Before joining Key Patent Innovations, Angela Quinn was vice-president of licensing and acquisitions at Atlantic IP Services, with responsibilities for licensing, portfolio acquisition, and patent prosecution.
Are you a saver or a spender?
Both. I hate the thought of not having money for essentials and get very nervous if I feel I am spending a lot of money, but I can also be very good at redefining the meaning of “essentials”.
I also tend to be a spender when it comes to buying experiences/outings for the family. Anything that gives us precious memories and time together is worth it.
Do you shop around for better value?
Usually, yes, as I generally have a sense of how much I expect something to cost. If it’s more expensive, I will shop around for a long time before I buy it. On the other hand, if something seems like good value, I usually cut to the chase and buy it straight away.
What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?
My most extravagant purchase ever was probably my Bugaboo Donkey double buggy when I was expecting my second child. It cost €1,500, 10 times what I had spent on my first buggy, and was something I had been drooling over for months before I bit the bullet and bought it.
I never once regretted it and I have to admit I had a tear in my eye when the day finally came to sell it on.
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What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
I bought a Hobbs dress in Kildare Village for €75 – that was eight years ago, and it’s still my go-to dress for any “fancy” occasion.
What ways did you prefer to shop during the Covid-19 restrictions – online or local?
Where possible, I always prefer to shop locally, and when online shopping became a necessity during Covid, I also tried to buy online from local shops.
Do you haggle over prices?
I never haggle over the price for goods – I always take a price as a given, and based on that decide if it’s something I can afford or not. I know that most businesses are working on the tightest of margins so I would never assume that my want to have something is greater than the needs of a business to make ends meet.
However, there are industries where I know an extra margin has been built in on the first quote, so I will always ask for a discount on that.
How did the Covid-19 crisis change your spending habits?
Before Covid, I was always a member of a gym and I worked out indoors and did any running on a treadmill. During Covid, I started running outdoors, and the mental release of that kept me going and is something I have hung on to ever since. I just couldn’t imagine running on a treadmill again, which is wonderful as I have saved myself lots of gym fees!
Do you invest in shares?
No. I always plan to invest in shares when I have spare money, but I just haven’t got to that point yet.
Do you have a retirement or pension plan?
Yes, after a slow start, my pension plan has been building consistently over the last few years. I also spoke with a financial adviser a few years back and got help with consolidating pensions from previous employment. That was wonderful as I now feel that I’m actually in control of my pension plans.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
I bought Paris Olympics official T-shirts for my daughters in the Athletes’ Village recently – and no, they were not good value for money. I suspected there would be cheaper versions outside the village, but I felt I wanted to get them something unique to mark this very special occasion.
I also mentally justified it as having a dual purpose: to commemorate the Olympics, as well as to alleviate the mammy guilt I felt while I was away!
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
My husband and I saved long and hard to put together a deposit for a house back in 2013. We were both PhD students when we met and we moved around a lot as we tried to build our careers.
During these years we lived in some of the most expensive cities in the world on trainee/student salaries and it took a lot of hard saving to put aside money each month.
Have you ever lost money?
When I was 14, I lost €5 while watching a St Patrick’s Day parade. Back then, €5 was a lot of money to me. I still remember how gutted I was!
Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?
I’m generally very conservative with money but I occasionally buy lotto tickets and/or enter raffles. To date, my biggest winnings have been €2.
Is money important to you?
Money is certainly not the most important thing in life – but there is no denying its significance. There probably is a level of wealth where money becomes totally irrelevant, but for me, and I expect most people, trying to make sure that the money coming in each month covers the outgoings is indisputably important.
How much money do you have on you now?
I don’t live near an ATM and, aside from coins for local supermarket trolleys, I never have cash on me. I pay for everything by card or by phone. Otherwise, I resort to “borrowing” from my girls’ piggy banks, but please don’t tell them that.
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