The fashion designer and artist admits she is “undisciplined” when it comes to buying clothes, opens up on buying her forever home and what she hates spending money on
Helen Steele at the A Girl from Mogadishu screening at Odeon Point Village as part of The Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival 2019(Image: VIPIRELAND.COM)
Helen Steele admits she is both a spender and a saver, but “undisciplined” when it comes to buying clothes.
The fashion designer and artist also opens up about the biggest purchase she’s ever made, and the best financial advice she ever received.
When it comes to spending and saving money, Helen knows when to splurge and, equally, when to put it away.
She told RSVP Magazine: “I save for family holidays, Christmas, and birthdays. But I do tend to also splurge on my kids. It’s really hard not to.
“I am also undisciplined when it comes to clothes. I try to justify a purchase by saying myself and my daughters can share the item, which genuinely does frequently happen.”
Helen’s family home that she and her children live in is the biggest purchase she has ever made.
She admitted: “I didn’t sleep for weeks before and for weeks after. I had so much anxiety with it.
“But it was by far one of the best things I have done. It’s our forever home.
“I have so much gratitude to be able to live where we do, all of us together. I no longer have to commute 4-6 hours for five days a week.”
As she was buying her home, Helen heard some great advice.
“When I was buying our home, someone said to me not to scrimp on the house that would be my home. You live in it every day. It’s so true.”
Helen follows a budget each month, which can be hard with the cost of living crisis.
She said: “I have to follow a budget so I know where I stand. However, with the cost of living in Ireland, it has become so incredibly difficult to keep within budget.
“Feeding adult children is expensive, never mind all other costs.
“I used to have no problem saving money but, since 2023, it’s really difficult to save.
“I recently had a leak in my roof and that was such an expensive fix, even after the insurance had paid out. ”
And the one thing Helen doesn’t like spending money on?
“There are so many things I don’t like spending money on,” she said.
“One of my pet hates is cleaning products. They are so expensive. I know they are necessary. But good God, it sickens me. I try to buy them when they are discounted.”
Helen Steele is one of the artists taking part in the incognito 2026 secret art sale, in which the artist remains top secret until after the purchase has been made. In aid of the Jack and Jill Children’s Foundation, the sale takes place on Wednesday, May 20. Each original postcard artwork costs €75. To view the collection, visit www.incognito.ie.
Read the full interview with Ebimie in this month’s issue of RSVP Magazine, on shelves nationwide now.
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