Informed Decisions Independent Financial Planning & Money Podcast The Silent Thief: What Inflation Is Doing to Your Cash Savings in Ireland
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Mar 18, 2026 A look at how inflation quietly eats away at cash savings and why large idle deposits can harm long-term purchasing power. Discussion of Ireland’s huge low-interest cash holdings and the risk of staying on the sidelines. Arguments for keeping emergency cash but using diversified, low-cost global investments to protect wealth over decades.
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Introducing New Colleague Aaron McGilligot
- Paddy introduces Aaron McGilligot as a new colleague and describes his role supporting portfolio technicals and planning.
- Aaron has prior tax-heavy advisory experience in Spain and now works remotely from Sligo with the Informed Decisions team.
Inflation Silently Reduces Cash Value
- Inflation quietly erodes cash purchasing power even when account balances stay the same.
- At 2.5% inflation €100,000 buys €78,000 in 10 years, €61,000 in 20 years and €48,000 in 30 years, a >50% fall in real value.
Ireland's Large Idle Cash Mountain
- Ireland holds a record cash mountain on deposit, much higher than the EU average, leaving vast sums idle.
- Approximately €170bn in deposits with ~85% in overnight accounts earning effectively zero interest versus a ~55% EU average.
