Investing in Ourselves: AIB Supports for Closing the Financial Confidence Gap

At AwakenHub, we believe financial literacy and independence is one of the most powerful enablers of personal and professional growth. For women in business, it’s not just about running a successful venture today, it’s also about building resilience, planning for the future, and ensuring that hard work translates into long-term security. That’s why we partnered with AIB in 2024 to carry out new research into women’s financial confidence, business preparedness, and retirement planning.

The findings are both insightful and important, shining a light on the realities faced by women across Ireland when it comes to money, security, and investing in themselves. *

What We Discovered

The Wealth Survey revealed several consistent themes:

• Financial security is fragile. Over half of women surveyed do not feel financially secure at a personal level.

• Businesses remain vulnerable. Fewer than one in three feel their business would be prepared to withstand future financial shocks.

• Retirement readiness is low. Four in five women do not feel prepared for retirement, underlining the importance of better pension awareness and support.

• Advice is sought — but often unevenly. While 70% have sought financial advice personally, only half have done so for their businesses.

• The appetite for tailored advice is strong. 95% want more guidance for their personal finances, and 90% want the same for their businesses.

Taken together, the results reveal a clear gap: women want to take control of their financial journeys, but many feel they lack the right tools, advice, or products to make informed decisions.

Why This Matters

Women’s financial experiences are often shaped by systemic challenges. Career breaks, childcare and eldercare responsibilities, and the gender pay gap all reduce opportunities to build wealth and contribute to pensions. Research consistently shows that women retire with significantly less than men, despite living longer on average. This leaves many women less secure later in life.

What also emerged from the survey is a mindset difference: women are highly motivated to invest in their families and businesses but often place less emphasis on investing in themselves. While selflessness is admirable, it can also create risk, leaving long-term personal goals, such as retirement, underfunded or overlooked.

This is why support from trusted partners matters. Tailored financial products and advice can help women strengthen their cashflow, protect their businesses, and build future security without adding unnecessary complexity or cost.

How AIB’s Products Support Women

AIB offers a suite of thoughtfully designed solutions to support women in strengthening both their cashflow today and their financial future tomorrow.

• PromptPay
  For business owners, managing large annual lump sums, like tax bills, pension contributions, or audit fees, can strain cashflow. PromptPay allows these costs to be spread over 6 to 11 months with fixed repayments, helping smooth budgeting and preserve financial flexibility.  

To learn more about how AIB can assist with managing your cashflow and read customer stories on how Promptpay has benefited their businesses visit AIB’s PromptPay and Insurance Premium Finance webpage Here .

• Pensions and Retirement Planning
  Planning for life after work can feel distant, but it’s essential. AIB offers flexible and tax-efficient solutions, from Personal Retirement Savings Accounts (PRSAs) to Approved Retirement Funds (ARFs) and Personal Retirement Bonds (PRBs), designed to help women build long-term security. Conversations with financial advisors can clarify options and align them with personal circumstances.  

Additionally, AIB Life supports tailored pension planning for self-employed professionals, offering investment-mix customisation and ongoing advisor support.

A Call to Invest in Your Future Self

The most striking message from the Wealth Survey is not just the challenges women face, but their eagerness to take action. The appetite for financial advice is overwhelming, with women clearly signalling that they want to learn more, take ownership, and strengthen their financial resilience.

The first step is recognising that investing in yourself is not selfish, it is essential. By building financial confidence and using the right tools, women can create stability for their businesses today and security for their futures tomorrow.

At AwakenHub, we will continue to spark the conversations that matter and shine a light on the realities women face in finance and business. And with AIB’s support, we are committed to ensuring that women not only have access to the right products but also the right knowledge and guidance to make informed, confident decisions.

Because when women invest in themselves, everyone benefits: their families, their businesses, their communities and most importantly, their future selves.

*(Survey based on 46 AwakenHub members, which gives a margin of error of c. 14%)