In the "Me & My Money" series, children's author Sarah Webb shares how her experiences as a single mother shaped her careful financial habits, her commitment to supporting local independent bookshops, and her approach to saving fortravel while acknowledging the inherent uncertainties of making a living from writing.
Sarah Webb, a well-known children's author, recently discussed her relationship with money, writing career, and personal financial habits. Her new book, The Bookshop Sister, is now available, and she will be hosting a Creative Writing Workshop for children aged nine and above on Saturday, June 20.
Webb's financial perspective has been shaped by her experiences as a single mother during her son's early years. She described that period as one where she became ultra-careful with money, meticulously balancing monthly expenses including childcare, food, and transport. That cautious approach persists; she continues to squirrel away savings for future security. Her first paying job was babysitting as a teenager, earning around IR£20 for an evening, which felt like a small fortune at the time.
When it comes to larger purchases, such as washing machines or cars, she is willing to spend, but she chooses to support local businesses whenever possible. She works part-time at an independent children's bookshop in Greystones, Co Wicklow, called Halfway up the Stairs, and she is mindful that small shops cannot match the prices of large online retailers, so she deliberately buys locally to help them.
Webb also recounted an expensive trip to Iceland with her partner for a birthday celebration. She had long wanted to visit and was impressed by the stunning landscape, but the cost was high. One memory stands out: paying 50 euros for a single pizza and nearly 100 euros for a bottle of wine. After that, they stopped ordering wine in restaurants.
Among her most valued possessions are her laptops; she has owned three or four over the last 25 years and has written more than fifty books on them. Her current HP laptop she considers a fine piece of machinery. She admits to being very bad at haggling and often brings a friend who excels at it when necessary.
Investing in stocks and shares does not interest her, but she does invest in herself through courses, talks, book festivals, travel, and extensive reading. She set up a pension some time ago and contributes a modest amount every month. Although she does not intend to retire and hopes to keep writing in some form, the pension provides a safety net. The last significant purchase she made was an Alan Ardiff necklace to celebrate a new book contract.
She describes it as wearable art that brings her happiness and represents excellent value. She and her partner are currently saving for a trip to Japan, following their Iceland adventure. Money, she says, no, but jewellery, yes, because they were burgled a few years ago and a lot of her jewellery was stolen. Webb has never been a gambler, noting that writing for children and trying to make a living from it is already enough of a gamble.
Her best money habit is keeping receipts; her worst is buying too many books, sometimes duplicates, which is where those receipts become useful. Like many people, she lost the habit of carrying cash during the Covid pandemic; now she only has a few loose coins for the supermarket trolley in her wallet. The interview was part of the "Me & My Money" series, which explores how people manage their finances.
This piece was published alongside other news headlines about personal finance, technology, and current events, but the core narrative remains Webb's insights on earning, saving, and spending as a creative professional
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