'When you're self-employed, you think about all the years ahead'

ME & MY MONEY: JOHN BOYNE, AUTHOR:Are you a saver or a spender? A little bit of both. I'm quite careful with money, I don't spend recklessly and I try not to buy things I'll never use. Clothes and books probably account for a lot of my spending, although I feel less guilty about the latter than the former.

Do you shop around for better value?When it comes to home improvements, a car or a new computer, I'd do a lot of research before committing.

What has been your most extravagant purchase ever and how much did it cost?Definitely our house, which we bought in 2008, when prices were still out of control. It's worth less now than it was then, but it's a home for life so I don't lose any sleep over it.

What purchase have you made that you consider the best value for money?Right now, it's my new Bose speakers, which are letting me hear things in songs I've been listening to for years that I never noticed before.

Do you haggle over prices?I'm no good at things like that, so I have to admit that I don't. I'm the easiest touch around.

Has the recession changed your spending habits?I certainly keep more control over my financial status than ever before, and am more aware of interest rates and longer-term investments which, to be honest, would have gone right over my head in the past. When you're self-employed, as a writer effectively is, you have to think about all the years ahead.

Do you invest in shares?No, but I place money in secure deposits that cannot be touched for a few years and will earn decent returns.

Cash or card?Both, but I clear my credit card every month. I don't like to pay unnecessary interest payments.

What was the last thing you bought and was it good value for money?We recently got our back garden landscaped and I thought that was good value for money for all the pleasure it can give us over a long period of time.

Have you ever successfully saved up for a relatively big purchase?When I was about 26 and working in a bookshop, I saved up for a Piaggio scooter. I broke one leg and one arm on that bike – in separate accidents – so it probably cost me twice as much in the long run, but I loved it.

Have you ever lost money?Yes. £5 in the amusement park in Kilmuckridge when I was about eight years old. There were tears. Many, many tears.

Are you a gambler and if so have you ever had a big win?No. As a student I worked in a betting shop and it turned me off gambling for life. I hated to see people just throwing so much money away; it always seemed to be those who could least afford it, too.

Is money important to you?Security is important to me. A sense that I can support myself while doing a job that I love is hugely important to me.

How much money do you have on you now?In my pockets, €3.50. In my wallet, €75, and a £10 note. And a 55 cent stamp, which I believe is legal tender.

John Boyne’s ninth novel,

The Absolutist,

will be published in May (Doubleday) johnboyne.com.