How to save it...

When is a Tube delay a good thing? When it lasts 15 minutes or more and means you can get your money back, according to one Money reader. "I claim back my fare from TfL every time the Victoria line breaks down - which means I've received about a month's free travel so far this year," says Kate Spector, an executive assistant who lives in Wandsworth. "To claim back for delays, you just fill in your journey details at www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/tickets/ refunds/ tuberefund. I like to think that if I keep on doing it, it might one day galvanise TfL into actually doing something to improve the service."

RING UP A RETURN

Tip that drawer in your bedside table or desk - the one with all the old phones and gadgets stashed away - upside down . You'll find that even the rubbish brick-like phones and satnavs can be converted into cash. The easy option is a phone-recycling site, such as Fonebank.com or MazumaMobile.com. They will quote you a value for your devices, then post you a paid envelope; you send it back, they send you cash. For more money, however, an investigation by Which? found eBay or High Street retailers such as Cex (find a branch at uk.webuy.com/stores) may be more generous and can be faster at processing payment. A used Samsung U800 sold for £32. Track down a few phones and it all adds up.

LOFTY ACHIEVEMENT

One of the biggest inputs into the rising cost of living is rocketing fuel costs. So ahead of this winter, take time to insulate your home to limit the bills pain. Loft and cavity wall insulation stop heat escaping from a property and could cut fuel bills by as much as £650 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust. "If your loft is easy to access and has no damp or condensation problems, you can do it yourself," says the charity. "If access is easy and your joists are regular, you can use rolls of mineral wool insulation. The first layer is laid between the joists - the horizontal beams that make up the "floor" of the loft - then another layer is cross-laid at right angles to cover the joists and make the insulation up to the required depth."

COVER TO PLUMB INTO

Boiler a bit old in the tooth or pipes a-groaning? With forecasters predicting an especially chilly winter, homeowners should work out whether home emergency cover might be worthwhile. Costing around £10 a month, with cheaper policies covering only plumbing and drainage, and pricier ones also including boiler, central heating and electrics, first check that it's not included under home insurance - a few include boiler cover. If you do want to buy, avoid doing so direct from your energy supplier - it's usually far more expensive. Tap in your address, and required level of cover - opt for more comprehensive if your equipment is ageing - into comparison sites uSwitch and Energyhelpline, then check out other policies from HomeServe and Directline. Always check how much cover is included - the annual claim level or number or call-outs are usually limited - and look at excess levels.

But if your boiler has already given up the ghost, don't think you can beat the bill by taking out a plan now: policies have an initial no-claims period of up to 30 days.

AN IDEA TO ENTERTAIN

Wincing at the cost of a theatre or cinema ticket? Watch a TV show being filmed for free entertainment. "I've been to see Live at the Apollo a couple of times, for free, through SRO Audiences [SROAudiences.com]," says Louise Muttram, an account manager from Brixton. "You just visit the website, sign up for any shows you'd like to see, and wait to hear if you've been allocated tickets. I would have had to pay at least £30 and probably a lot more to see the same comedians anywhere else." SRO currently has tickets for The Jonathan Ross Show and Mock the Week. Other sources include Applause Store (www.applausestore.com) with tickets for a Beyoncé TV Special, Channel 4's Million Pound Drop and A League of Their Own on Sky. Lost in TV (lostintv.com) has more tickets, as does the BBC, offering free audience tickets to many of its own shows at www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/tickets.