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.
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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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