Martin Lewis has offered his top piece of advice for anyone who is spiralling out of control with their debts. The money expert hosted a debt special of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live on ITV on Tuesday, January 17.
As well as offering advice on credit card and store cards - read more on that here - he spoke more generally about the steps people should take when they are worried about their out-of-control debts.
During the programme, viewers saw a film clip of Liverpool FC supporter Rob who had built up a massive debt of £80k after becoming addicted to online poker back in 2006.
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Rob admitted he was playing every day and losing vast sums of money. He said: "I had eight credit cards or more and they were all maxed out."
He says he reached a moment when "I realised I can't do this. I don't want to ever go back to that moment again".
He says it was advice he heard from Martin Lewis which helped him turn his life around - to seek advice from a debt management agency.
Once he contacted StepChange, a plan was put in place to help him manage his dire financial situation. By 2019, he was debt free. "Being debt free is amazing," said Rob, who is now happily married with a stepson.
Martin reiterated the advice after receiving a question on the show from one woman who was struggling with £50k of debts, telling her that his biggest advice was to contact an agency like StepChange which can devise a plan and also provide emotional advice.
"If you are panicked over debt and don't know what to do, give them a call." And he says the biggest feedback he's received from those who have taken the step is "I have slept".
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