RISING gas and electricity charges, costly food bills, spiralling petrol and diesel costs, more expensive mortgages and a slowing down of the housing market - welcome to the belttightening reality of today.

That's why the Daily Echo is launching its Beat the Crunch' campaign with moneysaving tips everyday - enabling YOU to collectively save hundreds of pounds on everything from your shopping and household bills to family days out.

We also want to hear from anyone who has any moneysaving advice, thrifty tips and unique ideas for saving the pennies that we can share with our readers.

Whether the savings to be made are big or small together they can make a real difference and enable you to effectively give yourself a well-deserved pay rise.

Our campaign comes as the Credit Crunch has now become part of our everyday life with not a day going by without some mention of it.

Click HERE to find more about Beating the Crunch

Its repercussions are being felt far and wide after the term was first coined last summer following the collapse of the American housing market leading to a knock-on impact worldwide.

Suddenly banks found themselves short of cash, borrowing became more expensive and affordable mortgages were harder to come by.

The cost of our sandwiches, curries and coffees have been rising steadily for a year too - the price of wheat has doubled in less than 12 months and rice and coffee prices are the highest in a decade.

Escalating prices are down to the world's growing population and the increasing shift in agricultural production from food to bio-fuels.

Similarly filling up at the pumps is taking a greater toll on our finances with an increasing demand across the world for petrol and diesel pushing up fuel prices.

Cheap petrol?: Do you know a place where you can fill up cheaply or have a money saving tip you want to share.

Contact Clare Kennedy on 023 8042 4500
or email clare.kennedy@dailyecho.co.uk