Are you a saver or a spender? I'm more of a spender than a saver, to be honest, so when I have money I tend to find a home for it fairly quickly.
Do you shop around for better value? For most things I would. However, as I grow older I find I am consuming less and am now focusing more on better quality at a good price.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost? I bought a collection of very rare and old bottles of Irish whiskey dating back to the early 20th century at auction a few years ago. It cost a pretty penny but I see it more as an investment and my role in safeguarding part of Irish whiskey history.
What purchase do you consider the best value for money? I would say the investment in my ongoing executive education over the years has really stood to me. Also, both my brother and I bought some casks of very old Irish single malt a few years back that we have done pretty well out of.
What ways do you prefer to shop – online or local? Mainly local for anything tangible that you need to touch, taste or try on before you buy, but I'm willing to buy most things online if the price is right or if I'm too lazy to pound the pavements trying to find it.
Do you haggle over prices? When I can I will. The best thing about buying locally is the ability to do a little horse-trading.
Has the recession changed your spending habits? Not really, as I was never an extravagant spender. However, the recession did throw out some very attractive investment options that took any available cash I had at the time.
Do you invest in shares? Yes, I do, and have been tracking shares since I was probably around 12.
Cash or card? Both. I will always have cash on me but for larger purchases I prefer to use a card.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? I'm recently back from a short break with my family in Castlemartyr in East Cork, and for the enjoyment we got from it was definitely good value for money.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? I remember my first big purchase was a Super Nintendo back when I was around 15, and for which I scraped and saved everything I could for nearly a year in order to buy it.
Have you ever lost money? Hasn't everyone? Investing in shares over the years definitely produced a few losers, but I have been lucky they have been balanced out by a few winners.
Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win? I would say I am not a gambler, but that I'm happy to take on a calculated risk.
Is money important to you? I am more interested in the purpose of money – in that it allows for a comfortable standard of living – rather than solely the pursuit of money.
How much money do you have on you now? A mixture of different currencies – €76.23, £10 and $28.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
