Are you a saver or a spender?
Mostly a saver. I think one’s attitude to money is determined partly by personality, taste and general outlook, upbringing and actual financial status. I have a taste for the good things in life, and therefore the desire to spend on them, but this is tempered by circumstances.
Do you shop around for better value?
That would be my inclination. I tend to buy things like clothes and shoes, furniture and household goods in the sales. In business, I would get several quotes before making a purchase.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I bought a bottle of rather good Scotch for £72 not very long ago. It is surprisingly delicious. (Note the present tense; it is being measured out in coffee spoons.) I consider that very extravagant, but, hey, I was in Scotland.
What purchase do you consider the best value for money?
Our car is elderly and none too comfortable, but it is reliable and very flexible – and it was extremely good value second- hand. If I were rich, I would have a comfortable car.
How do you prefer to shop – online or local?
Locally. I only use online if I can’t get hold of something in the usual way – an out-of-print book, for example, or something from another country. Besides, shopping is a social exercise and a pleasure. Not to mention the importance of supporting local business people.
Do you haggle over prices?
No. Well, I might in a souk, I suppose, although I have never been in a souk, I am sorry to say. In business, if someone quotes me a price (a printer, say), I accept that that is their best price – I don’t haggle; but if I get a better price elsewhere, I take that offer. The end result is the same: I pay less but without the grief.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?
Not really. I have never been terribly flush, and so I have always been a fairly careful spender.
Do you invest in shares?
Hardly at all. Investing in shares would come very low on my list of fun ways to spend an afternoon.
Cash or card?
Card. I hardly ever carry much cash, I always use a credit – sometimes a debit – card. It’s a matter of convenience. I pay it off every month.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
The last thing I bought was a Starbucks cappuccino in Bordeaux airport. It cost €5 and was disgusting.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
I don’t save for specific items. I did save for a deposit to buy my first house, but that was a long time back.
Have you ever lost money?
I’ve never been robbed – though I have been burgled – or lost my wallet. I suppose I lost money on things like Eircom shares but not awfully large amounts. So the answer is not really, no.
Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?
No. I don’t do the Lotto, I don’t even know how. Running a publishing business does involve a leap of faith, but I have super support and we proceed with caution.
Is money important to you?
As a publisher, it is very important to me that there is enough money available to us to fund our fabulous books. Personally, I want to know I have enough so I can pay my bills and have the occasional treat; but after that, I can't say I find it all that interesting. So, important but boring. Like vitamins.
How much money do you have on you now?
I have €20 in my pocket, but it belongs to Little Island. I have a few notes of my own, maybe €50, €70, in my bag, which is no doubt somewhere close.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
