10 money saving deals to celebrate our 10th anniversary

What started out as a small operation in 2010 to help consumers compare energy prices has now grown into one of Ireland’s largest consumer websites and the largest comparison and switching service in the country.

We now help consumers to compare products, prices and features across a range of banking, energy, telecommunications and insurance products and every month we help thousands of people save money on their household bills.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of bonkers.ie we're doing as we've always done and helping to bring some of the best money-saving deals on the market to your attention.

Here are ten of the best money saving deals for those looking to switch.

Broadband, TV & Home Phone

1. Eir - Broadband, Eir TV Extra and Home Phone

The first amazing deal on offer for both new and existing customers is from Eir who is offering customers its broadband, TV, and home phone package for only €49.97 for the first 12 months.

The deal is offering customers a part-fibre broadband connection with speeds of up to 100Mbps, unlimited off-peak national calls to landlines, as well as 94 channels as part of its TV service.

As well as the three staples of broadband, TV, and phone offered in this triple play package, there are many enticing additional features which might tempt you to sign up, just one of those is the inclusion of a free Apple TV box.

Apple TV 4K

Back in late 2019 Eir announced that the Apple TV 4K box would become the exclusive Eir set top box, allowing customers to access Apple's newly-launched streaming service Apple TV+, iTunes, and a whole host of apps through Apple's App Store, all without having to stir from the sofa.

The box itself will also grant customers access to conventional television, with the ability to watch live TV via the Eir TV app, as well as premium sports, and more on-demand content.

Amazon Prime

And when we say more on-demand content we mean it, because as part of this deal Eir is also giving away a full year’s FREE subscription to Amazon Prime Video - that’s right, 12 months, gratis!

If you haven't already checked out what Amazon Prime has to offer, which is a growing selection of original and classic films and TV series, this little freebie could very well be the tipping point towards choosing this thoroughly entertaining package.

Eir Sport

Not forgetting the sports fans in our lives, Eir has also included the Eir Sport pack, which comes free to Eir residential broadband customers - this deal really has it all!

Sports fanatics can stay tuned to and watch live coverage of all the Guinness Pro14 games, plus coverage of Wimbledon, Copa America, the SSE Airtricity League, GAA Allianz Leagues, FA Cup, and more!

The Eir Sport pack now also comes with Virgin Media Sport too, meaning you can stay up-to-date with Champions League soccer when it returns to our screens.

The added features for fans don’t stop there as Eir customers can also enjoy use of the Eir Sport Now app which allows customers to stream the Eir Sport pack on smartphones, tablets, PCs and laptops so you won’t have to miss a beat.

We’re unfortunately all too aware that the impacts of Covid-19 has suspended all sporting action indefinitely, however, you can be assured that because this is a free feature it won’t cost you a penny, even if the sport is postponed just for the minute.

Total cost

So what will this set me back, I hear you say? New customers who sign up can get this fantastic deal for as little as €49.97 for the first 12 months.

That means that customers looking to sign up can expect to pay €649.63 for the first year - not bad considering the content and quality of service offered.

This deal does includes a once-off €49.99 set-up cost for new customers which is built into the total first year cost. As well as that, when the first year of contract is up the plan reverts to a monthly cost of €89.97.

So, what do you think? Will this Eir deal satisfy the entire family? 

You can check out the finer details here.

2. Vodafone - TV Plus, Gigabit Broadband & Unlimited Irish Landline & Mobile Calls*

Next up on our list of top 10 deals is again from broadband, TV, and home phone and was the winner of the Best Broadband category at the bonkers.ie National Consumer Awards 2020 in February; Vodafone Ireland.

The telecommunications operator is offering new customers a fibre-powered broadband connection, over 80 television channels, and unlimited anytime calls to all Irish landlines and mobiles.

But what’s so special about this bundle?

*This deal is available only to those who can access SIRO in their area.

SIRO Broadband

This triple play bundle is offering new customers broadband speeds of up to 1,000Mbps via the SIRO network - the joint-venture between Vodafone and the ESB which aims to bring a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband network to homes across Ireland.

FTTH is often called pure fibre as it doesn't rely on old telephone copper wires for any of the network and can feasibly allow internet users to download HD movies and games in a matter of seconds.

This broadband connection is ideal for large families or households where bandwidth is often under strain - you'll never have to worry about slow internet again! So whether you're working, gaming, or streaming, with SIRO you'll always be operating in real time.

TV channels

With Vodafone’s TV Plus, customers who sign up will have access to over 80 TV channels, including Disney, Disney XD, and Disney Junior at no extra cost.

Vodafone’s TV service is all about making your life easier so included in this deal customers will have access to the Vodafone TV Anywhere App, where you can stream your favourite TV shows while out and about.

Customers will also have more streamlined access to streaming content on Netflix, accessible from the Vodafone TV browser, or simply at your fingertips with the dedicated Netflix button on your remote control.

Unlimited calls

The final element of this this triple play bundle is, of course, Vodafone’s phone service, which is not only offering unlimited anytime calls to Irish landlines, but unlimited anytime calls to Irish mobiles, too!

So if it’s keeping in contact with family and friends or simply making calls for work, Vodafone has you covered.

Total cost

As is usual, this deal comes on a 12-month contract, however, you will not incur any set up or equipment costs.

So if you’re looking to sign up to this deal from Vodafone you can start off by paying as little as €20 per month for the first six months, €80 per month for the next six months of the contract, and €90 thereafter.

This means the combined first-year cost for this triple play bundle, with discounts included, comes in at a very reasonable €600 for the year.

Want to sign up? Find out more here.

3. Sky - Sky Signature with Sky Cinema, Sky Broadband Superfast & Talk Freetime

Our final broadband, TV and home phone deal in our top ten comes from none other than telecommunications operator Sky Ireland.

By all accounts Sky offers a great service, from broadband, to phone, to TV, and has a number of great offers at the moment. That’s why it was so difficult to choose just one.

In the end we decided to go for its triple play plan which has a number of great features.

Non-stop entertainment

This deal combines over 50 TV channels along with Sky Cinema, making sure you never go without the best in entertainment. Of the available channels, customers have access to 11 on Sky Cinema alone including Sky Cinema Disney, Premiere, Greats, Family, Action & Adventure, and Comedy, to name a few!

All your entertainment is conducted from the Sky Q box which allows you to record and store more than ever with up to 500 hours and a 1TB storage capacity - you can even watch three shows at once and watch a fourth live.

In addition to having the Sky Q box, customers will also have access to the Sky GO app which allows you to watch your recordings on any TV or tablet around the home, and save recordings to take with you wherever you go - hence the name.

Broadband unlimited

With this offer Sky customers will have access to its Superfast broadband which provides an average speed of approximately 75Mbps, sufficient for unlimited internet browsing and streaming activity.

New customers who sign up will receive the Sky Hub, its brand new wireless router. The hub has an in-built Smart Signal which scans for interference in the home and optimises the best channel which means your WiFi should always be at its fastest.

Broadband buddy

Last but not least, also included in this deal is the Sky Broadband Buddy app, and at no extra cost. The app allows parents and guardians to control the internet for those in their care and has useful features such as the ability to monitor screen time for users, as well as keep track of what the little ones are watching online.

Adults can also choose to use screen time rewards for good behaviour, so if your child has completed their homework, for example, you can reward them with an hour of online time.

Total cost

This wonderful deal from Sky comes in at €80 per month for the first six months, €84 per month for the next six months, and €120 per month thereafter.

This sees the total bill for the year coming in at €1,019, including a one-off set up cost of €35.

This isn’t the cheapest triple play bundle out there by any means, but in terms of quality of service provided you really can’t beat it.

Find out more about this deal here.

Mobile Phone

4. GoMo Ireland - €12.99 a month for life

In the age of the smartphone, purchasing a new mobile plan can be almost as stressful as taking out a mortgage, especially if you’re looking to get the newest phone to market.

That’s why GoMo’s SIM-only plan has become increasingly popular since its launch back in 2019 - cutting out the frills as well as the expense for consumers. GoMo is owned by telecommunications operator Eir and uses its 4G network in Ireland.

Interested in finding out more? Let’s take a look at GoMo’s SIM-only plan to see what makes it such good value.

Fixed Price

The GoMo SIM-only plan garnered much attention when it launched back in October of last year as it offered new customers unlimited calls, texts, and data for the small price of only €9.99 per month.

Four months into the new year and not much has changed, apart from perhaps the price point, now available for customers for the slightly higher price of €12.99 per month, and for life.

All things considered this new price isn’t bad at all, especially considering it’s still the cheapest SIM-only deal available on the market right now. That brings us on to our next point. Value for money.

Unlimited calls, texts & data

New customers who sign up to this SIM-only plan will have access to unlimited calls and texts to any number, “limitless” data for the month, as well as 10GB EU roaming data when travelling. For the service offered and the price point it comes at it, it's not surprising competitors can't keep up.

For clarity’s sake, a fair usage cap of 80GB per contract month applies to the “limitless” data offered, although it’s quite rare anyone would break the 20GB mark per month in our opinion, never mind go any higher.

This is the perfect SIM-only plan for those saving up for a more expensive phone, as it perfectly balances price point with all-you-can-eat data, as well as calls and texts (for when an emoji just won’t cut it).

Some people considering the switch might still have some reservations about signing up due to Eir’s track record with customer service or lack thereof, and that might be justified considering GoMo received a warning from ComReg back in December.

However, it’s unarguable that this SIM-only plan has received considerable attention since it launched, reaching 100,000 sign ups before the end of December 2019, and doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon.

For life

The final feature of this SIM-only deal which renders it so appealing to consumers is that the offer is for life. That’s it, forever, as long as you don’t opt out for whatever reason.

In a mobile market where it can be very difficult to find the right plan amidst a vast array of confusing plans and offers, this no frills, straightforward deal helps to cut through the clutter. 

And as well as now being the provider for well over 100,000 mobile customers in Ireland, to top it all off, GoMo recently won Best Billpay Mobile Phone plan at this year’s bonkers.ie National Consumer Awards 2020.

Check out more from GoMo here.

Gas & Electricity

5. Bord Gáis Energy - Best Dual Fuel Offer 

Our first energy deal to make our top 10 is from Bord Gáis Energy (BGE) and is currently one of the market-leading dual fuel offers now available for new customers.

So if you’re looking for rates on gas and electricity that are hard to beat, then look no further...

So what’s up for grabs?

Market-leading rates

BGE is offering its lowest standard unit rates to new customers with discounts of 31% off its standard electricity unit rate and 29% off its gas rates.

Average energy customers who make the switch to BGE could see themselves save €400 or more in the course of a year.

This deal, with its lowest unit rates, is perfect for high energy users such as families or those in apartment shares who might be using appliances or gaming consoles at different times of the day and night.

The Best Dual Fuel offer from BGE comes on a 12-month contract, which is pretty much standard these days, and an early exit fee of €50 is applied if you terminate the contract before the expiry of the contract.

To find out more just click here.

6. Iberdrola - Dual Fuel 18

For those climate conscious customers we have just the deal for you! 

New energy supplier on the market, Iberdrola is offering new customers its Duel Fuel 18 cash back deal, and it’s 100% green.

‘Never heard of them’, I hear you say?

Who is Iberdrola?

While the name might not sound familiar to Irish customers, the Iberdrola group is in fact one of the world's largest integrated utility companies and a world leader in renewable energy. 

The Spanish company trades as Scottish Power in Great Britain and has over 100 million customers worldwide.

Iberdrola entered the electricity market in June 2019 with a range of competitive tariffs and is now offering gas.

Green deal

Iberdrola’s Dual Fuel 18 is offering customers, you guessed it, an 18% discount off its standard electricity unit rates, as well as 18% off its standard gas unit rates.

Not only will customers receive a significant discount on this green energy deal, but they will also receive a total of €140 in cash back credited to their accounts.

If that weren’t enough to sway you, you can guarantee that by choosing this tempting offer the energy supplied to your home will be 100% renewable. 

Although, because Iberdrola are new to the Irish market no CO2 emissions data is currently available. However, the CRU will ensure that the energy from this deal is sourced from 100% renewable resources in the 2019 Fuel Mix Disclosure.

So if you’re considering cutting your carbon emissions and doing your bit to help the environment this could be just the deal for you!

Read more right here.

7. SSE Airtricity - Smart Home Energy Bundles

Our next top energy deal is certainly different and has a number of unique selling points. The most important one of course being the free smart devices! 

SSE Airtricity is offering new customers two Smart Home energy bundles, which not only offer gas and electricity at a discounted price for the contract duration but also throw in a total of three of the newest generation smart home devices.

Three of the devices on offer from SSE normally retail for up to €600 if you were to buy them in the shops, which is not exactly cheap. But if you sign up today you can kit your home out for free.

Let’s take a look at the deals.

Smart Home Bundle Electricity

SSE Airtricty is offering new customers an electricity only deal, with 10% off its standard electricity unit rate and over a 12-month contract. As mentioned, customers will also receive the newest and 3rd generation of the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, as well as a Climote absolutely free - not bad!

What’s more is that SSE Airtricity provides nothing but green energy, with 100% of its electricity obtained from renewable sources. So if you’re worried about your home energy’s carbon footprint, SSE has you covered.

The devices

If you’ve never heard of either the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot you might have heard of Alexa, the virtual assistant and special ingredient in Amazon’s smart devices. It’s Alexa which makes these devices more than just speakers, but smart devices, catering to your every voice request.

By simply using a voice command you can ask Alexa to play music, make calls, set alarms and timers, ask questions, check your calendar, weather, traffic and sports scores, add things to your Amazon shopping cart, manage to-do and shopping lists, control compatible smart home devices (like smart light bulbs for instance), and more.

The Amazon Echo and the Echo Dot essentially perform the same functions but the Amazon Echo is a bigger speaker than the Echo Dot meaning that it has greater sound quality. The Amazon Echo retails for around €110 and the Echo Dot for around €50 to €70 (depending on the model).

Climote is a smart thermostat that allows you to control your home’s heating from anywhere in the world via an app on your phone. Providing that you have an internet connection, you’ll be able to boost your heating or turn on/off your hot water on the go. You’ll no longer have to rely on traditional timer switches giving you a lot more control over your heating bills!

The Climote retails for around €400. Check out how it compares to other smart home thermostats here.

Smart Home Bundle Dual Fuel

The energy supplier is also offering a dual fuel bundle with 10% off of both its standard electricity and gas rates, and in this case you’ll get the 3rd Gen Amazon Echo, the newest model Echo Show 5, as well as the Climote smart thermostat as discussed above.

The Echo Show 5 does everything that the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot do, however, it comes with a display screen that allows you to make video calls, watch video flash briefings, see your to-do and shopping lists, and much more. The Echo Show 5 retails for around €99.

PTSB Explore

For customers of Permanent TSB's Explore account there's even more good news as you can save an additional 2% on your SSE Airtricity bill by paying by Direct Debit from your Explore account. Simple.

You can then keep track of your cash back by logging in to your account online.

Good value?

It can’t be denied that SSE Airtricity is one of the slightly more expensive energy suppliers on the market, as better value can be found with the likes of Bord Gáis or Flogas.

However, if you’re on the lookout to kit out your abode with the latest smart home devices then SSE is offering some serious value with savings of just over €600 to be had - and even better knowing you’re doing your bit to protect the environment!  

8. SuperValu  - Real Rewards with Visa

It’s no secret that SuperValu has a great incentive scheme for its customers in its Real Rewards, super recognisable in its emboldened white font - many bonkers.ie staff are big fans!

It’s one of SuperValu’s partnerships, however, that we’re interested in highlighting, as it has teamed up with Visa to give customers the option of being rewarded with double the points on their shop.

Although while not strictly an energy deal, this one will help you save big on your energy bills, so it’s definitely worth taking note.

How it works

SuperValu has teamed up with Visa, the financial services company, to give rewards’ customers double the number of points every time they spend in store.

All you have to do is link either your Irish Visa debit or credit card to your SuperValu Real Rewards account and you can collect two points for every €1 you spend in-store or online at SuperValu.

Any points earned from linked cards will be credited separately by SuperValu to your Real Rewards account within a 10-day period.

Save on Energy

What’s great about SuperValu Real Rewards is that you don’t just have to use the points against more in-store purchases, you can use the points you earned against bills from the likes of Eir and Electric Ireland and save even more.

Your SuperValu rewards points are converted into Money Back vouchers three times per year and can be redeemed at Easter, autumn and Christmas.

You can then use your vouchers by signing in online and spending them with a number of SuperValu’s partners, like Electric Ireland, with a €5 voucher knocking a tenner off your energy bill - so double the savings! 

What's more, Electric Ireland customers can also collect 1 Real Rewards point for every €3 paid on an Electric Ireland electricity or gas bill. Plus, you’ll even get an additional 250 welcome points just for linking - not a bad way of making some extra savings!

Check out the Real Rewards scheme right here.

Banking

9. KBC - Extra Current Account

At bonkers.ie we’ve noticed that quite a lot of people have been switching their current account over the past while, especially since people have had more time on their hands during the period of lockdown.

One of the major gripes that consumers have with the major banks in Ireland is the amount paid out on account maintenance and transaction fees - especially in the case of AIB.

As all our customers know we're all about helping to save you money, that's why we chose this next deal from KBC.

Free of fees

The KBC Extra Current Account is free of maintenance fees for customers, granted you lodge €2,000 per month, or a monthly salary in other words.

Irish bank AIB had something similar in place (before changing their fee policy), where if you kept a minimum balance of €2,500 in each quarter in your account you would receive free maintenance and transaction fees - due to be removed at the end of May.

However, what we like about KBC’s account is that it’s suited perfectly to those who have just left college and wouldn’t necessarily have the reserves to avoid fees otherwise. That aside, it's still perfect for anyone who doesn't want to be hampered by bills in excess of €80 per year on unnecessary fees.

Before signing up consumers should be aware that should you fail to lodge €2,000 in any given month you will be liable for maintenance and transaction fees and charges applicable to a standard KBC Current Account.

Adopting new technologies

One of the major selling points of the KBC account is that it is warmly embracing new payment technologies which have been swiftly adopted in the market, especially since the advent of the coronavirus.

KBC supports Apple, Google, Fitbit, as well as Garmin Pay, so account customers can use many if not most of their devices to pay for their shopping.

And because there’s no limit to what you can spend with these electronic payment systems, as you might find with physical bank cards, customers can feasibly pay for their entire shopping simply by tapping their watch or phone.

As well as the above customers of the Extra current account can also avail of:

• Bonus Rates on mortgages, savings and loans
• Fee free contactless pay
• Mobile & app banking
• Online account access
• Overdraft available

Transactions & charges

Take a closer look at the table of charges for this account below.

Read more here.

Revolut & N26

We couldn’t sign off banking without nodding our proverbial hat to fintechs Revolut and N26 who have essentially changed the game when it comes to online banking.

In place of hefty account maintenance and transaction fees, both Revolut and N26 have implemented relatively fee-free banking for consumers, albeit without a bricks and mortar presence which some customers may be comforted by.

As well as free day-to-day banking, as offered by KBC and a number of others, both Revolut and N26 offer some exciting features which aren’t available anywhere else, such as the lack of foreign exchange fees when travelling abroad.

We compared both online banks in a thorough comparison right here which will help to answer all the questions you may have.

Mortgages

It wouldn’t be a top 10 if we didn't mention some of the best deals currently available for mortgage switchers. 

Your mortgage is likely to be your biggest household expense so this is one bill you don’t want to overpay on, and although it does take a small bit of time to organise, it could save you up to €300 per month.

If you’re considering switching your mortgage then take a look at our tenth and final money saving deal which could save you hundreds every month.

10. Ulster Bank - 2.60% Four-Year Fixed Rate

Ulster Bank is currently offering a four-year fixed rate at a value of 2.60%, available on mortgages with at least 20% equity in the home. 

That means that if you’re currently on a standard variable rate of 4.5% and have €250,000 left to be repaid over 25 years, you could save over €250 a month if you switched to Ulster Bank’s four-year fixed rate. Thinking of switching yet?

What’s more, Ulster Bank customers can get up to 50% off their home insurance in year one if they sign up to this deal. And if that didn’t sway you, this deal from Ulster Bank also won Best Mortgage for Switchers at this year’s bonkers.ie National Consumer Awards 2020.

Your potential savings could be more, or less, depending on the rate you’re actually paying and how much you're looking to switch, but it’ll give you an idea of what you could save. 

If your mortgage is already with Ulster Bank, don’t fret, there are plenty of great rates on offer from the other lenders, including KBC’s 2.30% fixed rate over three years, and Permanent TSB’s three-year fixed rate of 2.65%.  

How to switch

If you want to switch your mortgage you’ll need to find out the following three things: the interest rate you’re currently paying, the number of years remaining on your mortgage, and the amount remaining on your mortgage. This can all be found on a recent mortgage statement or sometimes through your online banking. 

You can then use our mortgage calculator to find out how much you could save by switching today.

If you’re impressed with the savings, simply fill in your mortgage application or arrange a callback from a qualified financial advisor to get the ball rolling.

Switch and save

As our customers can testify, switching and saving is the only way to save on your household bills - recently we even devised how to save up to €7,000, which you can read here.

If you’re hoping to save big on your bills and switch with bonkers.ie then why not use one of our trusted and easy-to-use comparison tools which helps you to compare the best deals on the market.

Thank you to our customers

Last but not least, we’d like to say a huge thank you to all our customers who have switched and saved with us down through the years, and especially for continuing to do so.

We are nothing without the valued people who use our service and we are delighted to have been able to help Irish consumers for the past 10 years - we hope to make it another 10! 

Start the conversation

As always we’d love to hear from you on any of the above deals. If you have a question, or if you’d like to wish us a happy birthday, just leave us a comment below.

You can always get in contact over on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.