ME and MY MONEY: STEPHEN FLYNNco-owner Happy Pear deli
Are you a saver or a spender?Definitely a spender. I'm not really one to save for tomorrow. I love sharing what I have and I enjoying spending it today. I always seem to feel that if I need money in the future – to buy something big – then life presents opportunities. Provided I make the most of these I generally get what I need.
Do you shop around for better value?Very seldom. I'm normally happy to spend a little more in order to support local businesses. I tend to value quality over price and I'd sooner buy something that is convenient and a little more expensive than spend extra time looking for a cheaper price.
What has been your most extravagant purchase ever?On a bit of whim I managed to borrow a six-figure sum with my twin brother and we started our business with it. We've been having great fun with it since.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
Definitely The Happy Pear business. I love my work, and although it was expensive to start and is expensive to run I get so much purpose and joy out of it.
Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?
Once I went up North to help my mom to get a few bits for her house – stuff that she couldn’t get down here.
Do you haggle over prices?Only if I feel something is over priced or someone is over- charging. Normally, I'm happy to pay a fair price or even slightly above normal for something of good quality. In the current economic climate, it's a great time to get good value.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?Not at all. I've never been one to buy much beyond what I need. I feel money is simply a means to an end.
Do you invest in shares?No. I studied business in college and I've been put off the share stuff since then. I would only invest in a company if I knew the business directly and firmly believed in what they were doing.
Cash or card?I often buy things online – such as clothes, shoes and books. So card for that. Cash for most other things.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?I bought an Icebreaker vest that cost €60 – great products from New Zealand. It keeps me warm and never seems to get smelly.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?Not yet. I never seem to want anything too expensive that I don't have the money for. My partner and I just had a baby girl so maybe now we'll start putting some money aside for her and for our family's future.
Have you ever lost money?I remember when we first started the shop, we borrowed lots of money that we hadn't earned. So we didn't really understand the value of it. As a result we spent lots of it quite foolishly. This sort of feels like we may as well have lost it.
Is money important to you?No. It definitely has great value in that it enables me to purchase things that I can't make or grow myself. But I have zero interest in accumulating money. Someone once described an attitude to money that I admire. "Money is like manure. If you pile it up in one place it smells. But if you share it with those around you, good always results and everyone prospers."
How much money do you have on you now?€20. I live next to the business and get all my food there. I live a pretty simple life that doesn't require much money. I only take my wallet with me when I'm leaving Greystones. Greystones is my 'bubble'.
The Happy Pear, Greystones, Co Wicklow. See thehappypear.ie
