ME MY MONEY:JARLATH REGAN Comedian

1. Are you a saver or a spender?

I am a spender of the worst kind. Anything I have saved is by virtue of the fact that I couldn’t spend it fast enough.

2. Do you shop around for better value?

I think we all like to think that we shop around for better value but the big difference is how far you will go for the bargain. Some people regard buying Choc Mallows from the bargain bins on the way into a supermarket as bargain hunting. Others will only buy “choc mushies” from Lidl. I’m not a bargain hunter in the sense that I wouldn’t buy Choc Mallows in bulk online. I’m the kind of bargain hunter who knows exactly where the cheapest Choc Mallows are to be found but still shops in Spar despite knowing that it is one of the most expensive shops in the country. Then I’ll whinge about it the whole way home while eating Choc Mallows.

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

I bought a ridiculously expensive pair of trainers in New York. I won’t even say what they cost but it was a wedding present from me to me. The excuses are endless: They are beautiful sneakers, I was never allowed them as a child, Barack Obama, etc. The truth is I can not bring myself to wear them. They are still in the box. That’s buyer’s remorse right there.

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

The iPhone cost me next to nothing and it has made my life a lot easier in so many useful and pointless ways. Before I got it I had to be rooted to a laptop to do any writing, e-mailing or web stuff. Now I can pretend to be working almost anywhere. On top of that, now I don’t have to use my own voice to make the Star Wars lightsaber noise.

5. Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?

No.

6. Do you haggle over prices?

I have attempted to on several occasions. Some places are great for negotiating and throwing in free stuff. Dermot Kelly’s Ford dealership in Kilcock allowed me to enjoy the haggling process and, as a result, I bought my car from them at a great price. Other places it depends on the sales person. Some can get quite snippy with you – are you listening Conns Cameras on Clarendon Street, Dublin 2? “That’s the price” is not a sentence any sales person should be using nowadays.

7. Has the recession changed your spending habits?

I’d like to think that I’ve tightened everything up – cancelled a few pointless direct debits, eased back on the impulse purchases. But like most people, I love the feeling that you get from an “I’m having that” purchase. So now and then I think it’s healthy to just go “feck it, life is too short”. As long as people keep doing that I think Ireland will be fine.

8. Do you invest in shares?

Nope.

9. Cash or card?

Cash at all times. Credit cards were invented by the devil as a means of funding his e-business interests.

10. How much money do you have on you now?

Roughly, about €2,800 and some change.

In conversation with FIONA MCCANN

Jarlath Regan performs at the Sugar Club on April 16. Tickets are €15 from ticketmaster