The new series of It Pays To Watch starts next week, and one of the first few programmes is about credit cards. As part of it, I’ve been racking my brains to come up with a new way to describe the Credit Card Shuffle; one of the most powerful but tough-to-explain systems for saving money on cards.
Then I had a Eureka moment: turn it into a visual science experiment, moving the money across using liquids that don’t mix. I’ve just come back from filming it in a giant lab at London Metropolitan University.
When did you last use a Bunsen burner?
This lab was nothing like those I remember from school. A vast labyrinth of desks, each with computers, monitors and all the lab kit. At one point I had to light a Bunsen burner.
Now unless you’re a scientist, like me you probably haven’t done that since you were at school. Strange isn’t it: a piece of equipment that was once so familiar, but then disappeared.
Being there rekindled my love of science at school. And it wasn’t just me either; Guy, the assistant producer who mixed the honey, washing-up liquid, blackcurrant juice and coloured honey for the tubes was loving it. Before It Pays To Watch he worked on the Daily Mail money desk and I think he was relishing working with the visuals.
Emily, the producer/director wasn’t quite as impressed, but then again she was more into arts than sciences at school. She still thought the visuals were fab though!
