Comedian Sean Lock on his financial highs

HOW DO YOU THINK YOUR CHILDHOOD INFLUENCED YOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS MONEY? I definitely appreciate the value of money, hard work and having a career. My father was made redundant about two or three times and it was hard for him having four kids to bring up. It was a horrible time and I saw the pressure he was under. I would wake up in the middle of the night to go for a pee and see him at the kitchen table trying to deal with all his money problems. David Cameron and George Osborne talk about tightening our belts and tough medicine, but have they really had it hard? They don't have a clue what it's like for the man on the street. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A TIME IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU'VE BEEN PARTICULARLY HARD UP? I finished school in 1981 when there was a recession on so there was not a lot of money around or work. I worked on building sites during that time and there were many people on the dole or always looking for work. But I was quite lucky and was working throughout that period. I think it helped that I had parents who instilled in me a strong work ethic. They were always harassing me in my summer holidays to get a job, whether it was cleaning cars, working in a shop or doing a paper round. While I thank them for giving me that work ethic, it also ruined a lot of my summer holidays. DID YOU LEARN ANY VALUABLE LESSONS FROM THE BUILDING SITE? I finished tech college with just one A-level, which was an E in English, because I spent most of my time drinking and faffing around. Having one A-level is a bit like having a car with one wheel – pretty useless. So I ended up working on building sites. When you worked there you were self-employed and paid in cash, so you were responsible for looking after your own tax. A lot of the blokes would spend all their wages, forgetting it was all before tax, and would then be hit with a high tax bill which they struggled to pay. I can still remember their ashen-looking faces when they got their tax demands. So I used to put 20pc-30pc of my wages aside to cover my taxes. So this stood me in good stead for later in life, teaching me that when you get paid, you don't actually own that amount of money. ANY OTHER VALUABLE LESSONS YOU'VE LEARNT ABOUT MONEY? Never ever talk about money and never ask what wages someone gets. You'll either end up annoyed if they earn more than you or make them feel like a mug if you earn more than them. It can only end in tears. Money is just a lever for jealousy. ARE YOU A SAVER OR A SPENDER? I am naturally cautious so I guess I am a saver. I'm a firm believer in not borrowing money, which is a lesson passed down to me from my parents and grandparents. I saw the property boom and bust of the Nineties which was a very significant event for me, the way the Second World War was for my father. It has made me cautious knowing it can all come crashing down, so I don't take any risks. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST EXTRAVAGANCE? While I live well within my means, I did buy myself a VW California camper van (which cost around £42,000). I've never had a new car but I bought this for my last tour as I could sleep in the back while my tour manager drove me to the next gig. I can also use it for family holidays. I don't do adverts – and this sounds like one – but having the camper van fills me with a sense of pride. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR BEST BUY? Buying my first flat. I was just filling in space living with other people, so in 1993 I decided to buy my own place, which went up in value quite a bit. But it never gave me the property bug. I find owning a house quite a lot of hassle, what with fitting plugs and changing light bulbs, so I'd never choose to have more than one at the same time. In that respect they're a bit like wives. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR WORST BUY? I have bought a lot of nice suits that I haven't really worn. I bought a very nice Paul Smith one which is in a Forties demob style and has stitching on the outside. I must have been drunk when I bought it. I think I have only worn it once. IS COMEDY WELL PAID? A lot of people think comedians who are on television a lot are multi-millionaires and perhaps live in some mansion or chateau in France, but sadly that isn't the case. There are a lot of repeats of QI and its rights have been sold all over the world, but I don't get a penny of that. It's repeated so much that I have worked out that my hourly rate of pay is lower than that of a small child making footballs in Indonesia. I also have a beat-up Fiat Multipla that I drive around, with enough space in it for the family and my mother-in-law. I'm not pleading poverty but there is an illusion that we are all rich. DO YOU BANK ONLINE? I do but I wish I hadn't bothered. I have an e-saver with Santander but it's impossible to get access to my money. I did some research and saw lots of other people complaining about them, too. They send you three different security codes, but by the time the third one is sent the first two no longer work. It's really frustrating and I just want to shout down the phone at someone. It's got to the point where I want Lewis Hamilton [whose Formula One car is sponsored by Santander] to lose every race he's in. That's partly why I'd never do any ad for a bank, as I don't want people coming up to me in the street complaining about how rubbish their bank account is. ARE YOU A GENEROUS TIPPER? I would say I was a good tipper and I try to tip cash whenever I can. I do remember having a big row in San Francisco after I had a terrible meal. I decided not to tip and the manager was indignant and threatened to call the police. WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE HOLIDAY? I have just got back into cycling and had a great bicycle holiday in Spain recently. I did watch a documentary about how a bike saddle is bad for your virility, but that hasn't stopped me getting back on a bike. I also went to Indonesia with Bill Bailey and few other comics and we had a really relaxing time. Sean Lock is the host of Argumental, which began on November 3 and airs every Thursday at 10pm on Dave