Importing cars is a lot of extra work but, with possible savings of up to �?�9,000 available, the hassle can be worthwhile according to a survey by Consumer Choice magazine.

Price is not the only reason for buying on the other side of the Irish Sea. Because Britain has a bigger stock of cheaper cars, you can expect a better spec for your money.

Private sellers usually offer the best prices and they may be worth the extra risk because the servicing and warranty offers available when buying through a UK dealer may be worthless when the car is taken out of the country.

A six-year-old Toyota Corolla with 50,000 miles on the clock would cost �?�4,426 after VRT if bought through a British dealer, according to Consumer Choice. The same car would cost �?�7,450 in Ireland, based on prices in Car Buyers' Guide, giving a potential saving of more than �?�3,000.

Similar savings are possible on a 2004 Renault Megane with 10,000 miles on the clock. It would cost �?�12,200 after VRT from a British dealer but you could expect to pay �?�15,630 if you bought the car in Ireland.

Bigger savings are available on cars that depreciate more quickly in the UK, such as a Peugeot 607. A top-ofthe-range version of this executive car would be worth about �?�30,000 in Ireland, assuming it has 20,000 miles on the clock. The same car could be bought for �?�23,600 from a UK dealer or �?�21,150 in a private sale.

The big question mark is where you stand if things go wrong. According to Consumer Choice: "If you're considering buying a nearly new car, you should know that standard two- or three-year new car warranties can transfer from one EU country to another. However, the terms and conditions of warranties may vary slightly between Britain and Ireland, so it's worth checking this out before buying."

SSave Fancy playing the markets but afraid of losing your shirt?

First Active claims to have the answer with its Protected Portfolio Investment, which is open until the end of the month for lump sums of �?�5,000 and over.

It splits your money between stocks and shares, bonds, hedge funds and commodities, shifting the mix every month in favour of the asset class with the best performance.

The sweetener is that, even if markets collapse across the board, you can be sure of at least getting back your original investment at maturity in April 2012. The bond also locks in some of your gains along the way so that, if markets take a dive in the lead-up to maturity, you will still get a return on your investment.

By spreading your money widely, the bond limits your downside in the event of another crash in the stock markets. But investors would probably be a lot happier if it had some exposure to property and less dependence on hedge funds, for example.

They are flavour of the month and claim to be able to make money even when markets are falling. But a golden rule of investing is to avoid opportunities you do not understand and, when it comes to the complex world of hedge funds, most of us are probably left scratching our heads.

First Active claims that one of the bond's big advantages is the way it constantly shifts the emphasis towards the top-performing asset class.

But this could also be its Achilles heel.

Market movements are all but impossible to secondguess and most experts now accept that past performance is a poor guide to expectations. So shifting your money about on the basis of what has happened in the past six months is unlikely to be a good idea.

Finally, it is important to remember that there is always a price to be paid for a money-back guarantee which, in this case, comes in the form of an annual charge that eats up 1.6% of your investment. Before parting with your cash, ask yourself if you really need this belt-and-braces security.

One to avoid Buy-to-let is the basis of much retirement planning but many people are putting their wealth at risk by failing to register their properties with the Private Residential Tenancy Board, a new government watchdog that regulates the sector.

Finance minister Brian Cowen turned the screws in the recent Finance Act by scrapping mortgage interest relief for landlords who fail to register their properties. The relief is the key attraction for investing in buy-to-let