The strategy: To find some lost cash to splash out this Christmas.

Yeah right. I suppose you think I've left wads of cash sitting around in my socks drawer or under the doormat. Who knows what lies in the depths of the underwear and socks drawers? But actually, I wasn't thinking of cash around the home. I'm referring to the millions of dollars of unclaimed money floating around from shares, banks, insurance policies, super and so on.

It's easy to lose track of money. In my case I carried a dividend cheque around for months before I got to the bank to deposit it. (Have you noticed what a nuisance physical cheques are now?) The bank wouldn't accept the cheque and I never got around to asking the company to issue a new one.

You might have unclaimed money that you don't even know about. Or you might luck out entirely. But it has to be worth a look.

Where do I find out whether any of this cash is mine? Your best starting point is the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, as it holds in trust money from insurance companies, banks, building societies and credit unions that have lain dormant for seven years. It also holds money from company takeovers, or companies that have been unable to contact shareholders for six years.

ASIC also holds records of more recent unclaimed money that may still be with the financial institution or company concerned. You can ring 1300 300 630 to ask whether you have any unclaimed money or do a quick search online at fido.gov.au - click on the unclaimed money tab. It's a simple process - you just put in your name and find out whether there are any matches. While you're there, you might want to check for family and friends as well. You can cast yourself as Santa Claus if their name comes up.

How do I claim my money if I find some? If your money is held by ASIC, you'll need to provide documents that prove it is yours. The full detail of what you need to provide is on the website. If the money is still held by the financial institution or company, you'll need to contact them direct. In the case of financial institutions, most say you can lodge a claim at any of their branches.

What if I know I have lost money and it doesn't show up through the online search? ASIC says not all records are available on the website, so if you're uncertain you should contact its Unclaimed Monies Unit for a more comprehensive search.

Is there anywhere else I can search for lost cash? While it's unlikely to help your Christmas spending, there is still more than $12 billion (at last count) in lost or inactive super accounts. The Government has been ramping up its efforts to reunite investors with their lost super but you can do a simple search using the Tax Office's SuperSeeker tool at ato.gov.au - you'll need to provide your name, date of birth and tax file number. Alternatively, you can do the search by phoning 13 28 65.

State governments also hold unclaimed money from a range of sources including employers, government agencies, super funds, local councils and State Trustees - even unclaimed lottery winnings. In NSW you can search the Office of State Revenue's records at osr.nsw.gov.au or phone 1300 366 016. In Victoria you can search at http://www.sro.vic.gov.au or phone 13 21 61.

And if you've ever wondered what happened to your long lost great aunt Myrtle, state public trustees hold proceeds from deceased estates where the beneficiaries can't be established or located. You can search at http://www.pt.nsw.gov.au in NSW while the State Revenue Office in Victoria administers unclaimed estate money in addition to all those other funds. If you live in the ACT, the public trustee handles all unclaimed money.

It can be contacted by visiting publictrustee.act.gov.au.