Deal of the Week

Anyone who shops online with Tesco should check out its website, where the company is offering a total of €30 in vouchers at www.tesco.ie/spendless/ voucher.html. Each voucher is worth €10 and can be used on one shop worth €100. The offer is valid with online shopping delivered on or before 30 August. Good value if you are living in an area where the Change for Good has already taken place.

Tip of the Week

If you are on the hunt for cheap petrol prices, check out website www.pumps.ie. A user-led service, pumps.ie gives regular updates on the prices available at petrol pumps throughout the country, allowing you to select the best price available in your area or, indeed, plan ahead for long journeys so you don't get caught paying over the odds on your way. It comes with the caveat that the content is user-generated and should be treated as such, but nonetheless it is a useful service.

Bad Value of the Week

I had the grave misfortune of watching, at length, TV3's nightly interactive 'quiz show', Play TV, recently; aside from despairing at how low television has sunk, I also found myself questioning the wisdom of anyone who calls in. At a minimum of €1.50 per call, you might think the odds were good considering the prize money, which can run into thousands, but there's no guarantee you will get through and, during the one hour that I endured it, not a single caller went on air. This despite the fact that a blind monkey could have solved the Spot The Difference game that was being played. Keep your money and buy a book of Sudoku puzzles instead.

Recession Rates

Best lump-sum deposits

Best demand: First Active e-savings 3.7% (€15,000 minimum)

Best seven-day notice: Anglo fixed seven-day notice 1.8% (no minimum)

Best one-month notice: PTSB Signature 30-day 3.25% (€25,000 minimum)

Best six-month fixed: Investec six-month fixed 3.75% (€20,000 minimum)

Best 12-month fixed: Investec one-year fixed 4.0% (€20,000 minimum)

Stay away from:

NIB 14-day notice at 0.10%

First Active 40-day notice at 0.01%

Irish Nationwide Goldsaver 50-day notice at 0.25%

NIB Hi-Rate four-month fixed at 0.71%

PTSB five-month fixed at 0.6% (€50,000 minimum)

www.mortgagebrokers.ie