'I should have bought more Manolo Blahnik shoes instead'

ME AND MY MONEY:Sheila Flanagan, writer

Are you a saver or a spender?A bit of both. I tend to save for things I really want but don't mind spending a lot on something really nice.

Do you shop around for better value?It depends. For big purchases I would but not for daily shopping. I do try to buy petrol if I see it at a cheaper price than my local, very expensive garage.

What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?I once bought two pairs of Manolo Blahnik shoes in Madrid. They were very, very expensive (but they were in the sales). I can't bring myself to say how much they cost!

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?Time Capsule from the Apple store. It backs up my Mac automatically, and when I once accidentally deleted a file I was able to retrieve it from Time Capsule, which saved me a lot of blood sweat and tears.

Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?Not deliberately, although I have shopped in Sainsbury's on the way home from Belfast.

Do you haggle over prices?Not usually, but I once bought two matching mirrors for the price of one. It was in a furniture store and they were end of range and I reckoned why not try? I was astonished to succeed, so maybe I should haggle more often.

Has the recession changed your spending habits?I never bought into the whole bling-bling lifestyle anyway, so my habits didn't change during the boom. I'm conscious about how much things should be worth, and won't buy if I think it's a blatant rip off.

Do you invest in shares?Through a managed portfolio. I should have bought more Manolo Blahnik shoes instead!

Cash or card?Card.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?An Apple iPad. Im hoping it'll save me lugging loads of books around and so keep the weight of my luggage down when I travel – which would certainly make it good value. However, I discovered that there isn't an Irish iBook store yet.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?Well, not the full amount but I did save up for my first car.

Have you ever lost money?Yes – from buying shares instead of shoes.

Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?No. I hate losing.

Is money important to you?Only when I don't have any.

How much money do you have on you now?€45.

Sheila O’Flanagan’s new book,

Stand By Me

, is out now and is published by Headline