Me and My Money

Sue Collins,  The Nualas

Are you a saver or a spender?

Mainly a spender. When I have it, I spend it, when I don’t I’m very thrifty. I haven’t a penny saved like most people and I don’t think that’s about to change soon!

Do you shop around for better value?

Oh yes, I go to Lidl for the likes of tinfoil and nappies, then over to Meath Street for the chops and then up to Aldi for the lovely lump of bargain Parmesan. I’m exhausted after it but I don’t feel ripped off.

What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?

I paid €500 for a beautiful black coat. I was nearly vomiting when I handed over the credit card but it was worth it. It’s a classic. People like to feel me when I have it on.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?

A Miele hoover I bought 18 years ago for £150. It sucks up like I bought it yesterday. Apart from a little duct tape, it’s like new.

Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?

No, not intentionally. I wouldn’t be that organised. I think I might have been in a shop once thinking to myself, “my God, this stuff is very cheap” and then realised I was in the North. I do know lots of people who go up and buy loads of nappy wipes and wine – apparently you can save €3,500 a year by doing that.

Do you haggle over prices?

I’m afraid I haven’t got the bottle for haggling, I don’t have the knack either. If I try and get the price down, the person selling the item usually laughs in my face and then I get out my purse.

Has the recession changed your spending habits?

I think so. I definitely don’t eat out as much. That was a big thing for myself and my husband. Also, the recession kicked off around the time our twins were born, so it worked out quite well as we couldn’t get out anyway!

Do you invest in shares?

No! I don’t know anything about shares and, now that a couple of my friends have lost their pants, I’m really glad I didn’t.

Cash or card?

Card. It’s the handiness and the way you don’t actually see the money, so maybe you’re not really spending it, if you know what I mean.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?

I bought a second-hand bass guitar for €199, for The Nualas, that I now play in the show. It’s green and lovely and the guy in the shop said it was in great nick and probably worth a lot more.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?

I did actually save up to buy an apartment in the late 1990s. I was on the hunt for my pad when I met my now husband, we pooled our cash and bought a house instead.

Have you ever lost money?

I’ve had my purse stolen a couple of times. No huge amounts of money, just all my overdrawn credit cards.

Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?

No, I’ve never won any money in my life. I won a spice rack in a 1996 in a beetle drive – that’s it.

Is money important to you?

I don’t really care about having a lot of money, but as a certain famous person I used to know said: “A certain amount of it is very good for the nerves”.

How much money do you have on you now?

A tenner. I did have 20 half an hour ago, but I had a bowl of soup and a half a toasted sandwich with Maria Tecce (my fellow Nuala) in Fallons pub. My treat.

The Nualas play Dublin’s Vicar Street, June 8th,

[ thenualas.com ]

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea