'Spending has ceased to be a habit'

ME AND MY MONEY: ANTON SAVAGE, Consultant and presenter

Are you a saver or a spender?

Neither. I was a spender. Now I’m a ‘use-every-penny-to-pay-debter’. I hope someday to have enough money to allow me to be a saver. So I can spend it.

Do you shop around for better value?

It has been several years since I’ve had the money to spend on anything other than food and fuel. I did change from expensive dog food to Pedigree a few months ago though. For the dog. Obviously. Things aren’t that bad. Yet.

What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?

My house. €225,000.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?

My couch. It is exquisite. Naff. But exquisite. It is a huge leather reclining thing. Fabulous. I spent an obscene amount of money on it. Several hundred euro for something that doesn’t allow for internal combustion is expensive in my world.

Have you ever crossed the Border to shop?No.

Do you haggle over prices?No.

Has the recession changed your spending habits?Yes. Spending has ceased to be a habit.

Do you invest in shares?I did. Bank shares. Guess how that went?

Cash or card?Cash. I don't have any cards. Cards give you access to your money and your overdraft. If I had access to money, I'd spend it. So if I want money, I've got to queue in a branch which is so miserable I mainly just hunt for food in the bins outside Marks & Spencer. For the dog. Honest.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? A wetsuit. In Aldi. Fabulous value. €30. I will almost certainly never wear it, but when I saw it advertised I got a sudden wetsuit-shaped hole in my life and a yearning to drive to Aldi (or Lidl, I get mixed up). Being totally honest, I actually wanted to buy the chainsaw trousers, but I couldn’t afford them. Or the chainsaw.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?

Hahahahahahaha. No. That’s why God gave us bank debt.

Have you ever lost money?

Yes. All of it.

Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?

I didn’t think I was a gambler. I was a canny investor. You know, sensible stuff like property and bank shares. In relation to whether or not I ever had ‘a big win’ I refer you to my previous answer.

Is money important to you?

Yes. I would really, really like to have some.

How much money do you have on you now?

None. See above. Although a colleague of mine has a change jar which I fill with IOU’s in exchange for stealing toll bridge money, so if I’m allowed include that, then I’m probably worth about €4.35.

Anton Savage is managing director of the Communications Clinic. In conversation with CLAIRE O'MAHONY