EACH WEEKDAY EVENING, TheJournal.ie brings you five things you really need to know before you head out the door.

1. #BUDGET 2012 Measures to cut public expenditure have been outlined by Brendan Howlin in the Dáil today as part of the Budget 2012 announcement. Among the measures are the standardisation of the rates of payments of child benefit for all children, an increase of €250 in third level registration fees, and a reduction in the fuel season from 32 weeks to 26 weeks. We’ve been liveblogging details from the Dáil and government ministers’ press conferences. Here are the main points of today’s announcement.

2.  #CUTS The budget announcement also saw the drug payment threshold scheme increased in order to save money. The Irish Pharmacy Union says this will hit families while families across the country will also be hit by the €250 increase in annual third-level registration fees, USI has said.

3. #HOUSEHOLD CHARGE One change announced today that will effect almost everyone is the imposition of an annual household charge of €100 for most homes across the country. Minister Phil Hogan has published the bill today and the charge is expected to come into effect in the New Year.

4.  #EUROZONE With all this budget madness you’d be forgiven for forgetting that it is a crucial week for the eurozone with the very future of the single currency at stake. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy have been meeting today and have outlined proposals for a tougher EU treaty which will increase fiscal co-ordination across the zone. They reckon it needs to be agreed upon by next March, could that mean another referendum?

5. #CHRISTMAS Ah sure forget all this budget madness and eurozone troubles, it’s nearly Christmas! And if you want to send cards or presents to loved ones around the world you have just one day for standard delivery to these long-distance locations. Here’s all the details from An Post.