EVEN the bad weather couldn't dampen the spirits Evening Times reader Michelle Hanlon, who was celebrating last night after winning £1000 in our fantastic competition.

A hairdresser in the West End of Glasgow, 21-year-old Michelle was all smiles as she scooped the big prize money in day two of our Ring to Win competition.

Michelle, from Bishopbriggs, was out shopping for a new mobile phone at Braehead Shopping Centre when she got a call from the Evening Times to say she had won a grand.

Michelle said she was: "Pleased, surprised and excited - I have never won anything before!"

MIchelle has been reading the Evening Times for as long as she can remember because her mum buys a copy every day. Everything would be just grand with £1000 extra

THE unopened Christmas bills are making a dent in the doormat and there are still too many days to go until payday.

This is the brisk reality for many Scots, glumly aware that it could then take up to three months to recover from their festive spending sprees.

Just to rub salt into the wound, yesterday was officially the poorest day of the year.

Millions of people received their December pay-cheques up to a fortnight earlier than usual, which means a wait of 44 days, rather than four weeks, before January's.

In response, people have been cutting back on food, phone and heating, and going out less often.

Is this a good moment to tell you that retail price inflation has jumped to a 15-year high of 4.4%, raising the prospect of spiralling pay demands?

Probably not.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope for Evening Times readers.

Our popular Ring to Win contest offer you the chance to win £1000 by 7pm.

A £1000 windfall at this time of year would be exceptionally handy for many hard-pressed families.

Yesterday, we took to the streets of Glasgow to ask how would you spend a grand? How would you spend a sudden windfall of a thousand quid? FIONA McIVER, 25, recruitment, Charing Cross I'd love to visit Japan and with £1000 I'd go there. I wouldn't go for the weather but because it's quite cultural and interesting. � RYAN AITKEN, 24, Carluke It would be good to go on holiday at this time of year and I'd like to visit Jamaica. I've never been but it would be a good place to go to. � BARBARA McLEAN, 69, retired, Knightswood I would go on holiday to Italy with the money and go to Lake Garda. It is somewhere that I have always wanted to visit. � WILLIAM JAMIESON, 68, retired, Perth It would be a boost to go on holiday at this time of year and I would go to somewhere in America, like Miami, just for the weather. � KARRY BICKET, 28, recruitment, Ayrshire I would go on holiday with the money. It would be good to get away and I would like to go somewhere like Thailand. JEFF TECHER, 58, council worker, Kirkintilloch If I was to be given £1000 then I would stick it in the bank and save it up, just in case I ever needed it one day. � MARGARET BURNS, 60, retired, Rutherglen I've been to Italy a few times and I'd go back there with the money. I like going to places that are quite historical, so I'd go to Rome � PETER TONNER, 33, loss prevention, Summerston A holiday would be nice and with £1000 I would take the family to the Maldives. I've not been there before. � JANET SHERET, 60, retired, Moodiesburn I'm going to Turkey this year on holiday so I would use the money to pay for that trip. I've been a couple of times and had a great time. � JOHN BIRKENSHAW, 20, customer services, Baillieston With £1000 I'd pay my car insurance. That would allow me to keep my car and that would really help.