Are you a saver or a spender?
A bit of both. I like to save for a rainy day, but my family and I love to travel, sports and all sorts of hobbies, so we happily spend money on things like family holidays and activities.
Do you shop around for better value?
Always. I like to get great quality at a good price, and I use the internet extensively for comparisons. At the same time, I like to do business with people who value me as a customer and who know about the products they sell. I want to be rewarded for long-term loyalty with great service and value. I have many long-term relationships with people I have been dealing with for many years. When I see people offering their new customers better value than their long-term customers I tend to move on.
What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost?
I have recently succumbed to another mid-life crisis and splashed out on a new carbon aero road bike. It cost several thousand euro, but when you look at the cost benefit analysis it is worth every penny.
What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?
For me, money spent on education, health and fitness is always money well spent. I cycle to work a few times a week and that's a 30km round trip. This saves petrol, keeps me fit and is good for the environment so my new bike is easy to justify.
How do you prefer to shop – online or local?
I like supporting local businesses and developing relationships with people I can trust who know their stuff. However, I am big fan of online shopping for all sorts of commodity items and for price comparisons.
Do you haggle over prices?
I'm a great believer in asking. With any given purchase I think it's wise to ask yourself what is the best value I can get? I always ask for a discount on a substantial spend and it usually reaps rewards – I will generally get a discount or something extra thrown in.
Has the recession changed your spending habits?
I think the recession helped our whole family think twice and look for value. However, it is the environment that is really changing how we spend in our household. Our children are really interested and committed to spending in ways that are environmentally friendly. We have radically changed over recent years and try to avoid single-use plastics. I am dismayed to see so many vegetables, fruit and other items packaged in plastic. It can be very hard to avoid plastics these days, so we source most of our vegetables and fruit from a small, local organic business.
Do you invest in shares?
Yes, but I have significant independence restrictions, so I tend to have a small number of long term "hold" stocks as well as some investments in some small entrepreneurial businesses.
Cash or card?
I rarely make purchases with cash anymore. In fact, for most of my day-to-day expenses I use my mobile wallet. In the past, debit and credit cards gave cash a run for their money, but now payment by phone is leading the race. Given the work that I do with clients – particularly those in the fintech space – I'm always looking at ways to make payment systems more efficient.
What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?
Christmas presents for close friends and family. I think they were all well received, so, although it would be more efficient to buy them in the sales, I think it was money well spent.
Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?
I remember saving up for our first house, which at the time seemed a huge amount of money for a very small house. However, looking back it was great to get on the property ladder and within a few years we were through the hump and could afford furniture!
Have you ever lost money?
Yes. I escaped most of the crash and count myself very lucky, but some of the shares in my pension were wiped out.
Are you a gambler and, if so, have you ever had a big win?
I'm not a gambling man and so I have no gambling wins – big or small – to report. That also means there are no losses to share, so I'm happy with that.
Is money important to you?
Yes, in that it keeps the wolf from the door and funds our family, but health and happiness are our priorities, and they can't be bought.
How much money do you have on you now?
Right now, I have zero cash – two cards and my phone.
In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea
