Are you a saver or a spender?
Both. I have and maintain a pension but the demands on our business mean we are constantly spending and reinvesting to maintain standards.
Do you shop around for better value?
Yes, I do. I would always try and get three quotes for any major capital works or expenditure. I also believe you get what you pay for. I am happy and would expect to pay a premium for quality.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I bought a brand-new red Wrangler Jeep when I moved to Dubai in 1998. I was in my late-20s and had some savings, having worked in Hong Kong. I can’t remember the exact cost, but it wasn’t cheap. It was great fun and I used to go off-roading through the desert and mountains on my days off. I was working at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel at the time and my work pals used to unkindly refer to it as Noddy’s car.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
We converted some old stone farm buildings in the farmyard into a beautiful, rustic yet glam wedding and event space. It has given us a good return on our investment over the years. On a personal level, it is also really satisfying to see the old buildings be used and loved again, as they had fallen into disrepair and were about to fall down.
How do you prefer to shop – online or local?
I try to shop local for the business where possible. We source many of our food ingredients for the house from local artisan producers and we use local suppliers. I live in rural Co Cork, so I shop online for clothes, and for bits and pieces I can’t find locally.
Do you haggle over prices?
I believe you get what you pay for and sometimes you have to be willing to pay a fair price.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?
Yes, for sure. When we put on events, they have to be commercially viable. Prior to the recession, some of the events lost money or broke even, but there is no room for risk anymore. Financial discipline is extremely important. We prepare P&Ls [profit and loss statements] for all our events, and if they don’t add up we don’t run them.
Do you invest in shares?
Yes. I rely on my pension adviser for this. We meet a couple of times a year to review my pension plan.
Cash or card?
Nearly always card.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
I have a tweed cap fetish. I bought a gorgeous hairy tweed cap from Laird Hatters in Cambridge when visiting family recently. I wear it all the time.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
An Omega watch in Dubai. It was from a shop located in the hotel I worked in. The watch winked at me every time I passed by the shop window. I saved up for several months, bought it, and I still wear it 20 years on.
Have you ever lost money?
Yes. I opened a restaurant called O’Brien Chop House in Lismore, Co Waterford in 2008, which was bang in the middle of the economic crisis. I decided to close the business after four years as we sadly couldn’t make it pay. It performed well at weekends and during the summer months but the lack of footfall during the winter months meant it wasn’t viable. Despite losing around €40,000, I paid-off all our staff, suppliers and, of course, any taxes due. It was a shame, as I was very proud of it. We had a super team working there.
Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?
I never gamble. I worry I might become addicted!
Is money important to you?
No, not really. It is a means to an end. The business of the house washes its face and that is the best we can hope for given our location and the cost and nature of it. Bertha’s Revenge Gin is profitable, and we are ambitious and optimistic for it in the future.
How much money do you have on you now?
There’s nothing at all in my wallet right now.
