Credit Crunch

With money tight and bills rising, households across Devon and Cornwall are having to find ways of economising - and Christmas is no exception.

The average predicted festive spend per person is expected to be down this year compared to 2007.

Hilary Warren

But experts still reckon each adult will spend up to £650 on gifts, socialising and drink.

The first film is all about watching the pennies, reading the small print on credit agreements and trying to flash the cash rather than the plastic this Christmas.

And Louise has been to talk to Hilary Warren from Caradon Citizens Advice Bureau.

The film will be on BBC Spotlight at 18.30 on Monday 1 December 2008 as well as being available here on the BBC Devon website.

Watch the film here.

Julia Falcon and Louise Walter go shopping

The second film - which is being aired on Spotlight on Tuesday 2 December 2008 - looks at ways to reduce food waste.

Figures show that during the Christmas period the average household in the region will spend £169 on food and Louise looks at ways to cut what we throw away especially at a time when there is a tendency to buy more food than we need.

She goes shopping with Julia Falcon from LoveFoodHateWaste to get some advice about how to shop in a way that won't mean you end up chucking lots of it away.

Watch the film here.

In the UK about 230,000 tonnes of food gets thrown away between Christmas and New Year.

Alison Gribble is a WI cookery demonstrator

So for Louise's third film she met some women from the WI who showed her how to make the most of meals from the Christmas lunch leftovers.

Between them they turn the remnants of one festive meal into three more.

See the film on BBC Spotlight at 18.30 on Wednesday 3 December 2008.

Watch the film here.

The final film looks at where to find advice if things are getting tough and there is information about contacting the Citizens Advice Bureau and working out a budget to make sure you keep a roof over your head.

The film will be on BBC Spotlight at 18.30 on Thursday 4 December 2008.

Watch the film here.