Julia Bradbury is best known as co-host, with Nicky Campbell, of BBC1’s Watchdog consumer-affairs programme.

She also presents Wainwright’s Walks with Julia Bradbury on BBC4, in which she walks in the footsteps of the famous guide writer Alfred Wainwright in the Lake District.

She has also appeared in a number of other BBC shows including Just The Two Of Us and Top Gear, as well as Wish You Were Here for ITV.

Bradbury, 34, is an ambassador for Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Great Daffodil Appeal. Born and brought up in Sheffield, she lives on her own in central London.

How much money do you have in your wallet?

I always carry about £10 in coins for parking. I usually have another £25 for emergencies and things like taxis.

Do you have any credit cards?

I have an American Express card, which I mainly use to collect Air Miles. I often use the miles to go to South Africa where I have lots of friends.

I also have a Visa card for all those places that don’t take Amex. I always pay off my credit card bill every month because it’s the least efficient way of borrowing money.

Are you a saver or a spender?

I definitely don’t spend what I earn, so temperamentally I would say I am a saver. However, I do have splashes of extravagance. I can’t do without CDs. I have thousands of them, although I download my music now — all legally of course.

I also spend a lot on holidays, which I know isn’t great for my carbon footprint, but if I can get away I do.

I have two savings accounts with Barclays, one with a 30-day notice period and the other with 90 days’ notice.

How much did you earn last year?

No two years are ever the same; I can earn anything between £50,000 to £100,000. Last year was quite a good one. But because I work for Watchdog, I can’t do lucrative corporate work and voiceovers like other TV presenters because of the potential conflict of interest.

Have you ever been really hard up?

Not really. I had quite a comfortable upbringing in Sheffield. My mum had her own fashion business and my dad worked for British Steel.

I was raised with a strong work ethic, so I was always determined to have my own money. When I left home I went straight to work and have earned ever since, so I was never without some money.

What is the most lucrative work you have ever done? Did you use the fee for something special?

Probably the work I’ve done with Watchdog in the past three years. It hasn’t changed my life radically, but it has given me a certain standing and profile. I think it has also given me stability and security, so I guess I’ve used the money to make my life better.

Do you own a property?

I own a one-bedroom garden flat in central London. It’s in a Victorian building near the Thames. I bought the leasehold 10 years ago for an absolute bargain price.

I had been thinking about buying earlier, but then went to Los Angeles to work for GMTV for a year. When I got back, I was kicking myself because property values had risen, but luckily prices were still relatively cheap when I bought in 1997.

I purchased the freehold last year for £35,000 and have spent quite a lot doing the place up. I gutted and redid the property when I moved in.

I’m thinking of buying something with my older sister Gina as a pension policy for our future. I think property is still quite a safe bet.

Do you invest in shares?

I used to talk to my mother about shares until I was about 17. She would sit with me, look at the stock market week by week, and explain how it had changed. I was even reading the FT at one point.

But I think you really need to know your onions and be abreast of everything before investing in shares, and I just don’t have the time.

Do you have Peps and Isas?

No Peps, but I have had Isas for the past couple of years. I put the maximum I can into them every year.

Do you have a pension or other retirement plan?

I have a pension with Standard Life, but it’s certainly not something I’m relying on to keep me in my old age, hence the interest in property.

Do you believe pensions are a good thing?

I don’t know anyone with a pension plan who says it worked out for them, including my parents. Having said that, I do think the idea of saving for the future is a good thing.

What has been your worst investment?

I had an endowment mortgage for the first five years after I bought my property. When I took out the loan, the pitfalls were not made clear to me. When I realised the risks, I cashed in the mortgage and switched to a repayment loan, but I had lost about £10,000.

And your best?

Probably the flat. It has gone up in value about three times since I bought it. Also, buying the freehold last year certainly increased its value.

Do you manage your own financial affairs?

My sister Gina looks after my finances. She’s very methodical and good at bookkeeping. I’m not. I’m better at spending. I have 100 per cent trust in her. She’s both my business and work manager so she gets a certain proportion of what I earn.

When I was 14, my mum gave me pocket money for the first time and a ledger to record how much I was spending. She gave me a month’s pocket money in one go and expected my to be sensible. I spent it in a week.

I also have an accountant who deals with the sharper end of things, like tax.

What aspect of your taxation system would you change?

I’d scrap inheritance tax. It’s outrageous that we pay tax for our whole working lives and then pay tax when we’re dead. I just don’t see how it can be justified.

I also think more should be done to help our troops when they are out fighting in a war.

What is your financial priority?

Trying to create some stability and security for the future.

Do you have a money weakness?

I would say shoes. I am probably nearing the 100-pair mark now. I recently bought some knee-high boots from Joseph, which cost just over £300. I like bargains as well, though, and often go on a mass shop during the sales.

What is the most extravagant thing you have ever bought?

I bought my childhood dream car a couple of years ago. It’s a black Porsche 911 coupé, a few years old, which cost £40,000. It’s still mostly owned by a hire-purchase company, though.

What is the most important lesson you have learnt about money?

If there’s one thing I’ve learnt on Watchdog, it’s that you should look after your money because if you don’t there are plenty of people out there who will look after it for you.