ME AND MY MONEY:DAVID McKERNAN, JAVA REPUBLIC
Are you a saver or spender?I'm a reasonably good spender particularly through the 'lost years', as I now refer to the Celtic Tiger.
Do you shop around for better value?I'm a great believer in using the internet for travel, kids' books, sports gear and price comparison in everything over a certain value. I love a bargain, and am much less impulsive about everything outside of sports and health.
What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?My older brother Robert rang me one day to say we should get into mountain biking every couple of days – starting the next day. He turned up with a brand new mountain bike from Halfords, while I was on a banger with a kid's seat on the back. That night, I bought a top-of-the-range Giant Red Mountain bike for $3,000, and the customs boys lobbed on another €500 as they did not believe they were spare parts. We went out three weeks later to Donabate, and when he saw the bike I just knew he would never, ever, ever go mountain biking with me again. The bike rarely gets used now, and my wife believed it cost €800. Maybe it was worth it when I think of the look on his face. Er, I hope my wife doesn't read this.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?My family home and anything to do with sports gear and health. Everything else now looks and feels overpriced.
Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?Yes, l Iove to go to the North but not for grocery or drink (I'm still a great believer in Superquinn). I buy great shirts from a cool shop called Smyth & Gibson in Belfast, and a Swiss green coffee trader has me buying Somerset's Shaving Oil from Sainsbury's. We can learn so much from the Northern welcome.
Do you haggle over prices?Like a dog.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?Acutely. In fact, I'm quite sure I will always question real value for the rest of my life.
Do you invest in shares?When I was 24, I had a bad experience with an exploration company and Waterford Glass. I'm now 42, and I would bet my savings on Google, Apple and Microsoft. Well, at least when I get my confidence back and have time to study the art of trading.
Cash or card?All cash and Laser. I avoid the other one as much as possible now.
How much money do you have on you now?£60, €40, my lucky American dollar bill and too much Ethiopian Birr.
javarepublic.com. In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
