Money saving tips

Reduce the cost of child minding
Childcare can be a huge expense, so rather than paying for a babysitter every time you want a night off, use your friends. Form a scheme with other parents where you watch each other's children for free, say Stephen Giles in The Daily Telegraph. You earn credit when you look after someone else's children, which you can then "spend" at a later date when you need a break from your little terrors. To make the process simpler, log on to Mynightoff.com in which groups can setup a page where members can book babysitting slots.

Keep Warm For less
As the nights get cold and thoughts turn to heating bills, reassess how you heat your home. One of the most efficient forms of heating is a wood burning stove. These can be picked up cheaply at reclamation yards, and most are salvageable with a coat of blacking says Giles. As for wood, you can usually pick it up for free at furniture manufacturers, timber yards and demolition sites - but ask before you take.

Live For Free
Property management firm Camelot finds professionals to live in its empty sites - which range from penthouse apartments to warehouses - and act as guardians as a form of security, say Giles. The rents are very low and they try to secure tenants a three-month stay with a minimum of a months notice to quit. To learn more, visit Camelotproperty.com

Haggle for a car
A survey by Esure car insurance has revealed that only two-thirds of new car owners haggle on the forecourt. Before you head to the showroom, do some research on the discounts on offer, both online and in your area. Also check What Car?, which will tell you the average price you can expect to pay, says Emma Lunn in Scotland on Sunday.

Watch a film for free.
If you buy two or more cinema tickets costing over £10 at Cineworld (Formerly Odeon) using a Mastercard before 31 October 2008, you can claim two free tickets, says Martin Lewis on moneysavingexpert.com. Simply keep you receipt and complete the form at www.mastercard.co.uk/cinema

Save money on railway food.
Get a Bite card and save money at railway station cafes, says Jasmin Birtles in the Daily Express. Apply for a free Bite card at www.bitecard.co.uk/register.asp and once you have your card you can get 20% off at 13 different food chains. If you commute by train, this can add up to big savings throughout the year

Finally, one to avoid
"Ditch those energy guzzling outdoor Christmas lights and festoon your garden with Firewinders," Says Sarah Lonsdale in The Sunday Telegraph. A Pack of the 14 wind powered LED lights cost only £100. But they need a breeze of at least four miles an hour to light up. So Unless you don't mind going without festive cheer on still days, stick with the old-fashioned option.

Ruth Jackson is the editorial assistant and travel editor for the magazine Moneyweek, and publishes money saving tips everyweek. You can get the most up to date one here