LIZ HUGHES, Head of ACCA Ireland (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants)

Are you a saver or a spender? A bit of both. I have had a pension since I was in my early 20s, but I am a spender when it comes to travel. I believe experiences are worth investing in.

Do you shop around for better value? Absolutely. I think, as consumers, it is important to get the best possible value, and that is not just limited to cost alone. I also believe it is important to support Irish companies and I buy Irish whenever I can.

What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost? It has to be my home, purchased in 2009. The figures involved can still evoke shivers. Only another 25 years to go and it will all be mine.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? It is linked to the house purchase. I was advised to invest wisely in a good couch, advice I very much heeded. I also feel that it is important to buy Irish wherever possible, so I opted for a couch made by Finline Furniture in Laois. It's still in perfect condition; I just wish I could spend more time relaxing on it!

How do you prefer to shop – online or local? It depends what I am looking for – although I have to admit that I like getting a good bargain every now and then on websites like Groupon, and I usually use price comparison websites for everything from insurance to hotels.

Do you haggle over prices? Sometimes, it depends on whether I feel the item has been correctly priced or not. Homework is vital before attempting this exercise! I'll generally haggle when I'm on holidays (where nobody knows me). I always associate haggling with The Life of Brian and as a result consider myself a poor haggler.

Has the recession changed your spending habits? Yes, to a degree. I was saving for a home during the Celtic Tiger years so I was not exactly painting the town red every night. I think the recession brought everyone's spending into focus, and there is a greater level of rainy day saving, as we clearly didn't know what was around the corner.

Do you invest in shares? No, any ventures in the stock market did not go well for me so I stay clear. You have to have a good deal of luck to be successful on the stock market.

Cash or card? A mixture of both, cash for everyday spending and credit card for clothes, holidays, etc.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? My main indulgence is travel so the last big investment was a recent trip to Berlin.

The shopping was excellent value and the highlight was the Cold War cycling tour; it is a period of history that I did not know much about, but the experience of this and the city itself was definitely value for money.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? Besides my house, I took some time off to travel South America a few years ago and had to save furiously for that. There were a lot of packed lunches and nights in!

Are you a gambler, and if so have you ever had a big win? I have been known to have a flutter on the horses around Cheltenham and Galway. I will rarely bet on favourites; the price has to be 5/1 and above.

The most I’ve ever won is about €100, but I suppose I’ll never become a millionaire with €5 each-way bets.

Is money important to you? Yes, as a means to an end, the end being the goal. I think we've changed our attitude to money since the Celtic Tiger. It is still important, but for a lot of people priorities have now changed. Work has become more about self-satisfaction than big salaries.

How much money do you have on you now? €27.83.

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea