Daragh Murphy, founder of Hairy Baby T-Shirts

Are you a saver or a spender?

I’m trying to be a saver at the moment, but I’m desperate for getting roped in by those daft things you see in Aldi or Lidl that nobody really needs. It’s only a matter of time before I arrive home with a scuba suit or a saddle.

Do you shop around for better value?

Definitely, and online is where I tend to do most of it. The ability to compare prices from different online stores with a few clicks of a mouse far outweighs traipsing up and down the high street (usually when it’s lashing rain) for the same purpose.

What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?

It would have to be my car. It cost me 30k a few years back, but in my defence, I have worked day and night for the last seven years for my business and felt I deserved it.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?

It has to be my iPhone – hands down it is just the best invention of this century. I go to a fair few trade shows abroad and, since I got it, there’s no more lugging around the heavy laptop, waiting for it to boot up after you’ve spent an hour looking for a power socket.

Just bring the iPhone instead. Job done.

Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?

No, I think most cross-Border shopping tends to be groceries and it’s just too much of a trek from where I live in Cork. I do try very hard to shop local and shop Irish, although as it takes me ages to do the weekly shop, you’d probably be up and back from the North quicker.

Do you haggle over prices?

Yes, much to my wife’s embarrassment. I always see her backing away quietly when the haggling begins but, hey, if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Has the recession changed your spending habits?

Of course, we all know where we are with the current economic climate, so there’s no need to harp on about that. There’s nothing embarrassing about wanting value for money now.

Do you invest in shares?

No, I would love to have picked up a few Facebook shares, but it looks like Bono beat us all to it.

Cash or card?

Mostly card, but debit more than credit. If I can buy online using a debit card, I will always go for that option first, as it’s better to know how much you have to spend with a debit card instead of letting the bank buy it with your credit card, and you pay them back four thousand times as much later.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?

I bought the Apple TV system because I thought it would be a great idea to be able to stream movies from my laptop to my TV without having to get up off the couch, but I never get a chance to watch much TV, so I suppose it was really a waste of money. It just sits under the TV doing nothing.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?

Yes, we (myself and my wife Dee) saved €15,000 for a new kitchen last year with the good old credit union.

Have you ever lost money?

Yeah, but not on the horses or anything like that. I lost my wallet a few years back. I think it happened between Croke Park and Heuston Station after the All Ireland. There wasn’t any drink involved, but it was only when I went to pay for one that I noticed it was gone. It had €120 in it and it was like losing a limb.

Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?

No, I couldn’t win an argument. Back in the 1990s, I lived above a bookies in London and I quickly learned that I was absolutely useless at backing horses, so thankfully no gambling habits ever formed.

Is money important to you?

It wasn't before when I was a single man blowing my wages at the weekend, but it's all changed for me now. In the last seven to eight years, I started a new business ( hairybaby.com) and more recently tedstees.com, got married, had a child and bought a house. Just missing the dog, really. So yes would be the answer, it's a very different picture now.

How much money do you have on you now?

I have €50 in my wallet right now, but that’s because the ATM was only giving out 50s – I hate when they do that. All I wanted was €20 to get a few bits and pieces. Now I’ll end up going to Aldi and spend the rest on a 500-piece socket set, a fly-fishing kit and a campfire stove.