@moneymadesimpleir: "Just rent and invest the difference" — great advice, wrong country. US finance creators love this one. And look, the logic is sound... in a market where rent is reasonable and you actually invest the surplus. But in Ireland in 2025? Rent: €2,500/month. Mortgage on a €500k home at 3.65% over 30 years — you're not left with a huge gap to invest. Factor in ~€6k/year in maintenance on the home, and yes, owning has real costs too. But here's what the rent-and-invest crowd glosses over: 1️⃣ The discipline problem. Investing the surplus consistently for 30 years is genuinely hard. Most people don't do it. 2️⃣ The end-game problem. No mortgage = no rent bill in retirement. The renter still needs somewhere to live — and that investment pot starts paying future landlords. Ireland's housing crisis doesn't just make buying emotionally appealing. It changes the actual numbers. Comment RENT for the full calculator breakdown 👇 educational information only not financial advice 🚫 #irishinvesting #irishhomes #irishmoney #irishfinance #moneyireland
