Your Money

Me & My Money: Kathryn Thomas, TV personality and businesswoman

‘I now understand the importance of investing properly in the foundations of any business in order to give it the best start’

Tony Clayton-Lea's face
Tony Clayton-Lea
Tue Mar 17 2015 - 01:00

Are you a saver or a spender? Not by choice but by circumstance, I am a saver. If I had more time, I would quite happily spend a fortune going on holidays or doing up the house. I'm a bit of an interiors freak and love nosing through photos on Pinterest to get ideas for the next make over, then go hunting for purchases.

Do you shop around for better value? Yes, when it comes to holidays and hotel deals. No, when it comes to every day grocery shopping or household bills – although I really should. I've been saying that for five years and nothing has changed.

What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost? I bought a gorgeous painting of a Sligo landscape for €3,000 without knowing the artist. I just loved the painting when I walked past it hanging in the window of Gallery Zozimus on Francis Street. I couldn't stop thinking about it all day.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? My website build and design. I now understand the importance of investing properly in the foundations of any business in order to give it the best start. It is important to hire the right people who understand your vision and what you are trying to achieve.

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How do you prefer to shop – online or local? I always shop local when it comes to groceries, in either SuperValu or Lidl (where I go and clear the shelves of their goat's cheese, which I love!). I also shop in Centra as they have introduced a new healthy Live Well range, which is superb value. The only shopping I do online is for tickets and hotels.

Do you haggle over prices? Having just set up a new business (Pure Results Boot Camp), I have had to haggle although I'm really not great at it. It makes me very uncomfortable. Even after 10 years working on the travel show No Frontiers, visiting markets all over the world where they are almost insulted if you don't haggle with them, I couldn't bring myself to do it with gusto like the rest of the crew. My mother, on the other hand, is world class. We call her Bargain Betty!

Has the recession changed your spending habits? Yes, I would be much more aware of what I spend when I'm out but I think that also comes with age. I'm not out two and three nights a week any more. Do you invest in shares? Yes. Recently, I got advice from a financial adviser and have invested in shares for the first time.

Cash or card? Always card. I don't have a wallet so I am constantly searching through endless pockets for the correct amount of cash. So card is always, always easier.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? I bought a Columbia coat in the Great Outdoors just before Christmas, before the cold spell. It is thermal-lined with a big fur hood. I love it and have only just taken it off. It is incredibly warm.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? Yes, my first house. I poured all my savings into it, including my SSIA. I loved that house and, when I closed the front door, I felt at peace knowing I had something I could call my own.

Have you ever lost money? I have had money stolen many times over the years, mostly abroad. I remember being in an underground station in Tokyo and the force of the wind sent my bag flying and all my money scattered into the air. It being Japan, everybody scrambled for the notes and returned them to me.

Are you a gambler and if so you have ever had a big win? I don't do the Lotto and I really haven't a clue about horses. But the last time I was in Vegas, myself and my friend Jill started with a $50 bet and walked away from the table an hour later with $900 worth of chips. It paid for the rest of our trip.

Is money important to you? I don't let money rule my life, but it does make some decisions easier. I wouldn't have been able to set up my new business without an initial financial input.

How much money do you have on you now? €500, which I took out of the bank today, €400 of which I have to give to the plumber. Kathryn Thomas fronts No Frontiers and Operation Transformation on RTÉ. She has just set up her own business, Pure Results Boot Camp. They will run from April 17th to June 2015. See pureresultsbootcamp.com.