ME AND MY MONEY:Leo Moran, The Saw Doctors
Are you a saver or a spender?I'm more of a spender than a saver, though I wouldn't win any awards in either pursuit. I did the Government savings scheme and have continued it since its maturation; other than that I'm a spender.
What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?About 10 years ago I bought a boat and engine for fishing on Lough Corrib; I have family who live on the shore and I always loved going out in the boat when I was a child. My boat and engine came to around £6,000; it's no yacht in the south of France, but I love it.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? I've owned two 1990 Toyota Carinas, both found for me by the same friend. The first I bought for £1,300 in 1997; it had 180,000 miles on it at the time and the head gasket blew last Christmas with 340,000 miles on the clock. He found me the same car, different colour, a few months ago, for €50, and it passed the NCT on first attempt. They're great cars; people just don't seem to want to be seen driving that kind of vehicle anymore.
Do you haggle over prices?Haggling isn't in my nature. I can see how people like the sport of it but it's not for me.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?I didn't have any extravagant spending habits during the boom times so I'm lucky that the recession hasn't significantly changed my patterns. I'm certainly more aware of prices and value, and I'm often amazed at the prices retailers can sell things for now compared to what they were charging three years ago.
Cash or card?Whichever is handiest at the time. I often wonder how we managed before the advent of the hole in the wall: queuing up in banks on Thursdays and Fridays, cashing wage cheques in pubs and shops. There was a bit more work to it back then!
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?I bought a black jacket with shiny buttons at a stall in Glastonbury for a tenner. I'm knocking great wear out of it, so you'd have to say that was good value.
Have you ever lost money?I haven't lost any more than an odd twenty on a horse or a dog or a match. I've had no investments to have lost in that sense of 'losing money'.
Is money important to you?I love having money in my pocket and being able to afford what I need and want. For that I'm very thankful. As far as amassing large quantities of it, I'm not driven towards that. I'd just hope that if I'm around a while I'll be able to pay the nursing home.
How much money do you have on you now?I have €72 in my pocket this morning – not too bad after a post-gig night out in Galway.
The Saw Doctors new album The Further Adventures of the Saw Doctorsis released in September. For further information, see sawdoctors.com
