INVESTMENT: The Eircom experience, coupled with a rocky two years in equities, has given Irish investors an appetite for guaranteed investments, a fact that has not gone unnoticed by the marketing departments of financial institutions.

This year you can expect to see lots of equity-linked offerings in the "100 per cent capital guaranteed" category. Investors should bear in mind that there is a price to be paid in potential growth for the guarantee.

Tracker bonds and with-profits funds are likely to hold their appeal until things start to look exciting again.

The Government savings scheme is the investment bargain of the year and for the majority of people who have not started an account but intend to, time is running out. The scheme is open for another four months and the offer won't be repeated.

Savers get €1 from the Government for every €4 they save. That's a 25 per cent top up for five years from the date the account is opened.

There are two routes to go: a basic deposit account or an investment type account.

The best five-year fixed rate available is 4 per cent. A monthly saving of €12.70 (£10) for the five-year term at 4 per cent will bring a net return of €1,031. The maximum €253.95 contribution per month will build to €20,621.

Investment products sold by the banks and life companies offer the potential of greater returns from the scheme, depending on the performance of the assets in which the funds are invested.

There is a huge range of investment options and product providers, and the best one for you depends on your appetite for risk, how accessible you want your money to be and how long you are prepared to wait for it to grow.

The best way to be sure you are making the right decision is to pay for fee-based independent advice.

Tracker bonds and with-profits funds are likely to hold their appeal until things start to look exciting again