Are you a saver or a spender?
The question presumes I get money in the first place! As an entrepreneur I really don't. Small amounts of money I spend, but any large financial windfalls I am very cautious with.
Do you shop around for better value?
Not for small things. The time invested isn't worth it. Service and quality are more important.
For higher-end goods, I will certainly look around but I don’t have an expensive lifestyle.
After my house, my laptop is probably my single most expensive possession.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I bought a lazy-boy-style leather sofa for €2,200, which I thought was extortion at the time but it has served me well.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
A Samsung HDTV I bought about seven years ago. Still going strong.
Too many devices are now made with what the manufacturers called “planned obsolescence”. My father’s first TV lasted a few decades.
I don’t like the new ‘buy and discard’ approach to things now. I want my purchases to last.
What ways do you prefer to shop – online or local?
For a guy who is very much connected to the internet industry and technology, I still like to buy local.
I use Adverts.ie for buying second hand stuff, though – although I guess that’s sort of “local” too!
Do you haggle over prices?
No. I hate arguing over money, even asking for loans back! I only haggle in Thailand where it's treated like a game, it's expected and everyone has a laugh doing it.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?
I hate to say this but no. I'm single, I don't drive or smoke and I prefer Battlefield 4 to a pub, so for me a lot of things have actually gotten cheaper if anything.
Do you invest in shares?
Only in companies I'm going to be involved in. I used to work with share brokers.
If a broker is trying to sell you something, why doesn’t he buy it himself? It’s not like he’s short of money, but they are typically funded by a bank!
Cash or card?
Cash. I use my card for online purchases and sometimes when I'm caught without cash but I prefer the certainty of cash and I have grave fears around society sleepwalking into complete digital currency. Look at how the US pressured Paypal to simply refuse to process Wikileaks donations. That's scary.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
Presuming you don't mean the jam Danish in the Spar this morning, I would say it was a Nexus 7 tablet and yes, I've found it to be very good value for money.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
No. When investments I have made have paid off I've planned out what to spend that money on, but it tends to be a feast or a famine for me.
I save for a holiday every year, but since there is just me, myself and I, that doesn’t cost a great deal!
I like to travel so that’s probably what I save up for most often.
Have you ever lost money?
Well there was that pox-ridden nag in the 3.30 at Cheltenham once.
Oh, erm, no, I’m rarely flush enough to lose anything significant.
Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?
I used to be a professional poker player. I have had nights of winning more than €1,000. I don't gamble but the people who sit down to play with me do!
Is money important to you?
Money is a means to an end, it shouldn't be an end in itself. When I die, I want my last cheque to bounce.
Seriously, if you define yourself by how much money you make or have, then that’s sad. To me, money facilitates experiences.
Those are important. They are what I chase.
How much money do you have on you now?
€3.91 cent – and a jam Danish.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
