The Martin Lewis Podcast Question Time: Is paying via PayPal a bigger risk? How to do a budget? Has the government ever told Martin to stay schtum?
Nov 10, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Martin dives into budgeting pitfalls and offers tips on detailed categorization to keep track of expenses. He shares practical methods like the jam-jar approach for allocating monthly funds. The conversation also touches on the complexities of payment protections, especially with PayPal and Section 75 rights. Plus, listeners learn how an 18-year-old can start building credit responsibly. Martin even clarifies the impact of marriage on wills and whether the government has ever asked him to stay quiet. Tune in for insightful money advice!
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Budget Beyond A Single Month
- Look at 2–3 months of statements and include annual costs like holidays and Christmas when budgeting.
- Granularly list expenses (e.g., MOT, tyres, petrol) to avoid forgetting specific costs.
Do A Money Makeover First
- If spending exceeds income, perform a money makeover: renegotiate every contract and cut high interest costs.
- Recalculate your budget after price changes and then cut discretionary items in order of importance.
Use Separate Pots For Planned Spending
- Use a 'piggy banking' system to split income into pots for bills, holidays, Christmas and car costs each month.
- Only spend from the pot that has the saved money so purchases are guilt-free and planned.