Are you a saver or a spender?
Both really, but probably more of a spender as I have three young kids, so that doesn’t leave much to save. When I can, I try to save and have done so at various stages of my life, but it wasn’t always possible.
Do you shop around for better value?
I always do. As a sports agent, it is all about making deals happen and getting the best possible deals for my clients. That, naturally, transfers over to my personal life. I always aim to get good value but I won’t compromise on quality.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I bought a Harley Davidson when I was a professional rugby player back in 1999. I’m pretty sure it was about £6,500, so maybe not a huge extravagance, but it was a bit flash. I had snapped my knee ligaments in the second game of the season and knew I was out injured for at least nine months so as I had always wanted one, I just thought, what the hell!
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
It would have to be my house. This is probably a common enough answer, but it was definitely good value and should be a valuable asset for a long time.
How do you prefer to shop – online or local?
A bit of both, really. I’d generally buy things like clothes and food in person, but I will buy online for lots of things like electronics, travel and presents for the kids.
Do you haggle over prices?
Yes, but within reason. I don’t like to be too aggressive and risk losing a deal, and I will only haggle when I know the person is open to doing a deal.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?
Not necessarily, as I had a big mortgage and was just starting into having kids when it hit. Plus, I also started my own business in January 2011 – salary-wise, I took a drop of over 50 per cent so there literally wasn’t much to spend or save.
Do you invest in shares?
Not anymore. I invested in shares once in 2006 and lost heavily when the recession kicked in. They weren’t risky shares, but it reminded me that I am useless at cards and gambling. I vowed not to go near shares again and, to date, I haven’t.
Cash or card?
With the advent of ‘tap’, I never carry cash anymore. This annoys me at times as I like to tip and I never seem to have any cash/coins on me so I end up doing it on the card, which doesn’t feel the same. Also, for work, it’s so much easier to keep my accountant happy by having a record of my spending, so I use cards all the time.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
A flight to London to see clients and, yes, it was good value. I need to go to New York on business, too, but I can’t get good value right now so I’m putting it off for the moment.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
Yes, when I signed for London Irish back in 1996 as a professional rugby player I saved as much as I could for the first year – so much so that in 12 months I had a deposit saved to buy an apartment. My salary was 10 times what I was earning as a trainee chartered accountant so, in a way, it was easy to save, but I still had the discipline to save, which was important.
Have you ever lost money?
God, yes . . on the shares as I mentioned, but the worst was an investment property I bought in 2003 in Birmingham. I bought it for £153,000 and sold it for £78,000 in 2010. It was the only time I bought an investment property and, similar to my experience with shares, I vowed never again to have more than one mortgage. I did no research at all on it, so it was a valuable and costly lesson. I won’t make that mistake again.
Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?
I’m an appalling gambler. In 1997, I once played poker on a train to Manchester with my London Irish teammates. In five minutes, I was down £350, which at the time was a lot of money, so I have barely gambled since. The best gamble was proposing to my wife after only knowing her for four months – the big win was she said yes and we are still very happily married.
Is money important to you?
Yes, as you literally can’t do anything without it. It’s important that I have enough to live a comfortable life and give my family a good life. I have taken two big drops in salary, the first was 75 per cent when I was forced to retire from pro rugby, and the second was about 50 per cent when I started Navy Blue Sports. I have always believed that if you work hard, make sacrifices, and believe in what you are doing, then things like money look after themselves.
How much money do you have on you now?
Nothing, not even a coin!
