‘Paying via phone has become very easy, perhaps too much’

Are you a saver or a spender? 
I'm probably a little bit of both but would certainly edge closer to the spender side of things. Although I'm conscious of saving for the rainy day fund, I think it's also important to enjoy yourself, which probably leads me to spend more than I should.

Do you shop around for better value? 
Not enough to be honest. I tell myself I need to, but I find shopping fairly excruciating so I'm usually just looking to get it done as quickly as possible and get out of there.

What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost? 
Probably my car. I bought a nice car a couple of years ago and have barely put a dent in the mileage since then so, retrospectively, yes, probably an extravagant purchase.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? 
My house. I managed to do well with it, and seeing the cost of rent over the last number of years rise it certainly has been excellent value for money.

Parties shred pension reform in pursuit of votes

---

Money matters: ‘My father embarrassed us with his haggling’

---

Big stocks are dominating like never before

---

How do you prefer to shop – online or local? 
Local. I did try online shopping for the food shop a couple of times but found it a little frustrating – just small things like the online shop not always having the full selection. On the plus side, I do find that online shopping leaves me less open to impulse buying, but in the end I still prefer shopping local.

Do you haggle over prices? 
For personal shopping, no. For business, absolutely. I'm not quite sure why I don't in my personal life – I guess it is just not the norm in the vast majority of shops anymore.

Has the recession changed your spending habits? 
I was in secondary school during the worst of the recession, so my spending habits were largely limited at that stage. Over the last decade or so, people certainly seem to be more cautious with how and where they spend their money.

There’s been a strong movement towards local produce, something which has resulted in large increases in both the craft beer and spirits markets that we operate in. We’ve also noticed that, in addition to being more conscious of contributing to the local economy, people want to know something about the culture of a company and what they stand for before they make the decision to spend their money.

Do you invest in shares? 
No, I don't, but it is something I'm actively looking at and will be doing over the next couple of years once I have the time and have saved up a little more.

Cash or card? 
Card, mainly. I've transitioned from being very cash focused a couple of years ago to predominantly using my card – although I usually now use my phone rather than the card itself, as paying via phone has become very straightforward, perhaps too much.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? 
I bought a pair of boots in the sales at Arnotts. Yes, very good value for money, I thought. I'll hopefully get a couple of winters out of them.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? 
Outside of the deposit for the house, which is obviously a big purchase, not particularly. I tend to spend money on lots of smaller events rather than one-off purchases.

Have you ever lost money? 
I've not lost money, but then I look at the car sitting idly in the driveway, depreciating by the day, and know I've lost money there and continue to do so!

Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win? 
I wouldn't be a gambler. I've been to the races once or twice and did a couple of days in Las Vegas last summer, but I gambled the bare minimum on each occasion. I've come away with more money than when I started every time, which is nice, but it's not something I really have any interest in.

Is money important to you? 
I'd be lying if I said it wasn't (as I think would most people). There are the obvious necessities in life that money is required for as well as the desirables that make life more comfortable – such as a nice holiday or drinks on a weekend with friends – that make tough weeks that little bit easier. Once I can manage that, it's not too important.

How much money do you have on you now?  
I have €5 and £10 in my wallet, as I'm just back from the UK.

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea