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QUIZ: How Financially Fit Are You?

It’s time to take the Financial Bleep Test.

THE DUST HAS settled on Christmas and for a lot of us, that means some time spent analysing bank statements and where exactly we lost the plot over the Christmas period.

Unconscious spending is the killer for many of us – those “little but often” outgoings that we don’t notice at the time but that seriously add up. Think of a morning latte, your few pints after work, or that taxi you didn’t really need to take.

Imagine if you were saving as little and as consistently as you are spending on takeaways. It would add up – and that’s what saving is: an everyday thing with realistic goals, nothing massive or scary.

So let’s put your fiscal fitness to the test with our Financial Bleep Test – and no cheating now. Answer honestly, and see if what you think your outgoings cost actually add up in reality.

Ready… set… go.

1. If you were to order a takeaway for two every Saturday night for one year, how much would it cost you in total?
€1030
€1560

€1460
€1890
2. If you were to get a latte on your way into work three mornings a week, how much would it add up to after a year?
€432
€264

€832
€654
3. How much do you think four pints after work twice a week would cost annually?
€1040
€840

€1540
€2080
4. If you took a taxi home from town once a week, how much would that taxi bill have cost you on average over five years?
€2100
€3400

€3120
€1150
5. How much would you have to save every month (with an interest rate of 1.45% AER) to have €5000 savings after five years?
€80
€100

€20
€120
6. How much would you save if you brought in food from home two days per week in one month?
€56
€100

€30
€82
7. How much would one 5kg load of washing cost per tumble dry?
€4
50c

5c
€2.50
8. If you were to cycle to work twice a week instead of getting the bus, how much would you have saved after a year?
€582.50
€340

€674.50
€468.50
Answer all the questions to see your result!
You scored out of !
Financial stud
You're pretty much able for as many reps as necessary when it comes to crunching numbers. You're very aware of your outgoings and you're fit as a fiddle when it comes to saving. Well done.
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Financially sound
Congrats - you're on top of things. But there's always a little room for improvement, right? Figure out where you could be strengthening the pennies, and they could start turning into serious pounds.
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Financially sloppy
Hmm... Looking a bit out of shape there. You need a few sessions - not in the gym, but with a budgeting app. All isn't lost, but you could be making some serious gains if you get serious about this.
Share your result:
You scored out of !
Financial slob
Ah here. Out of breath already? You need to start working out a bit more - working out where all your money is going, that is.
Share your result:

Behind the answers

1. Based on a takeaway for two costing around €30, by 52 weeks in the year

2. Based on a coffee costing €3, by three, by 52

3. Based on a pint costing €5, by four, by 52

4. Based on your average taxi journey costing €12

5. Exact figure is €80.30 per month for a period of 60 months

6. Based on lunch costing an average of €7

7. Based on figures from Electric Ireland

8. Based on average bus journey of €2.80 four times a week, by 52

No matter how financially fit you are right now, you can always whip your finances into shape with a little help and know-how. Head over to RaboDirect now to find out how to start saving smarter and get 2016 off to a great start.  Reach your savings goals this year with the savings specialists. 

Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., trading as RaboDirect, is licensed by the Dutch Central Bank in the Netherlands and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Terms and conditions apply. RaboDirect is part of the Rabobank Group.

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69 Comments
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    Mute James Reardon
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 12:46 PM

    With no weight given hardly a 2 dozens seedlings constitute 200k?

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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 12:53 PM

    @James Reardon: €800 per plant is what.they use. Those are seedlings.

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    Mute Epgenetics29 Declan Christoph
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 12:56 PM

    @James Reardon: They should get these estimators to value a rock I found on a beach as I’m looking to retire to Spain. Jebus

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    Mute Epgenetics29 Declan Christoph
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 1:01 PM

    @Steve O’Hara-Smith: The logic is way off, seeds, seedlings and actual fully grown plants should not have the same or similar value. Bizarre stuff…

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    Mute sean o'dhubhghaill
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 1:29 PM

    @James Reardon: Closer to 80 seedlings in photograph.

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    Mute Steve O'Hara-Smith
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 2:05 PM

    @Epgenetics29 Declan Christoph: When it gets to court the judge will insist on ‘potential value’ being the description.

    11
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    Mute James Reardon
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 2:37 PM

    @sean o’dhubhghaill: few dozen autocorrected to 2 dozens, regardless, they are seedlings so 200k?? Madness.

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    Mute Thomas Byrne
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 12:55 PM

    They are literally seedlings this is bizarre

    159
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    Mute K-dog
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 1:15 PM

    Waste of time and resources

    156
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    Mute ChronicAnxiety
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 12:54 PM

    €206,400- How do they come up with this?

    108
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    Mute Chimo Spinola
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 1:56 PM

    Seeds are not illegal here be a use they don’t actually contain thc.. seedlings contain practically no thc but it is illegal to germinate seeds here.. based on thc levels though, they shouldn’t estimate this at 200k. It’s like saying a house has full value when only the foundation is built and stops there.
    Either way, it’s a ridiculous waste of time and resources

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    Mute Fresh!
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 4:53 PM

    @Chimo Spinola: got caught with stolen bricks + few bags of cement? ,
    I’m afraid we’re going to charge you for stealing a 4 bed semi detached with a pool house + tennis court

    59
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    Mute Davey Ohanlon
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 1:20 PM

    0 thc content in cuttings, they are essentially worthless unless the person is being charged on the assumption of future yield.
    Crazy valuation.

    120
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    Mute flokster
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 3:03 PM

    Well done Gardai, well done. 200K What a joke!

    39
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    Mute JustBEERbarry
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 5:15 PM

    Everyone should just start planting everywhere possible, it’s about time this ridiculousness is met with civil disobedience

    49
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    Mute Bugaloo
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 11:39 PM

    Can The Journal question the validity of An Garda Siocanna’s estimation in order to get some balance? These estimations are used by the guards as a show of success in relation to budgets. An Garda Siocanna need to be scrutinized as much as any government department. This estimation does not appear to be realistic.

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    Mute Adrian O'Donnell
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 10:47 PM

    Ah would at look at the lickle babies? I really don’t get why this plant is illegal in this day and age, knowing what we now know about it. Remove the criminality first and foremost. It’s about time.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 4:28 PM

    Lots of replanting if an indoor operation, seems mad sloppy unless they’re getting set to grow outdoors.

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    Mute Michael Nolan
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    Apr 22nd 2022, 6:18 PM

    They smoke that like that and there lungs won’t forgive them

    3
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