Musician and Eurovision Song Contest winner Charlie McGettigan is a member of folk/roots band Jargon, which will be performing at the Hawk’s Well Theatre, Sligo on Wednesday, October 30th as part of Sligo Live Festival.
Are you a saver or a spender?
When we all used cash, we used to create little nest eggs so that we might have money to buy something unexpectedly. We also used to put any silver coins we had at the end of every day into a big glass jar and this would go to pay the electricity or the telephone bill. It worked. I save with the credit union by direct debit, which becomes painless after a few payments.
Do you shop around for better value?
Yes! It’s so easy to shop around these days whether it be on the web or in shops. There’s nothing worse than buying something and then realising I could have got it for half the price if I had taken the trouble to shop around.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
My Martin OM42 guitar is probably the most expensive single item I’ve bought – it cost about €3,000. I suppose my wife would say that every time I buy a new guitar, it’s an extravagance. Maybe she’s right. I do spend a lot of money on guitars and music equipment. I also spend a lot of money in recording studios and have recorded many albums which some people would say is extravagant in that none of them has made any money.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
My Martin HD28 guitar. I bought it over 40 years ago and it has remained my main concert guitar since. It’s battered and bruised, and the neck has been broken twice but it’s now sounding and playing better than ever.
How did you prefer to shop during the Covid-19 restrictions – online or local?
I think we shopped both locally and online. Covid-19 didn’t really affect our shopping methods other than it stopped us from travelling to the big shopping centres like Liffey Valley and, indeed, to Dublin itself.
Do you haggle over prices?
Not really. However, I survey the price of items online and decide on a budget. If the seller can sell to me at that budget or less – done!
How did the Covid-19 crisis change your spending habits?
Covid-19 changed my spending habits in that I now rarely go to pubs. I don’t think I have ever got used to close encounters with crowds of people since then. I now spend more money on meals out, the theatre and things like Netflix, Prime, Apple+, and so on. I have them all, and because they’re direct debits I rarely analyse how much I’m spending on them.
Do you invest in shares?
Definitely not. I find the stock market completely baffling. I did invest in a package of different shares and lost money, so “once bitten twice shy”.
Do you have a retirement or pension plan?
I worked for the ESB for 30 years and I’m very happy that I contributed to a superannuation scheme that has yielded a very satisfactory pension.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
I suppose that would have been my iPhone. I use it consistently and it has become my mobile office. The downside is that I’m addicted to the bloody thing. I think mobile phones are the new cigarettes. If I walk into a restaurant, look around and see that most people are gazing into their phones I immediately reach for mine. It used to be the same with cigarettes – a habit I kicked in 1998.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
I do it all the time with my little nest eggs. Mostly it goes to recording costs.
Have you ever lost money?
I’ve lost money on every record I’ve recorded. I lost €1,200 on a Facebook campaign that I forgot to close down!
Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?
On the night I received my first pay packet from the ESB, I ended up losing the entire lot in a poker game. I have never gambled since.
Is money important to you?
Yes, in that it has paid for everything I own, my children’s education and last night’s dinner.
How much money do you have on you now?
In my pocket, I have €45.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
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