Inside Martin Lewis' life from refusing to leave the house after tragedy to amassing £87m fortune

This year's Autumn Budget is on everyone's lips, with many eyes turning towards financial wizard Martin Lewis for guidance. The Money Saving Expert may be a household name now, but his journey to success was fraught with challenges.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves today promised 'more pounds in pockets' in the face of tax increments and expenditure reductions aimed at closing the £22 billion deficit left by the prior Conservative leadership. However, amidst the ongoing Cost of Living Crisis, the expertise of Martin, aged 52, will remain crucial for those seeking to maximise their finances.

From his Manchester roots, Martin has evolved into a beacon of confidence and know-how regarding personal finance, though his past reveals a heart-wrenching tale of adversity.

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Martin's life took a tragic turn when he was merely 11. Reflecting on the harrowing incident during a Radio 4 interview, he recounted: "Three days before my 12th birthday I went to Sunday school - or Jewish Sunday school as it was - someone strange picked me up and when I got home I was told mum had been horse-riding with my sister and there had been an accident involving a lorry. The next day my dad told me she had died the next morning - and that was the end of my childhood. I cried every day until I was 15."

Martin was plunged into years of seclusion following a devastating heartbreak in his teenage years, which transformed his life, as close university pal Kerry Perkins remarked. She reflected on his journey: "But I think he would be the first to admit that it was the making of him in many ways because he has that drive from losing his mum and wanting so much to prove that he could do everything for her," she explained, reports the Mirror.

"I know she's always with him even though she isn't actually present in his life any more."

Living under the shadow of fear for an extended period, Martin confessed to Radio 4's Desert Island Discs: "I never went out until I was 18. I couldn't leave the house because of the thought something else could happen."

As fate would have it, university marked a turning point for Martin who blossomed into a social butterfly. Classmates remembered his zest for life as he became the life of the party.

His former flatmate Elliot observed: "Martin and I are very different. Martin used to have parties and I wanted to be quiet in my room and often I would be dragged into the parties - in my dressing gown sometimes - but Martin was very gregarious. People always wanted to be around him."

Martin, who studied government and law at the London School of Economics as a teenager, later pursued a postgraduate degree in broadcast journalism at Cardiff University. His first foray into the media world was as a producer for the BBC's business unit.

However, it was on the digital start-up channel Simply Money that he first introduced his Money Saving Expert persona. When the channel folded in 2001, Martin was given a Money Saving Expert slot on Open House with Gloria Hunniford.

It is believed that around this time, he began sending out regular emails to friends titled 'Martin's Money Tips'.

In recognition of his contributions to consumer rights and charitable service, Martin was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2014. This honour was upgraded to a CBE at the start of 2022.

The star, who was voted the UK's most trusted voice on Brexit, has also raised millions for charity, including £4million for the Coronavirus Poverty Emergency Fund.

According to a Profiles segment on BBC Radio 4, Martin's friends began sharing his money tips with their own circles, leading to an increased demand. In response, he decided to establish his own platform.

In 2003, he launched the highly successful website, MoneySavingExpert.com, with just £100 and himself as the sole staff member. In 2012, he sold the site to the Money Supermarket Group for a staggering £87 million, setting aside £10 million of the proceeds for charity.

He continued his role as editor-in-chief and later became executive chair. According to The Sunday Times rich list 2021, he now boasts a jaw-dropping net worth of £123 million.