A week after the budget was announced, a number of people are unclear as to whether they are better or worse off. Mark Micallef takes a look at five scenarios.
Single
A single 30-year-old man, saving to get onto the property ladder with a home costing between €120,000 and €150,000.
He earns just over €16,300 and drives a small car with a 1.4 litre engine which he bought seven years ago.
For the time being, he rents a small, one-bedroom apartment and lives alone.
He stands to benefit from the new scheme for first time buyers.
After the Budget
Income tax revision - €102
COLA - €212
Water and electricity bills - (€93)*
Circulation tax: used to pay €93, will pay €114 - (€21)
Fuel bill: used to pay €842, will pay €856 - (€14)
He is now better off by - €186
Couple
A couple in their mid-30s have just moved into the new three-bedroom flat. It cost them around €165,000 and they currently have a monthly loan repayment of €570. He drives a fuel-guzzling 12-year-old SUV, with a 2.5 litre diesel engine, bought second-hand three years ago, which he uses mainly for work. She drives an economical seven-year-old small 1.2 litre engine car. He earns just over €23,000 as a property negotiator, while his wife, a government employee, earns around €14,000.
After the Budget
Income tax revision: him - €153
Income tax revision: her - €58
COLA (together) - €424
Water and electricity bills - (€208)
Circulation tax: he used to pay €349, will pay €581 - (€232)
Circulation tax: she used to pay €70, will pay €75 - (€5)
Fuel bill: He used to pay €4,160, will pay €4,351 - (€191)
Fuel bill: She used to pay €782, will pay €795 - (€13)
Worse off - (€14)
Family of four
The couple are in their mid-40s and can look forward to pay off their home loan in three years time.
They both work. He earns some €35,000 working as an accountant for a medium-sized company, while his wife earns around €19,500 working as a teacher.
He drives a brand new 1.6 litre petrol car while she drives an eight-year-old, 1.8 litre diesel engine family car. Both their teenage sons attend private schools.
After the Budget
Income tax revision: him - €153
Income tax revision: her - €153
COLA (together) - €424
Water and electricity bills - (€350)
Circulation tax: He used to pay €104, will pay €120 - (€16)
Circulation tax: She used to pay €175, will pay €286 - (€111)
Fuel bill: He used to pay €714, will pay €728 - (€14)
Fuel bill: She used to pay €720, will pay €724 - (€4)
Better off - €235
Family of five
The couple are 50. He works as an engineer with a company which is facing trouble. His wife used to do some part-time work but is now mostly dedicated to their 10-year-old daughter, who is disabled. They also have a 20-year-old son who is at university and a 14-year-old daughter. His business leaves the household with around €47,000. He drives a large, seven-year-old 2.5 litre diesel family-van, while his wife drives a small, 10-year-old 1.5 litre petrol engine car, which is also used by the son.
After the Budget
Income tax revision - €153
COLA - €212
Water and electricity bills - (€400)
Circulation tax: He used to pay €349, will pay €489 - (€140)
Circulation tax: She used to pay €93, will pay €141 - (€48)
Fuel bill: He used to pay €1,440, will pay €1,506 - (€66)
Fuel bill: She used to pay €1,000, will pay €1,017 - (€17)
Worse off - (€306)
Pensioner
Widower, aged 73, earns a pension of around €10,000. He lives in a townhouse on his own.
He stopped driving last year and figured he could do without the extra expense.
The only 'treat' he just cannot do without, despite doctor's orders, are his cigarettes.
After the Budget
Income tax revision - €53
COLA - €212
Water and electricity bills - (€93)
Cigarettes excise increase - (€73)
Better off - €99
* Figures marked in brackets denote a shortfall.
Figures are calculated on an annual basis.