules, Form 12 vs Form 11, tax credits, USC and PRSI on side income, and how much to set aside.

• Rental income tax for Irish landlords

  How Irish rental income is taxed: marginal rates, USC, allowable expenses, mortgage interest and RTB, the €1,000 Residential Premises Rental Income Relief (2026–2027), and Form 11 vs Form 12.

UK Tax & Pay Guides

• UK take-home pay 2026/27 explained

  How UK take-home pay works for 2026/27: Personal Allowance, tax bands, employee National Insurance and student loans, with a worked £35,000 example.

• UK sole trader tax: how much should you set aside?

  How much a UK sole trader should save for HMRC in 2026/27: Income Tax, Class 4 National Insurance at 6%/2%, payments on account and Making Tax Digital, with a worked example.

• How to compare two job offers (Ireland and UK)

  Compare job offers properly: net take-home after tax, USC/PRSI or National Insurance, employer pension match, salary sacrifice, benefits and commute costs, for Ireland and the UK.

• The UK £1,000 trading allowance for side hustles

  How the UK £1,000 trading allowance works for side hustles: when you don't need to tell HMRC, when to register for Self Assessment, partial relief vs expenses, and records to keep.

Budgeting & Debt Guides

• Irish wedding budget breakdown

  How to build an Irish wedding budget: the categories to include, how to work out cost per guest, supplier deposits and the legal notice period.

• Saving a mortgage deposit in Ireland (Help to Buy and Central Bank rules)

  How much deposit you need in Ireland: the Central Bank 4x income and 90% LTV rules, Help to Buy up to €35,000, stamp duty, and a worked example.

• Debt snowball vs debt avalanche

  Debt snowball vs avalanche explained with an example: which saves the most interest, which keeps you motivated, and how to choose.

• Zero-based budgeting: a free method that works

  How to do a zero-based budget for free with pen, paper or any spreadsheet: give every euro a job, handle irregular bills, and review monthly.

• The debt snowball method, step by step

  How to run the debt snowball step by step: list debts, set your extra payment, roll payments forward, and when the debt avalanche is the better choice.

Small Business Guides

• Small business cash flow forecasting for cafés

  How a cafe or small shop can build a 13-week cash flow forecast: weekly takings, wages, suppliers, VAT and rent, plus how to spot a cash crunch early.

• Small business mileage log: tips, rates and what to record

  How to keep a business mileage log that stands up: what to record for each trip, HMRC 2026/27 mileage rates (55p/25p), Irish civil service motor rates, and simple habits.

Not financial advice. These guides are general information for budgeting and planning, not financial, tax, legal or mortgage advice. Rules change and your situation is unique. Check official sources or a qualified adviser before you act.