Caroline O’Neill is a mother, wife and businesswoman who has become an online influencer due to her love of social media.
She is the founder of social media brand DIGG, which has evolved into a showcase for her passions of family, lifestyle, leveraging social media for good, inspiring individuals to pursue their entrepreneurial aspirations, fostering business growth and extending support to those in greatest need.
Are you a spender or a saver?
I’m more a saver than a spender. My parents always taught me to think of a rainy day so I am always conscious of that when I am spending money. My dad still says: “You never know the day you might need a few pounds.”
How much is in your wallet?
A few loose pounds for the trolley at the supermarket but apart from that I always use a card.
Do you adhere to a budget?
Yes, I try to stick to a budget for our weekly grocery bill. However during these summer months that has gone completely out the window as my children love to raid the cupboards daily.
Do you have (m)any loyalty cards?
I have a Tesco card and our local supermarkets — Springisland and Newell Stores, which are both in Dungannon.
Cash or card: what’s your preference?
Card — I went to London recently on a trip with friends and I had a little bit of cash with me. I literally couldn’t spend it. Everyone wanted a card for payment — definitely a sign of the times.
What’s the best deal you’ve ever gotten?
I am not very good at getting deals. I am a person that buys things when I need them, not when there might be deals on, therefore I normally miss the good deals because of that.
What’s the most important financial lesson you’ve learned?
As a business owner, I have learned a very hard lesson about cash flow. Money in the bank is vital for your business to succeed. Invoice straight away as soon as your job is done and set your payment terms clearly.
What’s the most expensive thing you’ve bought?
We recently built a house so I would say our new home.
If money was no object, I’d buy…
A house in Donegal. I would love to have somewhere beside the sea to go to switch off at the weekend.
Caroline O’Neill is the director of Digg Mama, Digg for Success, The Digg Podcast and founder of Digg Deep For Kids. To find out more about Caroline and her work, visit www.diggcommunity.com