As the age of austerity bites, we're all looking for ways to save or - even better - to make money.
With property no longer a license to print money, as it might have been ten years ago, perhaps we should look to longer-term investments such as fine wine.
Investing in wine has traditionally been seen as the exclusive preserve of the super-rich, or those with huge amounts of expertise, but we can all take a leaf out of their book and do a little dabbling.
It's a reliable investment, and a fun way to learn more about the wine trade while making a good return on your money.
Here a few hints and tips for the beginner: Buy wine you like The chances are that if you find a wine you absolutely love, your palate won't mislead you.
Go with your gut feeling; one simple way of testing the water is to identify a wine you are passionate about, and buy double the quantity.
Set one crate aside, knowing that you can sell this as mature stock further down the line.
Grow your garden The rule of thumb for wine investment is that a five to ten year period is reasonable if you want to see real returns on your money.
This is not a quick buck - think of wine investment as you would think of constructing a beautiful garden.
Every season you will need to assess the vintage, and balance risks against more certain investments.
Just as a gardener would, you need to think both annually and for the much longer term, as some of today's investments won't come to fruition for several years.
However, as any Percy Thrower will tell you, long-term planning can produce the most satisfying results.
Get networked For the novice investor, the world of wine can seem daunting.
With its own jargon, it can seem a closed world open only to those who are on the inside track.
For the amateur, then, getting to know the system is crucial.
So take out subscriptions to wine magazines - titles like Decanter and The World of Fine Wine give comprehensive information about the latest news from the world of wine, and are an invaluable source of information about wine regions and individual producers.
In addition, most wine chains, such as Majestic, put on regular wine tasting evenings which are a practical source of information as you start to navigate the world of wine.
Reading up on the subject and talking to experts will help you take the first steps toward your wine collection.
Finally, get the advice of a reputable wine investment broker for more in depth input.