Known for his proactive consumer advocacy campaigns, Martin Lewis is perhaps Britain's most famous expert on saving money and is the founder of the famous moneysavingexpert.com website. Besides, Martin appears on radio shows and writes money columns for major British newspapers.

On Consumer education:

Companies spend millions of pounds a year on advertising, marketing and teaching staff how to sell, but we don't get any training as consumers. There's a misbalance in society. I call it 'adversarial consumerism'. Understand that the company and the customer are adversaries. If I were talking to a tabloid, I'd call them enemies.

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It's not surprising so many people end up with credit-card debts. Saving for your retirement and buying a house are difficult things, and we don't educate people about them at all.

On Debit card charges:

Paying for everything with my debit card, he says, is daft. "Get yourself an American Express platinum card and buy everything on credit, but pay it off at the end of the month."

On Paying mortgages:

Repay your mortgage with savings. You're less at mercy from mortgage rate rises, and it helps lower your LTV, possibly meaning access to more competitive deals. The mathematics to decide if it's worth it are simple (assuming there are no overpayment penalties). If your after-tax savings rate is lower than your mortgage rate, pay it off.

On Becoming debt-free:

If you have other more expensive debts, pay those off first. Keep an emergency fund – as with most mortgages, overpayments can't be borrowed back.

On Moneysavingexpert.com:

Following suggestions on my website, the average working person could effectively give themselves a 25% pay rise.

On Haggling:

The best time for high-street haggling is midweek in empty shops with mid-level supervisors, buying counter-cyclically - a convertible car during snow. Supermarkets do yellow-ticket discounting of perishables at 6pm, 8pm and 10pm, so the best time is after 9pm.

On Student Debt:

Unless they finish their studies this July, students are among the least affected by the credit crunch right now.

On Marriage and Debt:

People shouldn't borrow money to start married life.

On Saving money in a bank:

People think, "The banks aren't safe, I'm going to take my money out and keep it at home" should bear in mind that burglary is rising and home insurance only covers a grand.

On Careful Consumption:

My hope is that, in a year, if a man doesn't pay with a restaurant voucher on a first date, she won't go with him again because she'd think he wasn't safe enough handling money.

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