It may sound like a classic tabloid sting, but actually it’s an accurate description of my Monday. It started at Gatwick, I dressed up in a pilot’s uniform, and with four models in stewardess uniform we recreated the ‘Catch Me If You Can / Virgin 25 year advert’ scene. It ended by us zipping off to Dublin for...

“You can’t spend what you haven’t got – simples!”.  That was one response on Facebook to my reminder that www.financialeducationpetition.com ends on Wed. For me the statement, while well meant, is simply wrong, and this type of misinformation is one reason why we desperately need financial education in schools. Now before getting into it I should say...

Friday evening I popped into the Westfield Gap in London. I needed to replenish the bottom half of my on-air uniform (stripey shirts and boot cut jeans) as some pairs are starting to fray. As a good MSE I had been waiting for a decent voucher before I went in and bought a few needed pairs. So...

I’m not a number, I’m a free man! More’s the bloomin pity. I’m appalling at remembering people’s names, even worse at friends’ children’s names – yet give me a number to remember and it’s a doddle.  It’s a particular problem when I’m filming programmes, as I’m often in someone’s house going through their intimate finances and then suddenly...

It could be all the rage, Radio 1 have created me a special ring tone to compete with the Crazy Frog. Not that I had anything to do with it though – I only found out after a raft of emails alerting me to the Scott Mills Radio 1, programme last Thursday…  On its “Oh! What’s Occuring?”...

Yesterday evening, I was doing a vox pop for BBC1 Watchdog outside Euston station, on how changes in peak time train times are making some pay more. Then amongst the people walking past was a more than familiar face… Heading to get a train home to Manchester was my Uncle Tony (I’d seen him earlier in the...

My frustration with Tesco from yesterday abated somewhat, I suspect it wilted a little after some of the approbation and many people will be able to get the 50% off deal for a couple of hours tomorrow… The initial deal… In this week’s email my top deal was the following, Exclusive! Tesco.com Fri 2hr Flash Sale 50%...

I walked to my polling station this morning – past the blue rosettes (David Cameron lives two streets away) and placed my vote. I had no polling card so walked in, told them my name and address, and placed my vote (see the how to vote without a polling card news story). Yet to get a resident’s...

It always amuses me when you see ‘vox-pops’ on US TV that everyone there seems a born communicator – perhaps because public speaking is often focused on in schools. Last night I had a fascinating evening – as a judge at the charity Speakers Banks’ Financially Speaking awards for London, where 13-14 years olds are challenged to...

There’s been a spate of adds for payday or instant iPhone loan companies recently, and my mailbags started to be peppered with comments such as: “Martin you really should make a stance about these loan companies that charge interest at 2000% – surely they should be closed down.” Many incorrectly refer to these as loan sharks –...