August 2020
Opens a Raisin savings account
Best rate achievable at the time was 1% — purely a saver at this point, with no real investing knowledge yet.
A passbook for the everyday Irish saver learning to invest — one entry, one lesson, one week at a time.
The platforms and providers behind the journey — shared for transparency, not as recommendations.
Platform names only — no balances or account values are shared here.
Where the money actually goes — the asset classes in the mix right now, shared for transparency, not as recommendations.
A word of caution on crypto: it's a small, deliberate slice of the mix here, not a starting point. Learn the fundamentals of the other asset classes first, equities, commodities, property, and bonds, before venturing into crypto.
Holdings only — no balances or account values are shared here.
The recurring, automated contributions running quietly in the background — the unglamorous engine underneath everything else.
Not a "best rates" comparison — just the actual rates on my own cash right now, shared for transparency.
| Provider | Type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trade Republic | Cash (Interest on Balance) | 2.25% | Interest on cash held in the app |
| Avarda (via Raisin) | Savings Account | 2.22% | Opened through the Raisin marketplace |
| Provider | Type | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raisin | 5-Year Term Deposit | 2.9% | Rate locked in for the full 5-year term |
Kept as separate providers on purpose — with Trade Republic, savings sit on the same card used for spending, so a separate pot elsewhere (like Raisin) keeps the two apart. This table is for general information only and is not financial advice. Rates change frequently and reflect my own accounts at time of writing — always confirm current terms directly with the provider before making a decision.
Not equities, not cash, not really an investment in the traditional sense — prize bonds are their own thing, so they get their own honest category.
No interest, no growth. Your money doesn't earn a guaranteed return and doesn't grow through compounding. Each euro in prize bonds is simply an entry into a weekly prize draw, run by An Post on behalf of the Irish State. The capital is state-backed and can be cashed in, but sitting in bonds for years without a win means it has quietly lost value to inflation. Held for fun and for the chance of a win — not as a substitute for saving or investing.
Follow the journey, ask questions, and swap notes with other Irish savers figuring it out one entry at a time.