Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To find Martin Lewis really irritating?

71 replies

HadEnufff · 27/02/2024 11:12

I appreciate he means well and is trying to help people, but whenever he appears on the TV/radio I have to switch off. Why can't he be sensible and talk at a normal speed instead of trying to squeeze in as many words as possible?

OP posts:
Samsond · 27/02/2024 11:55

YABVU he's bloody brilliant. He helps people and loves doing it.

CatsAddictedToDreamies · 27/02/2024 11:59

He has ADHD as well as autism? That’s great to know. Ds1 has both diagnoses and is low about it. I have been making a point of pointing out successful people to admire. I really like him. We are putting in a council tax band review based on what he has spoken about.

Gloriosaford · 27/02/2024 12:00

I guess he is a bit intense but I'm a big fan, I think he's great 😎💕

TinkerTiger · 27/02/2024 12:03

HadEnufff · 27/02/2024 11:12

I appreciate he means well and is trying to help people, but whenever he appears on the TV/radio I have to switch off. Why can't he be sensible and talk at a normal speed instead of trying to squeeze in as many words as possible?

Why can't you hear faster? 🙄

YouveGotAFastCar · 27/02/2024 12:03

Does he have ADHD?

I knew he'd talked about autism, but hadn't heard he had ADHD, and Google doesn't seem to reveal anything either.

Teamarugula · 27/02/2024 12:09

If you struggle to process information verbally then it’s all on his website too. And no one is watching him on tv to see an audience clapping him so why would he want to waste his fixed amount of time on that instead of his actual content?

shoppingshamed · 27/02/2024 12:10

YouveGotAFastCar · 27/02/2024 12:03

Does he have ADHD?

I knew he'd talked about autism, but hadn't heard he had ADHD, and Google doesn't seem to reveal anything either.

I've followed him for years and have never heard him say he has autism or ADHD, where is that coming from?

shoppingshamed · 27/02/2024 12:12

commonground · 27/02/2024 11:24

He is quite shouty and busy. It's too frantic for me so I can't always take in what he says.

Being interviewed as a guest spot for eg is fair enough because often you do run out of time so have to cram as much in, but for his own programme I think they could structure it better so he doesn't have to do the stressy quick quick hurry up thing.

Pretty much everything he says can be found written online or rewatched at your own speed so don't miss out on his advice because he talks fast

betterangels · 27/02/2024 12:13

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

You meant to be this rude, didn't you?

Wishitsnows · 27/02/2024 12:15

I think he is amazing. He has helped so many people. He holds companies to account and supports people in debt.

OhItsOnlyCynthia · 27/02/2024 12:15

His work directly affects mine, and we can always tell what campaign he's running based on what we get from consumers. What he does is helping the average person get the best out of their personal finances. If you don't like his delivery, go and read the website.

spidermonkeys · 27/02/2024 12:18

His advice is useful.
However I have met him a few times at various events and he is an absolute knob head (in my opinion, obviously)!
Very patronising, rude and up himself.

Trinity65 · 27/02/2024 12:18

I find him a bit over the place, and the forced laughs at some of his replies are a tad Meh

I do understand though that he has helped, and continues to help, many many People save money though and that is a good thing.

ShambolicFox · 27/02/2024 12:19

It doesn't bother me...

Outnumbered99 · 27/02/2024 12:22

I always think he is quite clear and explains things pretty simply- I guess he will be aware that most people can rewind and play again these days, if he happens to be talking about an issue that is relevant to them.

his "in full" shout gets on my wick whenever he's talking credit cards but so many people don't know this, or understand how they work, so all credit to him for trying tbh,

itsnotabouthepasta · 27/02/2024 12:23

Where he excels is that he never assumes that people know what he's talking about. He makes sure that his messages are accessible to all - you never listen to him feeling like you've joined in on someone elses conversation part-way through, like many political commentators do.

Although I would LOVE him to be a chancellor, I think the fact that he's seemingly politically neutral adds to his credit and authority. He does a great job of standing up for the everyday man and explaining things in a way that make sense. If you miss parts on his show, his website is absolutely superb. I'm always checking links on his site to make sure they are legit.

Really, we need more commentators like him on the telly. Can you imagine if there was someone like him talking before an election to explain the pros and cons of any policy decision/statement so the whole country could get a better understanding of what we were voting for?

As a country we have very poor financial literacy. For those who say he's patronising at times - yes if you know what he's talking about. But for those who don't, he's an absolute god send.

As someone who was part of the newly self employed back in 2020, he was amazing at trying to advocate for us and support us when the government didn't want to listen.

Charlie2121 · 27/02/2024 12:23

He caters for the lowest common denominator. He regularly states the blindingly obvious and anyone with access to Google can easily find out any info they need.

He also glosses over his bad advice. A number of years ago he gave out some catastrophically poor advice regarding Icelandic banks and many people lost fortunes.

I think he’s a result of a poorly educated population needing to be spoon fed everything.

AhBiscuits · 27/02/2024 12:26

He is an amazing man who helps so many and also given millions to charity. I would question the judgment of anyone who doesn't like him.

BlondeAmbition21 · 27/02/2024 12:34

ML is objectively very bright but doesn’t have adhd/autism AFAIK. Maybe there’s some conflation/confusion between him and his dad being the head of a SEND school?
What he does have is a very keenly developed sense of social & educational responsibility towards those who are less fortunate/ less equipped or just too time poor to put in all the research he and his team do. His motivation is definitely a product of his own upbringing. Full disclosure: I have a familial connection, he is lovely and I don’t fancy him😂

spriots · 27/02/2024 12:38

Interesting. I hate it when people talk slowly.

Barack Obama is a prime example of this for me - talks so slowly that I am lost before the end of the sentence

DGPP · 27/02/2024 12:41

He’s amazing. As a nation we are terrible with money and he’s really opened people’s eyes. Switch him off if you want but many of us have learned loads from him

Allaboutme23 · 27/02/2024 12:42

Just a humble guy, who has empowered millions of people to save, invest and get debt free- what’s not to like or get bothered by?

Let’s face it, conveniently for the rich, none of us grow up learning about money, how to work it or save to enjoy. With his advice we as a family have learnt that being in debt is not criminal, got out of debt and have over 100,000 saved and can pass tips to our kids. Who else does that? Who else does that for free 🤷🏻‍♀️Love you Martin! Stay humble!

StringTheory1 · 27/02/2024 12:42

BlondeAmbition21 · 27/02/2024 12:34

ML is objectively very bright but doesn’t have adhd/autism AFAIK. Maybe there’s some conflation/confusion between him and his dad being the head of a SEND school?
What he does have is a very keenly developed sense of social & educational responsibility towards those who are less fortunate/ less equipped or just too time poor to put in all the research he and his team do. His motivation is definitely a product of his own upbringing. Full disclosure: I have a familial connection, he is lovely and I don’t fancy him😂

Edited

Please could you pass on this message to him:

”I have a massive crush on you, Martin!” And please be Prime Minister - you’d be amazing”

Thank you 😊 🙏🏻

GoldMerchant · 27/02/2024 12:48

pickledandpuzzled · 27/02/2024 11:48

It clearly works. He’s not my type but I’m not his target audience. Mum constantly frets about what he has said, while also not being his target audience.

I get irritated by the opportunism of him sometimes- he encourages people to take advantage of various redress schemes that they perhaps should take more personal responsibility for, and of company mistakes which could perhaps be more appropriate to tell the company rather than encourage his followers to take advantage of it.

But overall- he’s a good thing and keeps companies accountable.

But by definition, if there is a redress scheme then there has been a wrong? So people should "take advantage" if they've been affected. Or rather, they should apply for money that they are entitled to.

Companies will push and push at the letter of law to make more profits and it's really hard for consumers - especially people with less education and less access to information - to know where they stand. It's not a personal failing if someone has been eg missold a financial product.

I consider myself quite a bright and educated person and I quite often turn to explainers on his website as I know they are straightforward, organised and non biased.

pickledandpuzzled · 27/02/2024 12:55

GoldMerchant · 27/02/2024 12:48

But by definition, if there is a redress scheme then there has been a wrong? So people should "take advantage" if they've been affected. Or rather, they should apply for money that they are entitled to.

Companies will push and push at the letter of law to make more profits and it's really hard for consumers - especially people with less education and less access to information - to know where they stand. It's not a personal failing if someone has been eg missold a financial product.

I consider myself quite a bright and educated person and I quite often turn to explainers on his website as I know they are straightforward, organised and non biased.

Show quote history

Various schemes we were entitled to and we didn’t apply because we understood the risks before doing it. It wasn’t mis-sold to everyone. But the repayments were made to everyone. It’s an inevitable part of simplifying a process, that the net scoops up those who were mis sold and those who were not with no distinction.