Life Style

    Missing your flight, not packing the right clothes or even bad weather can all impact the outcome of a trip. But there are some things you can do to take the edge off before and during a trip away. First, remember: You're on holiday and you deserve it! Leave all that stress from work, family and friends behind by letting people know you'll be out of touch and will get back to them when you return. Then, turn your phone off and resist all temptation to check emails that will give you anxiety. Next, plan. Exploring somewhere new is fun and exciting but if you're the type of person who prefers a little familiarity, do some research on the area you'll be visiting ahead of time like checking out maps and restaurants so you're not overwhelmed when you arrive. Last, know you're l...

    Every time it rains, water runs from a property into a public drain – where it's processed and turned into drinking water – and we're charged for it. Except, sometimes it doesn't happen like that. The problem is that water companies generally don't know if this is, or isn't, the case – and if water isn't running from your home into the drains then you're due a rebate. The better news is that the rebate can be back-dated for 6 years – meaning cheaper water now and up to £240 back from your supplier. These are the rules and what to look out for: The rules “If rainwater drains from your property into a public sewer, you will be charged for surface water drainage through your sewerage bill,” water regulator Ofwat explains. This includes water that flows through gutters or that...

    There are some professions that it's hard to love. There may be lovely traffic wardens - and debt collectors who are wonderful human beings - but they'll have an uphill struggle to convince anyone of their good points. We reveal ten of the most hated professions - and why. 10. Bouncer They may be useful for breaking up pub brawls, but those who have been unlucky enough to get up close and personal with a bouncer will know they can get very carried away with the power they have been given. On the other hand, it's easy to understand why bouncers get easily riled up when you see the state people get themselves into on a night out! 9. Mechanic For a lot of us, a trip to the mechanic can be pretty stressful, especially when we don't know anything about fixing cars. This also pu...

    A celebrity protected by a UK privacy injunction that prevents the media reporting on his extramarital activities has been named in America. The identity of the man, who is well-known and has children with his partner, also in the entertainment business, has been revealed in a US publication. But a privacy injunction granted by the Court of Appeal in London prevents the UK press revealing the identity of the man, who was involved in a "three-way sexual encounter". The Sun on Sunday had wanted to publish an account of the man's "sexual exploits" with others - but senior judges barred the tabloid from revealing the man's "extramarital activities". In the ruling, which was reported last month, Lord Justice Jackson said both the man, referred to as PJS, and his spouse, YMA, di...

    Fast food workers have revealed the meals you should never order from the restaurants they work in, as well as their tips and tricks for ensuring your dinner arrives fresh. Reddit user enantiodromia asked people working in the fast food trade to reveal the dishes that customers should never order from them. From Starbucks overpriced sandwiches to McDonald's grilled chicken and filet o fish, here's what you need to know... One worker from Subway said that the "oven roasted chicken" they sold in their sub rolls was actually "boiled in the microwave". While another advised people not to order the footlong flatbread meatball sub. However they didn't give a reason why. A former Starbucks employee claimed that the coffee chain's food is basically just "reheated frozen food", bef...

    Eating blueberries may protect ageing brains and help stave off symptoms of Alzheimer's disease, new research suggests. Scientists from the University of Cincinnati in the US gave a group of volunteers either blueberries in a powder form or a placebo powder. Blueberry powder was found to improve the thinking performance of 47 adults aged 68 and older who already had mild cognitive impairment, a risk factor for Alzheimer's. A similar effect was not seen when volunteers ate a placebo powder, the Press Association reports. MRI brain scans also showed increased brain activity in participants who had the blueberry powder, compared to ones who had the placebo. Commenting on the findings, lead researcher Dr Robert Krikorian said: "There was improvement in cognitive performance an...

    Sometimes, however much you save for a deposit, house prices seem to leap out of your reach. But while buying a property is not easy, you may be able to escape the rental trap through a halfway house - shared ownership. In a shared ownership scheme, you buy a chunk of the property from a housing association, and pay rent on the rest. Over time, you can build up more of a stake in your home. We spoke to Alix Kelly, 24, who just bought one-bed home in east London. This is her experience. When I got the keys I cried When I first moved to London, I lived with my brother. But that had a time limit. Then I rented with a friend in Plaistow, east London. Renting is fine, but you’re lucky if you have a good landlord. I also wanted my own space, and control over my money. I wanted t...

    Picking up the phone and dialing “0” to order your favourite club sandwich, a shrimp cocktail, and a bottle of chilled white wine, from the comfort of your luxurious, perfectly squidgy, king-size bed has got to be the ultimate travelling indulgence. It’s no secret that food tastes better when it’s eaten while you’re propped up against several feather-filled pillows, and wrapped in crisp Egyptian cotton sheets. This is why we’re always willing to pay over the odds for a simple meal to be cooked at whatever time of day or night we fancy, and delivered directly to our door. However, this glamorous ultra-private dining experience can be made improved with a few little tips and some simple savvy ordering. You need to remember that the chef cooking your food is not the best chef...

    In today's work-obsessed society, we have this belief that we have to constantly be doing something in order to be successful. But what if the opposite were true? As Stanford psychologist Emma Seppala argues in her new book, "The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success," we can be more effective if we take time to do more of nothing. It's a radical idea, but one that's actually backed up by research. We're most creative when we're less focused. For a 2011 study, researchers gave 428 students questionnaires to classify them as either a morning or an evening person, and then gave them logic problems in either the morning or late afternoon. To the researchers' surprise, the morning people performed better in the late afternoon, whereas...

    7 Easy Tricks to Get Rid of Belly Bloat Bloating, when excess gas builds up in the digestive tract, is an uncomfortable state that sometimes goes away when you wake up the next morning and your belly is flat again. Stomach gas is more than an inconvenience when you can’t zip your jeans; it is often painful. If you don’t want to wait a few hours to feel like a normal human being again, it’s important to keep a few tips in mind. 1) Don’t drink too much water before you work out You have to stay hydrated while you exercise, but drinking too much water will certainly make your belly big. The recommended amount of H2O is between 16 and 24 ounces an hour before you hit the gym. Sixty minutes is enough time for the body to absorb the fluid and get rid of what it doesn’t need. Dri...