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