Downshift Nation: Dropping down a brand’s becoming accepted wisdom

Supermarket habits are changing across the nation. I first came up with both the downshift challenge technique and name five or more years ago. The aim was to codify a way of dropping brands, and provide research into the savings it’d bring. Now the system seems to be mainstream and the lexis does too. I remember trying...

Martin Lewis

12 January 2009

I’m marrying a hardcore porn star…

Getting married has a few interesting consequences. One, in our case, is that the MSF is planning to change her name. However, having done a quick search check on the web, it seems her soon-to-be namesake has a rather interesting occupation.

Martin Lewis

8 January 2009

1731, 2033, 9854

These aren’t random numbers. They’re the credit or debit card pin numbers of the two people ahead of me in line and one on the next till, in the supermarket last night. I was quite surprised how obvious it was to read the pin numbers. All three simply clenched all fingers barring their first finger, which then...

Martin Lewis

6 January 2009

Happy New Year To the Tesco Honeymooners

Having nipped out on New Years eve at 6:15 to grab a tiny bit of shopping, I was listening to Radio 5 Live and heard of a couple who’d got honeymoon flights by collecting Tesco clubcard points – recycling and then converting points into airmiles. Now I must admit I’d read the story when it originally came...

Martin Lewis

2 January 2009

My first reclaim: Unfair Parking Ticket.

Update Note: To find out what happened see the Parking Fines: You can reclaim them… blog. After all these years of reclaiming campaigns like bank charges & PPI I have never actually needed to do a reclaim myself. Until now. I received an outrageous parking ticket the other day for £120 (£60 if paid within 14 days)....

Martin Lewis

2 January 2009