Lauren Pope’s life in money

Former TOWIE star Lauren Pope, 35, on running her own business, investing in supplements & bagging free cinema tickets

I LOVE BUYING CLOTHES BUT I’M SAVVY WITH MY MONEY My parents always taught me to think before I spend, and I really like to see the value of something. With clothes, I always think of “cost per wear” – how often am I likely to wear the item and can I justify how much I spend? MY FIRST JOB WAS WORKING IN A CINEMA I was paid the minimum wage (National Minimum Wage for under 22s at the time was around £3 an hour), but I did get loads of free passes to watch all the films, so I was popular with my friends! I COULDN’T LIVE WITHOUT TECHNOLOGY I use my laptop and iphone every day. I run a business, so it’s my daily link to that, as well as my friends and family. I BLOW THE BUDGET ON HOLIDAYS I love my home comforts when I’m away; it’s my time to relax and get into a good headspace so, for me, it’s worth spending a bit more on going abroad. MY LAST IMPULSE PURCHASE WAS A Chloé handbag. An indulgence, but it’s a neutral shade so I thought it would work with lots of my outfits – and I love it! APART FROM MY MORTGAGE AND BILLS, I SPEND MOST OF MY MONEY ON SKINCARE AND SUPPLEMENTS I’m really into taking daily vitamins, and I also have all these different powders I add into my morning smoothie to try to keep my skin clear and youthful. I like Elle Mcpherson’s Super Elixir powders with turmeric, aloe vera and pomegranate. I’m also prone to breakouts, so I spend a fair bit on skincare, too. I’VE MADE A FEW BUSINESS MISTAKES Most business owners have, but I always stress to young entrepreneurs that every mistake has a lesson to be learned, so don’t ever be disheartened. I ALWAYS PAY BY CARD I live in London, so I don’t really need to carry cash with me because everyone is geared up for you to pay by card – contactless makes it so easy. I’M A SPENDER AND A SAVER I’m good at both. Saving is important, but I also like to splurge every now and then. If something good happens with work, I’ll buy myself a little celebration present. ● Lauren has her own range of at-home and salon professional hair extensions, visit www.hairrehablondon.com.