Wanted: tips to cut the cost of Christmas

How are you intending to keep the cost of Christmas under control this year? If you've got some good ideas for festive money-saving tips, Moneybasics, the internet site that was launched to promote financial education, wants to hear from you - and there's £150 at stake.

The site, set up by leading money-advice charities, is running a competition to find the best money-saving tips for Christmas, from making your own presents to finding the cheapest way to borrow money.

The contributors who submit the three best ideas, as chosen by an independent panel of judges, will each win vouchers worth £150 to spend at Asda - on Christmas goodies or anything else.

If your tips don't win, your ideas are at least assured an enthusiastic welcome from other savers - Moneybasics will put all the tips on its site in the run-up to Christmas.

The closing date for the competition is next Friday, and each tip must be no more than 50 words. There are more details, along with entry forms, on the organisation's website at www.moneybasics.co.uk.