CREDIT CRUNCH CRUSADER.

Byline: Siobhan McNally

Drink up

Households are wasting too much drink according to figures from Waste & Resource Action Programme (Wrap). The government adviser has found families are pouring away an average of pounds 56-worth of drink a month - mostly wine, milk and fizzy drinks. Wasting wine is a criminal act in my house, but here are some ideas for reducing liquid waste or recycling it:

Reheat cups of tea and coffee in the microwave.

Don't buy fizzy drinks in two-litre bottles - even the thirstiest of kids can't get through that much pop before it goes flat. Supermarkets make big profits on selling fizzy drinks in bulk but one-litre bottles are available.

Milk freezes well so store cartons of unopened milk in the icebox if they're teetering on their use-by date.

Bottles of both red and white wine will keep for a week in the fridge if they're re-sealed with cork or rubber stoppers.

Dregs of wine can be frozen in ice-cube trays and added to soups and casseroles when needed.

Tea leaves and coffee grounds are a good fertiliser for indoor and outdoor plants - especially on roses.

Don't buy bottled water - ever. Wrap calculates that pounds 35m-worth of it is poured down the sink every year. Our water is the among the best in the world and you pay heavily for the privilege of having it on tap.

Easy listening

The CD is dead, long live digital. The music industry is predicting the death of the CD within five years, but although some young people happily download music illegally, the rest of us want easy access without breaking the law. The website www.spotify.com is essentially a free internet jukebox where you can download its software and start listening to any track you want - without fear of depriving pop stars of their royalties.

READER'S TIP

Leaseholders who bought homes from local authorities have been facing soaring annual service charges and hefty bills for "vital" building works. Reader Mr D Sweetman, of Yeovil, Somerset, emailed: "Visit www.flatchat. co.uk and www.yourblockonline.com to meet other local residents and join the fight-back against rising council charges."

WHAT'S YOUR MONEY SAVING SECRET? Email your tips, to [e-mail]. We pay pounds 10 for every one printed.