Say 'Thank You'. Treat your entire family to a great dinner or even a holiday. Money doesn't last forever, but fond memories and warm thoughts certainly do.

Buy yourself a security blanket. Not a pashmina, silly! If you don't already have an insurance policy, now's the best time to get one. First of all, insurance premiums cost more as you get older, so the sooner you start, the better. Secondly, the fastest way for your hard-earned savings to go down the drain is when something you least expect, like an accident, happens. Next, if you choose to pay your insurance premiums as a lump-sum payment for the year as opposed to monthly instalments, you could literally be saving a couple of hundreds of dollars. And with those savings, you can literally get that pashmina for free! Some companies like Prudential and OUB Manulife offer women-friendly policies which throw in free medical exams and gynae checkups every few years, so you don't have to choose between your money, or your life.

Catch up on your reading. Which of us hasn't gone into Borders or Kinokuniya and walked away with several hundred dollars worth of glossy foreign mags and the latest irresistibly trashy potboilers? Since you've got extra money in your pocket now, invest another hundred into a couple of money-management or personal finance books ... and really read them. Think of it as spending a bit of money now in order to save a lot of money in the future.

You deserve a treat! Okay, you're just itching to reward yourself with a little something after a hard year of work. So go ahead, whether it's a little diamond ring, a fancy new designer handbag or a $300 hairdo that you've been denying yourself. But if you saved just 50 per cent of your bonus starting from this year on, you'll realise, five years down the road, that you've quite effortlessly amassed enough savings to place a downpayment for a car, or even a home! In other words, you can have your cake and eat it. Just don't eat all of it straight away. And no cheating - open a separate bank account just for the part of your bonus you're planning to save, so you won't 'accidentally' spend it all at the Gucci sample sale.

Stock up. Plonk down your entire bonus on stocks, shares or a unit trust. Of course, ask your savvy stockbroker brother or ex-classmate for some advice first. And be prepared to leave your money sitting there for about five years - studies have shown that the most successful investors (not counting those professional brokers and dealers) are those who don't buy and sell on a whim.

If you ain't broke, fix it. If you're too faint-hearted to follow Tip #5 above, then instead of letting your money sit in your usual bank account drawing a paltry interest rate, try a fixed deposit instead which pays a higher interest and also helps keep your savings away from your hot little hands.

Go away. There's nothing better than a year-end holiday to leave you rejuvenated and raring to go when the new year rolls around. But instead of heading for the bright lights of a big city (expensive, stressful, and the wonderful shopping means more credit card bills), try a tranquil spa resort or a remote destination like Bhutan to refresh your spirit.

Get pumping. Invest in a gym membership for the whole year. Getting regular exercise means you look better, feel better and fall sick less. One tip: you'll tend to stick with your exercise routine if you do it three times a week for at least six weeks, and if your gym is near either to your home or your office.

Seek self-improvement. If you want to keep up with the New Economy, you'll need to keep up with the newest skills. Since courses tend to cost hundreds or thousands of dollars, the best time to sign up would be now when you've got this extra money in your pocket. Take your pick, whether it's a management course, a marketing seminar or a software programming class. Who knows, your company may even pick up half your tab - check with your HR manager. Armed with your new competencies, you might get promoted sooner (and that usually spells R-A-I-S-E, no?).