Page 53 - News

Elderly woman focused on paperwork and using a calculator at a table, younger man gaming in the background.

When Adult Children Claim Maintenance From Their Parents’ Pension

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

The letter came on a Tuesday morning, on one of those dull grey days when the kettle seems to be...

Young man counting money and talking on the phone while working on a laptop in a sunlit kitchen.

How to Renegotiate Your Recurring Expenses in January

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

The email lands at 7:42 a.m., wedged between a news notification and an advert for half-price trainers. “Your monthly subscription...

Woman kneeling and showing a smartphone to a young schoolgirl holding a notebook outside a school gate.

Smartphones in Primary School: The Debate Parents Cannot Ignore

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

Backpacks thud against lockers, children call to one another and trainers squeal across the floor. Yet amid the noise sits...

Group of people gathered outdoors around a table examining a colourful urban planning map.

Guimarães hosts the 15th Landscape Forum this week

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

The future of the landscape is under discussion in Guimarães this week, as the city hosts the 15th Landscape Forum....

Couple reviewing finances and budget paperwork together at a kitchen table with a laptop and coffee mugs.

Rent to Us: How a Couple Cut Three Years Off Their Deposit Timeline

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

It was a Tuesday evening in a rented flat, with a bathroom extractor fan that sounded like a light aircraft....

Young man working on a laptop at a wooden table with a smartphone, steaming tea, and a clock nearby.

How Your Email-Opening Pattern Trains Your Brain for Stress

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

Most weekdays begin in much the same way now. Before you have even sat upright, you unlock your phone, with...

Elderly couple reviewing pension paperwork at a table with laptop, calculator, and coffee, calendar in background.

UK Pension Changes From 2026: What Retirees Could Lose

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

Margaret, 69, was sitting at her kitchen table in Leeds when she opened an email headed “Changes to your pension...

Young man in smart casual walking outside with coffee and phone near café with seated people inside.

Walk Before Email: A Five-Minute Morning Reset

Harriet M. Ashford • October 1, 2026

Your phone screen flickers on before you have properly opened your eyes. A single sweep of your thumb lets the...

Person analysing forest data on a tablet while sitting in a wooded area with a notebook and measuring tape.

Oak trees delay spring leafing after caterpillar damage

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Spring should be a banquet in the forest. For caterpillars and other insects that feed on leaves, it is the...

Older man in suit writing at desk with scales, books and chalkboard reading Price < Intrinsic Value Margin of Safety.

Benjamin Graham and Warren Buffett: The Margin of Safety Principle

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

It is not the silence that settles over a spreadsheet, but the hush that follows when someone older and wiser...

Person soaking a reusable cloth menstrual pad in a jar of water on a table with potted plants.

How to Water Plants with an Old Cotton T-shirt Wick

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Keeping plants hydrated while travelling or during very hot weather can be difficult. A straightforward method that repurposes an old...

Three young adults planting saplings in a garden beside a brick path on a sunny day.

Fast-Growing Shrubs for Privacy from Neighbours

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Well-chosen shrubs can transform a home’s outdoor space, providing privacy, light shade and a greater feeling of comfort in the...

Person using a smartphone at a wooden table with a laptop, papers, and a credit card in a bright kitchen.

$2,700 Boost 2025: Eligibility Rules and Payment Guide

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Relief in one moment, uncertainty in the next. The rules have changed, leaving millions asking whether the money is still...

Older woman planting a seedling in a raised garden bed with gardening tools and a notebook nearby.

How Gardening Supports Brain Health

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

People who garden generally fare better on measures of mood, physical health and thinking, according to a wide-ranging analysis. The...

Man in a dark shirt writing on paper at a wooden desk with laptop, family photo, and pocket watch nearby.

DAC8 and inheritance tax: Brussels’ quiet switch by December 2025

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

It may sound like a muted click in a server room. By December 2025, Brussels will have activated a series...

Person’s hand touching blooming lavender plants in a garden with a watering can and basket nearby.

Which Plants Should Not Be Grown with Lavender?

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Lavender is valued for its hardiness and distinctive fragrance, yet it does not always thrive alongside every plant in the...

Stressed young man in kitchen reviewing debt paper with credit cards, calculator, phone, and mug on table.

The Most Common Cause of Over-Indebtedness: Payment Stacking

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Debt rarely arrives all at once. It seeps in, nudges you at the till, flashes up in an app and...

Two workers in orange uniforms handling a large hose on a vessel’s deck by the ocean, with maps nearby.

TAT-8: the first transatlantic fibre-optic cable is being recycled

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Laid in the late 1980s, the TAT-8 transatlantic cable represented a watershed moment in telecommunications history. More than three decades...

Magnolia tree in full bloom shading two wicker chairs and a table with drinks on a wooden deck in a sunny garden.

White Magnolia in Landscaping: Elegance, Fragrance and Shade

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Outdoor spaces need carefully chosen botanical features to achieve an elegant finish. The magnificent white magnolia stands out in landscaping...

Elderly couple reviewing documents and using calculator at a wooden table with a laptop in a bright kitchen.

Revised Pension Thresholds Bring Higher Payments Next Month

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Prices continue to creep higher, yet one entry on the benefits ledger is about to shift in your favour. As...

Hands planting a rosemary herb in a terracotta pot on a wooden tray with other herb plants and watering can nearby

How to Grow Rosemary in a Home Herb Garden

Harriet M. Ashford • September 30, 2026

Growing a home herb garden brings freshness and flavour to everyday dishes, yet it calls for careful choices when selecting...