Me & My Money: Irene Queally, Pip & Pear Chilled Baby Foods

Are you a saver or a spender? I like to have "just in case" reserves in place for a rainy day. In saying that I am definitely a spender at heart, especially on shoes, which are my guilty pleasure!

Do you shop around for better value? Yes, particularly for holidays, hotels, flights and car rentals – though sometimes this is not a great idea as we've ended up with some very sketchy cars throughout the years. Thankfully, this has left us with some funny family memories.

What has been your most extravagant purchase and how much did it cost? That would have to be my 1963 Vespa. I saved long and hard and had to get it reconditioned, which took six months. I waited patiently and it looked absolutely amazing. However, on my very first spin I crashed it – I was utterly devastated to say the least. Unharmed but devastated.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money? That would have to be our home. My husband and I love having the space for our children to run around. Our house is only a 15-minute walk to work and a five-minute walk to the kids' school. I can't imagine living anywhere else.

How do you prefer to shop – online or local? I'm a big local supporter. I try and buy everything in Waterford as we have so much to offer here.

I truly believe in buying Irish and feel it is becoming incredibly important for Irish parents to know exactly where their food is coming from. The sourcing of our ingredients is one of our priorities, all of our meat is Irish and Bord Bia approved and our fish is Bord Iascaigh Mhara approved.

Do you haggle over prices? On big things, yes; on small things, no. I used to have a boutique clothes shop, and people would browse around, buy one item and then interestingly look for big discounts. It used to drive me crazy. I suppose not everyone realises the pressure on smaller retailers and this is why it's so important to support our local stores.

Has the recession changed your spending habits? One hundred per cent. I am definitely more careful and price aware when it comes to shopping nowadays for both my family and myself.

Do you invest in shares? I don't buy shares but I do invest in exchange traded funds as they offer more stable growth for the majority of investors.

Cash or card? Card, I never have cash on my person.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money? The last thing I bought was dinner for some friends, the food was delicious and the craic was mighty.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase? Yes, my first car, which I bought outright, was my first big purchase. I remember feeling a great sense of satisfaction. Learning the importance and value of money is something that we try to teach our children, Tilda and Luca, although at the moment all they are interested in is buying the latest Peppa Pig and Lego!

Have you ever lost money? I have, and what a nasty feeling that is. Every business owner over the last 10 years has at some point, it's all part of business. I hope for more wins, and to learn from the losses.

Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win? If starting my own business makes me a gambler, then yes.

Is money important to you? Yes, money is important in the sense that we need to provide for our family. It is certainly not the be all and end all, and I definitely class health and wellbeing of utmost importance.

How much money do you have on you now? I don't normally carry around cash which can be a good and a bad thing – I don't even have pockets in this outfit!

In conversation with Tony Clayton-Lea

pipandpear.ie