Adventure athlete Becky Gilmour will participate in RePlay, a new street arts festival taking place at Parthal\u00e1n Place, Tallaght, Dublin, on Saturday, August 15th. <\/p>\n
Are you a saver or a spender? <\/p>\n
I\u2019m a spender, but within reason. Most of my time is spent on the road and on trips raising money for charities, which means I budget carefully so that I have enough money to last me through expeditions. During my skate across Ireland last year, people gifted me more money than I needed for the trip. I still chose to camp instead of paying for accommodation, so I used that money to paint mental health-related murals across the coast. <\/p>\n
What was the first job you received money for, and how much were you paid? <\/p>\n
I saved my pocket money as a kid and when I was about nine, I started my own dog-walking business. I called it Pet Pamper but that job didn\u2019t make me much, that\u2019s for sure! <\/p>\n
Do you shop around for better value? <\/p>\n
To an extent, yes. I will go to stores that are better value for groceries, and I love thrift shops. I\u2019ll often only buy something new if it\u2019s outdoor gear that needs to function well to keep me safe on expeditions. <\/p>\n
What has been your most extravagant purchase, and how much did it cost? <\/p>\n
I became an artist through my time at university. As this business grew, I realised that I wanted to travel. It\u2019s not very practical to carry paint, canvases and easels around with me, so I saved and bought myself a good iPad with all the accessories I needed. I then used that for digital art and graphic design, and did this while on the road. <\/p>\n
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? <\/p>\n
Travel and experiences. I don\u2019t think any material item has ever brought me as much peace, self-growth and joy as my first plane tickets to travel alone to a tiny little island called El Hierro, the second-smallest of the eight inhabited islands of the Canaries.<\/p>\n
Is there anything you regret spending money on? <\/p>\n
Far too many make-up and beauty products. I can appreciate make-up as a form of self-expression, but I bought into a culture that made me feel inadequate, as though the person I was naturally wasn\u2019t as worthy or beautiful as one with make-up. <\/p>\n