Is Martin making things worse?

Edinburghlass_2

PeteHi wrote: »

My thoughts exactly. They should rename this place 'The Panic Forums'.

I didn't watch the TV programmes in question, and I'd be concerned about unqualified people giving advice on anything.

Saving money on your bus-pass, recliaming bank charges and encouraging people to turn the lights off is one thing, but scaremongering and showing families with young children being being evicted from their homes does nothing to help the situation, aside from raise ones own profile and create panic.

You didn't watch the programme but feel suitably qualified to comment on what Martin said

Cardew

jacksons_mum wrote: »

buy WHY is Martin doing this? i would usually take any advise he gives but this one has got me confused. why would be so admant that we should all cap if it isnt the right thing to do - surely he knows what he is talking about? do you think he is on commission from the energy companies?!

Of course he is not on commission from the energy companies.

Martin makes no secret of how this site is funded - it is on the front page of MSE - and he gets commission for 'click throughs' to the Utility comparison sites

How's the site financed?

This site has a strict ethical financial stance; it has no adverts and is completely free to use. You can't pay to have anything put on the site. Things are only included if they're the best way to save money based on specialised journalistic research.

Income is generated from links that generate revenue when clicked. Once articles are finished, where possible 'affiliated links' to the top products are used and have a * by them. Yet if no affiliate link is available a non-paying link is used; i.e. if the top product doesn't pay, it remains the top product regardless; financial considerations don't play a role.
This stance means the top products detailed here often easily surpass those on the other money websites, because these sites are fully commercial. Yet thankfully the sheer scale of MoneySavingExpert.com means it's very healthily in profit and also donates a good chunk of cash to the MoneySavingExpert.com Charitable Fund.
Read full details about this site's ethical financial stance.

That said I believe that the comparison sites have much to answer for in getting people to switch suppliers. Their only interest is generating income from commission; so to a Martin is certainly swelling their coffers.

Unfortunately in this 'tabloid age' with 30 second 'soundbites' to get a message across, the rather hysterical, dramatic approach Martin uses is what the media producers(and many viewers/listeners) seem to want!

BrianPotter

One thing that does puzzle me with all this is that Scottish Power DOUBLED the cashback that they are offering for sign ups this month on Quidco! Were they expecting that something was going to happen and tried to gain a decent share of the market with people rushing to cap their prices?

MSE_Martin

As a number of threads have been discussing similar issues I'm closing them so it can all be in one place.... please continue the discussion here...

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=12913599#post12913599