Thumbs up: With an increasing number of broadband providers, things are very complicated - and then you can't always be sure which of them is set up in your area. Getbroadband.ie is a handy web site which tells you which companies service your town, and what deals they offer. After that, of course, you have to decide which one is best, but at least this will save some legwork.

Fly and be free (almost)

Another web site that's a handy time saver is Skyscanner.net. It searches for cheap flights, ranked in price, from all Irish airports, saving you the bother of trawling through the airlines' sometimes cumbersome websites. Its simple design makes it very easy to use, and it's excellent for finding dirt-cheap flights. It also offers suggestions for weekend breaks and short holidays.

New life for old phones

Upgrading your phone? So what are you going to do with the old one? Recycle it. O22 offers a free recycling service for old phones, including non-O2 phones. The phones are collected once a month from outlets and disposed of in an environmentally safe way. Vodafone recycling containers are available in more than 100 of its retail outlets and 19 Superquinn stores nationwide. A full list of outlets at www.dublinwaste.ie offers information on waste management and recycling in the capital.

Thumbs down

The elusive airport

Getting to Dublin airport seems to get harder. The Aircoach and Urbus routes are limited, with no park and ride facilities indicated on the websites. Dublin Bus's Airlink service announces proudly that it links the airport with the Dart, by which it means most buses will deposit you and your luggage at Busarus, across a wide, busy road and around the corner from Connolly station. If you want to drive, the excellent online service offered by Quickpark, where you could pre-book a car space for €5 a day (compared to Dublin Airport's €8.50 a day) has been suspended, and you must now take your chances.