Kidults

Kidults = adult children still sleeping in their childhood bedrooms because they can't afford a place of their own. Some parents refuse to accept rent and do all their chores. But this is not healthy for them or their parents so here are some tips to get things back on track.

1. Redefine your boundaries. Have an adult conversation on neutral territory - go out for a meal or a drink. Don't just outline what you want - ask them what they expect from you. Cover all subjects, including having a partner to stay.

2. Agree house rules. Have a clear list of things you won't be doing for them any more. You may not mind doing their laundry, but it is not helping them to be independent. It is up to them to take responsibility for having clean underwear or an ironed shirt to wear. Accept that the kitchen is not your sole domain any more - if they have been living away form home, presumably they have had a taste of shopping and cooking for themselves and keeping their personal space tidy. If you start doing all these things, they are going to lose their skills. So allocate household chores and ask them to cook a meal or two a week, including getting the food. They will probably enjoy it - and so may you.

3. Ask them to pay rent. They should pay you at least a modest amount if they are earning. It's not just to protect your finances, but also to teach them about the costs of living. Depending on individual circumstances, either a percentage of their income (e.g. 30%) or what you agree between you they can afford. After all, they are using lighting, heating and water as well as living space.

• You can earn up to £4,250 a year in rent (2015 figures) under the Government's rent a Room Scheme. If they pay more than that, to claim your tax-free allowance, keep a record of payments and opt into the scheme when you complete a tax return.

[My tip: You could choose to save the money for something specific. For example, I was an adult living at home for just over a year, and my parents saved the rent I paid them and used it for their contribution to my wedding reception.]

4. Be a financial advisor, not a fixer. Many 20-somethings see their parents as an unlimited source of funds. Research shows that of young adults who made financial mistakes, 42% had borrowed from parents or friends, and 11% had moved back home.

• If they are in a fix, sit down with them and look at their budgeting skills.
• They need to make their own financial mistakes so they can learn from them. While you can support and advise, make it clear you won't bail them out or subsidise indefinitely.
• Remind them that in order to get a good mortgage deal in the future they need to be building a financial profile and a credit history. Are they on the electoral roll, is their mobile contract in their own name, do they have a credit card?
• There's plenty of money advice around: Moneysavingexpert.co.uk/family/young-adults-moneysaving/ and Moneyadviceservice.org.uk and for free debt counselling try citizensadvice.org uk and nationaldebtline.org and stepchange.org.

5. Help them look for work, but don't find it for them. Children are twice as likely to be living at home because they don't have a job. Offer to read over their CV, but don't go looking for jobs for them. Don't nag - their self-esteem will drop and they'll be less likely to keep looking for work. Useful websites are: Gov.uk/jobsearch and How2gethired.co.uk (advice on writing CVs and preparing for job interviews) and Bigdog.co.uk (careers advice) and goodhousekeeping.co.uk/money/work-experience-scheme (applying and securing valuable work experience).

6. Encourage them to find their own place. The high cost of buying and renting is often cited as the ley reason for young adults living in the parental home. Before you hand them a large sum for a deposit, think about the provision you need to make for your own old age. You can use your experience with calculations and suggest ways they can achieve their financial goals. Try to avoid getting tied up in their mortgage arrangements as guarantor, if at all possible, as you become the lender's insurance policy - making you liable if your kids default.

Feature in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Sales Tips

Sales can be a good place to get a bargain but get prepared beforehand.

Clothing sales tips

• Check favourite shops a couple of weeks before the sales begin to check the items you have your eyes on. Try them on and get a feel for the fabric, so when the sale starts you won't be wondering about sizes and can buy straightaway.
• Don't go to the opening day of a sale. Most stores implement price cuts in four stages, with further reductions each week.
• Most retailers start their sales earlier online, so keep an eye on websites.
• While you may be able to return a sales item, you will usually only be refunded the sale price.

Good Housekeeping January 2015

Other tips

• Don't forget to write a shopping list beforehand. A bargain item is money wasted if you do not use it or wear it when you get it home.

Various sources

Beat 118 Service Costs

There 118 prefix is used by directory enquiry services. While these can be useful, be aware that some people are getting big phone bills along with the phone number for their local Chinese takeaway. In 2014, service 118118 received a £80,000 fine from regulator Phonepay Plus for not fully informing customers of the cost of its service.

But no directory enquiry numbers are cheap - especially from your mobile phone. Charges can be up to £5 per minute - and on top of that, connection charges can cost up to another £5. So try the following instead.

• Google it - search online quickly for free or minimal cost (using some of your smartphone's data allowance).
• Use the free 0800buster free directory enquiries service 0800 118 3733 - calls are converted to local call rates, which will be covered under your contract's minutes. NB. It's automated so you'll have to listen to ads.
• Select your mobile provider's own directory enquiry service.  2014 costs. Orange charges £1.29 in total to use its 118000 service (£2.25 initial call charge plus £2.25 per minute to call 118118 from an Orange phone). Vodafone charges 85p per minute to use its 118881 service (up to £3.75 per minute to dial other 118 numbers from a Vodafone phone). O2 charges £1 per minute for its 118042 service (£5 per minute to other 118 services from an O2 phone). Three charges £1 per minute for its 118333 service (up to £5 to call other 118 services from a Three phone).
• Do not ask to be connected. After receiving your number, hang up and dial yourself - or you'll be charged the premium rate for the rest of the call.

Feature in Good Housekeeping September 2014

Declutter Solutions

Make this the year you reclaim your space by following these decluttering tips.

• Turn challenging spaces into storage spots: the space under the stairs where nothing else fits, the weird corner where the radiator juts out.
• Share the tidying and cleaning jobs between everyone in the house.
• Having multiple washing baskets can be helpful in a busy household. Use one for 'white and light', one for colours and and one for darks.
• Multi-blouse/shirt and trouser/skirt hangers save up to 10cm of hanging space.
• Don't keep out-of-date medicines clogging up your available bathroom space.
• Storage and organisation geeks use the acronym SPACE. Sort out - what are the most important things you want to keep? Purge - throw away or donate everything you don't want or have not used in the last 18 months. Assign a home -when things have a place it's easy to declutter and organise the next time they are out of place. Containerise - choose storage boxes and containers that are transparent so you can see exactly what is inside. Enjoy - sit back, relax and enjoy your orderly space and  uncluttered mind.
• Have an organised 'occasional area' (e.g. understairs cupboard or garage) where you can keep items that you only use once or twice a year, such as dinner party ware or BBQ equipment.
• Don't buy storage before you declutter - wait till you know what your needs are.
• Don't leave a room untidy at the end of the day, or leave your bed unmade in the mornng. The messiness will only spread.
• Don't let a pile build up. Tackle it while it is small and get it done.
• Don't get distracted.If you come across an old photo album or pile of letters, put them to one side to leaf through when you have finished the task in hand.
• Keep a memory box for those things you know you want to keep but don't know where to put - but only put in things you will remember in 10 years time - don't overcrowd this box. Have one box for every member of the family.

Vanessa Holden, Anthea Turner, Suzanne Baker, Simon Glanville and Vicky Silverthorn in Good Housekeeping, February 2015

Facts about Strokes

A recent report by the Stroke Association has given a misleading impression about the rates of strokes (especially to those of working age) due to the report writers not having checked all recent statistics.

The published report only counted the number of people turning up at hospital with a stroke, which is indeed rising. But this is happening because we are getting better at spotting strokes, not because more people are having strokes. Ten years ago, you might have put your father's face going droopy as having a 'funny turn' whereas today many more people recognise it as a stroke. More people are also being admitted with 'mini strokes'. Treatment has also changed from the advice to take an aspirin and some bed rest, to more appropriate medication.

The UK's two major stroke registers (in London and Oxford) have been showing a drop in strokes. Yes, we are as a nation getting fatter and more sedentary, but we are also smoking less, eating less salt, and taking blood pressure and cholesterol lowering pills.

Think F.A.S.T. and Act F.A.S.T. If you see any of these signs, call 999.

• Face: Ask the person to smile. Does the face look uneven?
• Arms: Ask them to raise both arms. Does one arm drift down?
• Speech: Does their speech sound strange? Ask them to repeat a phrase.
• Telephone: Brain cells die every second. Call 999

Strokes are caused by a sudden lack of oxygen to the brain. They are a serious and potentially life-threatening condition, and frequently cause paralysis, slurred speech and confusion.

Dr Stuart Farrimond, Wiltshire Times 29 May 2015

Driving & Cycling in Winter

Many motorists feel nervous about driving in snow and icy conditions. Here's what you need to know.

• Check your vehicle is safe - many garages offer a free or inexpensive Winter check that covers the battery, lights, fluids and tyres.
• The legal minimum tyre tread is 1.6mm but for optimum safety consider a replacement if the depth is below 3mm. 
• Winter tyres improve safety in all types of hazardous weather - snow, ice and rain. However it does mean paying for a spare set of tyres and you'll need to find storage  for your regular tyres.
• Snow socks and snow chains should only be used on snowy or icy roads and removed once you are on a cleared road. Snow chains in particular can be cumbersome to fit and remove. (Halfords.com has a useful tool - you input your car reg and it displays the suitable chains/socks and prices.)
• Always drive smoothly over ice and avoid sudden braking and accleration. 
• Stick to main roads that are likely to have been cleared and gritted.
• Join a breakdown service and always keep an emergency kit in the car - including a coat, boots, a high-visibility jacket, food and water, a de-icer and scraper, a torch, a spade and a charged mobile phone with your breakdown provider's details.

Cyclists need to take care too. (Some of the motoring tips also apply to cyclists - checking your bike, going smoothly, sticking to bigger roads.)

• Brainy Bike Lights (brainybikelights.com) - attach to the front and rear of your bike. An illuminated bike symbol alerts drivers to your two-wheeled status. Research suggests that seeing the bike symbol helps drivers' brains to quickly recognise a cyclist. A great alternative to standard bike lights. Battery operated.

Feature in Good Housekeeping November 2014

Best Diet Advice Tips

 Here are some simple tips to help you move to healthy eating habits.

• Stick to the rule of three. When faced with a large choice - say at a buffet - opt for just 2 or 3 foods.
• Dim lighting and soft music leads diners to eat less (175 calories less) and enjoy their meal more. You eat more slowly in a relaxed environment so recognise when you are full.
• Recalling a previous meal or keeping a food diary could help reduce the amount you eat, especially if people rememebred their last meal as filling and satisfying. Being distracted while eating - e.g. while watching TV or reading - leads to overeating.
• Eat three fewer bites of your meal - that's one less biscuit, or one less glass of orange juice - can save around 100 calories a day or the 2 pounds weight most people put on in a year.
• Choose full-fat instead of fat-free dairy. Full-fat dairy satisfies hunger better and means fewer calories in the long run.
• Ditch fruit juices and smoothies as they can contain as much sugar as fizzy drinks. Juicing removes tge fibre - the filling part of the fruit that helps reduce its impact on blood sugar. Studies show consuming one or more daily servings of fruit juice raised the risk of type 2 diabetes by 21%. Eat whole fruit and opt for water, sugar-free drinks or tea instead.
• Start your meal with a 100 calorie salad, a broth-based soup or an apple; this reduces the amount you eat in the next course.
• Don't cut out treats entirely. 
• Out of sight, out of mouth. Hide the biscuit tin and put treats or trigger foods on the highest shelf to make it easier to resist temptation.
• A 20 minute walk before dinner reduces appetite and increases sensations of fullness as effectively as simply having a light meal.
• Whole grain foods prolong the digestion process, so sugar is released over a longer period of time. If you can't eat gluten, alternatives are brown rice, amaranth, buckwheat and quinoa.

Feature in Good Housekeeping October 2014

Immobilise: The National UK Property Register

Immobilise (https://www.immobilise.com/) is the world's largest FREE register of possession ownership details and together with its sister sites the Police's NMPR and CheckMEND, forms a very effective tool in helping to reduce crime and repatriate recovered personal property to its rightful owners.

Immobilise can be used by members of the public and businesses to register their valued possessions or company assets, and exclusive to Immobilise all account holders registered items and ownership details are viewable on the Police national property database the NMPR.

This online checking service is used thousands of times each day by UK Police forces to trace owners of lost and stolen property.

As a direct result of Immobilise there are hundreds of cases a week where property is returned or information collected that assists the Police in investigating criminal activity involving stolen goods.
Immobilise is also the only ownership registration service supported by all UK Police forces, the Greater London Authority, and the Mobile Phone Industry.

Details above from Immobilise website.


Original source was a feature on the Mobile Equipment National Database (for mobile phones) on the BBC News website 5 Nov. 2004 which noted: To register a mobile phone, you'll need the unique IMEI number (a 15-digit number which can be found by keying in  *#06#  into the phone.

Microsoft Support for Internet Explorer

In 2015 Microsoft announced it is ending support for its browser, Internet Explorer apart from the following versions:

• Windows 8.1 -- Internet Explorer 11
• Windows 7 SP1 -- Internet Explorer 11
• Windows Vista SP2 -- Internet Explorer 9

This is because Microsoft are working on a new browser (provisionally named  MS Edge) for Windows 10.

Nail Care

Nails protect our fintertips and toes, and deserve regular attention.

• Keep nails neatly trimmed.
• Nails can get soft due to being in water a lot, so consider wearing rubber gloves.
• Avoid excess exposure to strong chemicals.
• Try not to dig, poke at or lift nails.
• While filing nails, move file in one direction only, outwards from the middle.
• Ensure you have enough calcium, vitamin D, iodine, copper, zinc, and B vitamins, especially biotin, in your diet.
• Rubbing almond oil into the nails every day may help keep them strong.

Split nails: Brittle or split nails may occur in many diseases (including an under or over active thyroid gland) but are also just more common in later life. Solution: Rule out fungal infections. Avoid excessive uses of detergents and other harsh chemicals and moisturise regularly. Biotin or vitamin B7 supplements can help stregthen nails. Talk to your doctor if you have other symptoms.

White spots: These are common and usually a sign of disruption to the nail structure caused by minor trauma. They may be a symptom of low calcium, or anaemia, and chronic diseases such as diabetes. Constant use of nail polish can also leave white marks on the nail surface. Solution: Make sure you get enough calcium and iron in your diet. Moisturise nails regularly to keep them supple. Try changing to a milder nail-polish remover.

Vertical ridges: Thicker ridges running along the length of the nail out to the fingertip often develop as we get older. Solution: You can smooth out these ridges by filing them down with a double-sided polishing nail file.

Horizontal ridges: Ridges or indentations going across the nail from side to side are a sign that the formation of the new nail has been disrupted. This can be caused by injuries to the nail fold (under the skin just above the visible nail) and infections; also by skin diseases such as psoriasis, severe heart disease, malnutrition, low calcium intake and some drug treatments, especially chemotherapy. Solution: Check your general health and diet. By the time the ridges appear, any health threat may have passed. If ridges persist, see your GP.

Discoloured nails: The most common cause is chronic fungal infection. In people with diabetes, fungal infections increase the risk of bacterial infection, leading to foot ulcers and gangrene, so keep an eye on them. Other conditions that can discolour nails are: chronic bacterial infections elsewhere in the body, jaundice and some drug treatments. Solution: Keep feet clean and dry well after washing. Ask your pharmacist about antifungal treatments - you need to follow the instructions meticulously.

Spoon shaped nails: Nails which sink down in the centre (koilonychia) are linked to several diseases including iron-deficiency anaemia, Raynauds disease (where blood vessels to the extremities go into episodes of spasm), lupus (an autoimmune disease) and haeomatochromosis (an inherited disorder of iron storage). Solution: Talk to your GP, especially if you have other symptoms, including tiredness (which could indicate anaemia).

Pale nails: Can indicate the nail has come away from the nail bed below and will soon fall off. Can also be a sign of more serious disease (e.g. liver cirrhosis, heart disease, diabetes, overactive thyroid). Solution: If you have more than one damaged white nail, see your GP to rule out more serious problems.

Black nails: Usually the result of trauma with bleeding into the nail. Psoriasis can cause nails to turn red or brown, or pitted; a chronic bacterial infection can cause a greenish-black tinge; kidney failure can leave nails brown at the tips. Vertical dark stripes are a common normal variant in people with darker skin. Solution: A damaged black nail will fall off in time. Monitor dark patches in a nail: if they grow or affect the nail fold, they could be a pigmented cancer called a subungual melanoma.

Feature by Dr Tricia Mcnair in Lifespan magazine, Spring 2015 and various other sources.

Snippy

Snippy is a quick and free download (www.bhelpuri.net/Snippy/default.htm).

It allows you to quickly highlight part of a web page and copy it to the Windows clipboard. The screenshot can then be added to a document, email or presentation, or just saved as a graphic.

Phil Bradley column in CILIP Update Jan/Feb 2007

Eco Myths

Myth #1 It's better to leave heating on low all the time than set it to come on twice a day at higher temperatures.
Fact: Leaving the heating on constantly uses more energy than turning it on and off, but this does not mean that short, sharp bursts of heat at a high temperature are more efficient. Use a thermostat to regulate temperature and concentrate on heating the rooms you use most often.

Myth #2 It's better to keep the water heater on all the time than heat from cold.
Fact: A hot water tank only needs to heat up water as it is used. Heating water continuously is like constantly re-boiling a kettle in the run up to teatime - completely unnecesary when a quick flick of a switch a minute before you want a cuppa will suffice. Check your hot water doesn't automatically turn on with the heating (you may not have an option with some older systems). If you've got a combi boiler you don't need to worry as it only heats water as you use it.

Myth #3 There is not much point in turning the thermostat by only one degree.
Fact: Based on normal use, this simple and small change can reduce bills by 10% if you have your heating on for eight hours a day.

Myth #4 Once a gadget is fully charged, it stops drawing electricity.
Fact: A small amount of electricity is still drawn whenever the device is plugged in. Instead of charging overnight, juice up smartphones and tablets for a couple of hours during the day.

Myth #5 Energy saving lightbulbs are not as powerful as older ones.
Fact: Not true. LED lighting is greener and brighter than the original energy-savers. The amount of light produced in energy-efficient bulbs is measured in lumens, not watts - and they consume so much less power that comparisons are meaningless. The higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. As a rough guide to brightness, add a zero to the wattage - so for 60 watts look for 600 lumens.

Myth #6 Leaving appliances on stnadby can't hurt much.
Fact: You could save up to £80 per year by switching items off standby. Since 2010, appliances cannot use more than 1 watt of energy when on standby, but older products can waste much more. Watch out for older audiovisual equipment such as flatscreen tvs and digiboxes, and wireless routers and modems. Switch off appliances connected to your tv (dvd player, games consoles and Freeview boxes) easily with an intelligent mains controller. It's like a remote control that allows you to point, click and turn off devices from your sofa.

Myth #7 Electricity and gas cost the same.
Fact: Although electrical heating is more efficient (i.e. we need less), a modern gas central heating system with a condensing boiler is generally the cheapest form of heating.

Myth #8 Computer screensavers save energy.
Fact: Basic screensavers don't use much energy, but all-singing, all-dancing ones use a fair bit of energy to power the moving design. Better to swtich off your computer if leaving it for any length of time.


Feature in Good Housekeeping, February 2015