FINANCE
Money Matters
Money makes the world go round , or so the saying goes .
In our latest finance feature , we talk to former West End actress Lucia Tomlinson , who has settled back on Teesside with her husband , former Olympic long jumper Chris , and their three young children .
Name : Lucia Tomlinson Age : 34 Job : Actress , Sales Assistant for Middlesbrough-based ice cream wafer business , Greco Bros
Does money make you happy ? No , I don ’ t think it ’ s the answer to happiness . My grandad literally had nothing until he grew the family business , Greco Bros , that his father started . He never had a flash life and taught us to be careful with what we have .
What was your first paid job ? I used to pack cones at the Greco Bros factory , which Dad would pay me for , but I didn ’ t enjoy that at all . My first real job was waitressing at Central Park in Middlesbrough , which I loved doing – on my feet , chatting to people . I remember I got paid with cash in a paper envelope , while I got to keep my tips too .
What ’ s your best financial tip ? Cut your cloth to suit your clothes . Being an actress , I knew that one year I might be on decent money but then the next year I could be back waitressing .
Are you a saver or a spender ? The last few years I ’ ve been having kids so haven ’ t earned a lot , so I think I ’ m quite a saver actually , though Chris might disagree ! I ’ m definitely not a splurger .
What ’ s currently the biggest drain on your resources ? We recently bought a lovely old house in Linthorpe so that ’ s definitely the biggest drain on us at the moment .
Have you done anything for the money that you wished you hadn ’ t ? I ’ ve been fortunate that any acting jobs I ’ ve taken have been an enjoyable experience . Of course , there have been times when I ’ ve thought I should be earning more for what I was doing .
What ’ s the most you ’ ve splashed out on a single item ( excluding a house )? When we lived in London , we got a flat and I bought a fantastic bed and a really good quality mattress . Chris is very tall so it had to be a long bed ! It cost a lot of money but the good night ’ s sleep it gives us is worth it .
What has been your biggest financial mistake ? I never make financial mistakes - every piece of clothing and every handbag is an investment , in my eyes !
What has been your best investment ? Probably our apartment in London – it ’ s in Hampstead in North London . We bought it at quite a good time about 10 years ago . We did it up , modernised it and managed to increase its value . We used to live there but now rent it out .
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