Are you a saver or a spender?
Usually I’m a spender, but we’re about to get a whole load of work done to the house, so we’re trying to save every penny at the minute.
Do you shop around for better value?
I suppose it depends how you define “value”. I always try to shop around for better quality – the wine I’m buying, coffee, beer, places to eat. I am interested in getting the best product for what I can afford or justify.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
We recently secured a bar licence to open a taproom at our brewery. We’re in Northern Ireland, so that was not an easy thing to do. It took years and cost a fortune, so I bought a really expensive bottle of wine to celebrate with my wife. I’m too embarrassed to say how much it cost, but some things just need celebrating extravagantly!
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
We just bought electric toothbrushes for the family. My teeth have never felt cleaner! It seems like it was a worthwhile investment that gave massive value for money.
How did you prefer to shop during the Covid-19 restrictions – online or local?
We tried to combine both by buying online from local places. My buying habits, and expectations of convenience when purchasing, have changed significantly throughout Covid. Fortunately, however, we experienced the same at the brewery. We’ve been able to survive the last two years because so many people started buying online directly from us.
Do you haggle over prices?
No because I know what it’s like to own a business. It frustrates me when people do it to me, so I try not to do it with others.
How has the Covid-19 crisis changed your spending habits?
Amazon has wrecked me! I find myself expecting to buy anything and everything now within seconds, from my phone. And I expect it to arrive tomorrow, which is mad. We’re trying to be more conscious of that now.
Do you invest in shares?
No, not yet, although it’s something we would consider when we get a little more established in life.
Cash or card?
Card, always. Even before Covid it was like that. Do people even use cash anymore?
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
Those wonderful electric toothbrushes! Brushing my teeth is often the highlight of my day. And I’m not even sorry.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
We bought a house about three years ago, and I’m still not quite sure how we managed to do that! It was a frightening experience, particularly when we had to actually transfer the down payment. My wife and I had a last-minute family emergency trip to the US. I was standing in line in US immigration in Dublin airport, hot-spotting from my phone to my Mac, trying to transfer an obscene amount of money to the solicitors. You’re not allowed on any devices in that area of US immigration.
Have you ever lost money?
Just to my children when they beat me at Uno. Never bet what you can’t afford to lose!
Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?
My wife is from Nevada, and we lived there for a few years together before moving home in 2010. I played a lot of poker over there, probably too much. Fortunately, I’m not too bad at it and won a nice chunk of change over time. We splashed it all on our first wedding anniversary, went out to the California coast, and spent it on things we couldn’t normally afford. It was great!
Is money important to you?
No, not really. The way I see it, none of it is really mine, anyway. I try to think of it as something to steward. That helps me approach financial decisions loosely.
How much money do you have on you now?
I have £20. I have a weekend of Uno playing planned and I’d like to double it.
- In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
