‘Last year discovered I had a pension in the UK I knew nothing about’

Are you a saver or a spender?

I’m a spender. I’m very much “carpe diem”, and even though I often feel guilty after buying something a little extravagant or purely desirable and not really affordable, I rarely regret it.

What was the first job you received money for, and how much were you paid?

I think it was a paper round in London, during the holidays. I can’t remember how much I was paid, but it was something minuscule, like a couple of pounds, in cash. I also remember my first proper payslip from temping between school and university. It was such a shock to discover that a chunk of my weekly wage was deducted for tax. I was outraged.

Do you shop around for better value?

Definitely. I love finding a better deal or a good bargain, especially on things like flights, utilities, insurance and so on. I’m a bit of a commitmentphobe, however, so I’ll procrastinate on dates and times, and often end up missing the best flight deals. I will usually look online first, find the best deal and take it from there.

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

My first home, in 2001, a small one-bed flat in London, cost £179,000. I had a deposit of £17,000, left to me by my grandmother, and the bank lent me five times my then-theatre-producer salary for the mortgage.

I was so broke. I only had a mattress on the floor and a borrowed microwave, and had to use the launderette round the corner for a year. Then my aunt bought me a washing machine as a combined Christmas and birthday present – the best gift!

[ Jerry Fish: ‘I have lost pretty much everything. It was one of the best things to happen to me’Opens in new window ]

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

Probably the house I bought with my husband, where we now live, in Ballycotton. It’s a big old mishmash of a building, part-Victorian, part-1930s, with 1990s add-ons. It’s a great party house, and we had our wedding there, too, so it’s a very special place to me. We have the most glorious view over the bay that I will never tire of. I look out to sea every morning and say thank you. You can’t put a price on that.

Is there anything you regret spending money on?

Not one thing per se, but I do tend to panic buy. If we’re having friends over and I’m food shopping, I always overcater; I’m not good at portion control. I also have a lot of clothes and shoes, mostly from a previous life when I used to attend a lot of events. I don’t really regret it, though; perhaps they’re there to remind me of my folly! I also have items I’ve had for decades that I still get a lot of wear out of, so swings and roundabouts.

Do you haggle over prices?

For some things, yes. I’m not shy about asking for a discount, either, if I’m a regular customer or bulk-buying for an event. I feel strongly about supporting local, whether that’s literally at home, or when travelling abroad.

Do you invest in shares and/or cryptocurrency?

I’m a Luddite when it comes to cryptocurrency. It’s the 21st-century version of the South Sea Bubble, right?

Do you have a retirement or pension plan?

I have a small pension, and last year discovered I had a pension in the UK I knew nothing about! I’d forgotten it was set up when I got my first job, and it had just been rolling along.

[ ‘Shoes and beds are the two things I won’t skimp on. If you’re not in one, you’re in the other’Opens in new window ]

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

A burgundy sparkly top for the film festival’s programme launch recently. I got it from my go-to boutique in Cork, and yes, it was good value.

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

When I was 18, I worked several different jobs and saved to go travelling. I funded a flight and a six-month trip around South America. I was born in Ecuador and wanted to see it. It was an amazing experience. I went to the Galápagos Islands and backpacked solo through Ecuador, Peru and Chile. This was pre-mobile phones; my parents’ only stipulation was that I send them an airmail letter when I changed countries!

Have you ever lost money?

My bag was stolen on a trip to Corsica. My friend and I managed to blag our way back to Nice on the ferry and hitchhiked into town to the bank. We persuaded them to lend me 200 francs to get by before the flight home. We spent the day at the wonderful flea market in old town Nice. The sun was shining, a honky-tonk piano was playing, it was all very French and seductive, and I bought a beautiful antique clock instead of lunch and dinner. I still have the clock, and it was worth it.

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

I’ll have a flutter on one-off things like the Grand National, for the laugh, and I buy a Euromillions ticket every week, but otherwise no.

What is your best habit when it comes to money? And your worst?

I’m a spreadsheet queen, so I find it quite cathartic to create and manage a budget. I used to be terrible with my money in my early twenties. When I first started working and living independently, I was always paying final warning bills at the last minute. But then I started managing projects and budgets and realised that if you have control of it, you can make it go much further. I run a very tight ship at work; I’m a bit more flaithiúlach at home.

How much money do you have on you now?

I have 20 cent and a token for the supermarket trolley.

Fiona Clark is festival director and chief executive of the Cork International Film Festival (CIFF), which runs from Thursday, November 12th to Sunday, November 22nd, corkfilmfest.org

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea