Thinking of reducing your pension contributions?

I know of some people who have reduced and in some cases stopped their pension contributions recently. Some did so due to external circumstances - job loss, slowdown in business etc. Others did it because the value of the fund had dropped recently. For those in the latter category, have a read of the following article from the Motley Fool / Yahoo! Finance - The Move You're Going to Regret

It's a US-centred article, but the principles apply to Ireland and anywhere else.

AIB cut variable & fixed rates

I see today that AIB have cut variable rates on residential mortgages in line with the most recent ECB rate cut. Standard Variable is now 3.25% (APR 3.3%).

Fixed rates have been cut also - two year fixed is now 3.00% (APR 3.04%) which suggests that the powers that be are predicting a further cut in the variable rate in the not-too-distant future.

Veronica Ferguson R.I.P.

One more personal post before getting back to business.

Again - a word of thanks to colleagues, clients, friends & family for their support and sympathy on the death of my mother, Veronica Ferguson on 15th December 2008.

It has, of course, been difficult to lose both parents within such a short period of time, but I believe it's how they would have wanted, as they were inseparable for many, many years.

So thanks for all the messages of sympathy and support and a final thanks to my parents for doing such a wonderful job - if I can do half as well with my own kids, I'll consider myself a good parent.