We all know that putting a bit away for emergencies or a rainy day is a sensible thing to do, but starting out with just a few pounds may not seem worth all the bother. Believe me, playing the long game is worth it and you can start right now.

Create an ‘emergencies fund’. This is a separate account with an amount saved each month. When we face the inevitable crisis of replacing the washing machine or repairing the car, the cash is there waiting for us, allowing us to deal with the emergency without hitting the credit card.

Create a ‘committed funds’ account. Another account, but this one if for annual expenses: home and car insurance, MOT expenses and even birthday and Christmas presents. The cash has a self-imposed ring-fence around it and when that big bill arrives you’ve got it covered.

If opening bank accounts isn’t your thing, try doing something similar with envelopes or jars, the results will be very similar.

Switch from Lotto to Premium Bonds. Although the minimum Premium Bond purchase is £100, you get 100 separate numbers, which are entered into every monthly prize draw until you decide to cash them in. And that’s the brilliant thing, you can get your money back if you need it!

The Penny Savings Game - try this, start today and by next Christmas you will have saved over £600! Here’s how it works: today, save a penny, tomorrow it’s 2p, day three is 3p and so on. Over a year the biggest daily save is £3.65. Do this for 365 days and you will have saved a whopping £667.95!

Finally, saving for something specific, such as a holiday or car keeps us focussed. Every pound saved is a step closer to our goal.