Most people have some form of savings. Sometimes these are held in a bank or building society and sometimes they are invested elsewhere: in shares, trusts or bonds for example. Many choose to invest a small amount of their monthly income in order to boost their savings. Often this is done with an end goal in mind - a holiday or a new car perhaps, sometimes the consolidation of a mortgage.

If you have a disability, savings can become a lifeline.

• Your cost of living may increase with time. If you require care and think the level of care needed might increase in the future, you will want to have money set aside for it. This is particularly true if you have a degenerative condition.
• Buying adapted vehicles and paying for home alterations can be pricey. Saving a set amount each month can make these purchases more affordable.
• If you need to supplement your income for whatever reason - perhaps the benefits you receive don't cover your cost of living, interest from savings will help you to do so.

There are many ways in which you can ensure your savings work to their
best advantage. Banks and Building Societies have a wide variety of
products from which to choose:

• Instant Access Accounts - These are accounts which are fully flexible. They usually sit along side your current account so you can access them for your day to day emergency needs. They act as a "float" for your funds whilst earning you some interest at the same time.
• Notice Accounts - These accounts can earn you higher interest if you don't need instant access to your funds. They generally require you to give
  "notice" if you want access to your savings without incurring a penalty. These are a good start for your "rainy day" savings or a specific purchase like a holiday/car as they lesson the temptation to "dip in".
• Bonds - For longer term savings that offer a good return for tying up your funds for a fixed period. These accounts are good for lump sums of money you want to put out of reach. They are also great for a specific
  purchase or your nest egg as long as you don't want access to the cash before the term is complete.
• ISAs - Suitable for short term and long term needs if you want to save your funds tax free. There are two main types of ISA a Maxi and the Mini. Maxi you can save up to £7k per tax year and a Mini up to £3k. You can hold a mixture of stocks and shares, investments. cash and life assurance policies.
• Unit Trusts - To obtain a better return you may decide to take some risk with your investments. To limit that risk you may want to invest in an
  Unit Trust. Talk to an expert for more further information.
• Equities - Investing in Stocks and shares may be a good way to invest your portfolio as long as you recognise the volatile nature of the equity markets. Talk to an expert for more information.

Most consumers are not investment wizards and the best thing to do when confronted with the complex and often overwhelming number of choices available for your cash is to seek advice from a financial adviser.

Financial advisers are employed at most banks and building societies to advise customers on how best to invest their savings. You'll be able to organise an appointment by calling your bank. If you have mobility difficulties they should be able to organise for an adviser to visit you at home.

When you speak to a financial adviser they will ask you to outline in detail your incomings, outgoings, and the amount of savings you have. They will want to assess your current situation - whether you have children, whether you have a mortgage, whether you have a pension and so on. When they have a clear idea of your circumstances, they will be able to outline the best options available to you.

The thing to bear in mind is that you're likely to be investing large sums of money on the basis of advice. So take your time, shop around and never commit to anything you're unhappy with. You may consider speaking to financial advisers from more than one establishment.

To help you make more informed decisions, it is worth reading the money literature - The Money Observer and the Financial Times are two examples.

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