It's seen as the latest way to make quick money - get signed up as a secret shopper, go undercover and test the quality of customer service and goods provided by major high street stores.  Yet the new employment opportunity that is 'mystery shopping' is not as lucrative as it might appear.  Here, The Mail on Sunday sends in its own agent to discover whether there is any money in shop snooping - or if the industry is nothing more than an undercover scam.

Protecting the family's finances against the consequences of serious illness - or even death - is challenging in a difficult economic climate. But there are ways to prioritise cover and keep a lid on premiums. Working nine to five is enough to drive you crazy if you let it, as the song goes. But if you have to give up your job as a result of a serious accident or ill health - or worse, die prematurely - the resulting loss of income can quickly generate greater grief for a family as any savings drain away. Financial support from the State is limited - and only some employers will lend a helping hand. Building a personal financial safety net can reduce money worries.

Home and car insurance firms are secretly drawing up plans to collect details about your hobbies, habits at home and even the length of your driveway to decide how much you pay for cover. They want to monitor social media and property records, as well as striking deals with other firms to use personal information they have never had access to before in order to set premiums. They could even tap into customers' home security systems so they know when properties are left empty.

The rises mean that a customer phoning a friend on their home phone would be charged £15 for a half-hour conversation, if they have run out of minutes. However the biggest hikes are for international calls to destinations such as Australia, Canada and US, which will cost £1.60 a minute instead of the current £1.

My family and I were due to fly to Florida on the 27th August but following guidance issued by Public Health England on the 31st July, we decided we shouldn't go due to the risk it may pose to my unborn child as I am currently 11 weeks pregnant. I received a letter from my doctor and midwife stating that it was not safe for me to fly but Virgin is now refusing to refund the flight tickets.

When you're shopping online, it doesn't seem like you have the same opportunity to haggle. However, there is a way. We reveal the tricks to getting the best deals. From talking to an online sales assistant and playing hard to get, to booking flights on a Friday but buying big ticket items on a Monday.

If you are delayed by more than half an hour you can usually claw back some money, but it requires filling in forms that are often hidden at the back of ticket counters and must be asked for - assuming the office is open. The new TrainTrick app helps travellers receive some of the unclaimed £100 million a year that train companies fail to hand back in compensation for woeful service.

The garden shed is far more than just a storage space for junk. It can also be a hideaway for a potential goldmine of valuables, writes Toby Walne. The Mail on Sunday wades through the plastic plant pots and cobwebs in search of this treasure trove - and looks at how some antique tools can become shrewd investments.

With an avalanche of price rises from the 'big six' energy providers, now is the time to review your energy tariff and consider locking in to a best-buy fixed-rate tariff before energy companies pull them from the market.

Most households are suffering from broadband blindness - not knowing what speed of internet connection they should be getting - or even how much they are paying for it. Research for The Mail on Sunday, carried out by broadband provider Hyperoptic, found that three in five households do not know what speed they are meant to be getting from their provider. Also, a remarkable three quarters of the 3,000 householders questioned do not know how much they are paying for broadband. Half have never swapped provider.

Needlessly overpaying for gas and electricity, mortgage payments, home phone, broadband and car and home insurance costs can take its toll - adding up to tens, if not hundreds, of pounds every month. Overhauling your bills can potentially save you thousands of pounds, we deliver all the tools and tips you need in one place.