Search

Keep warm this winter without breaking the bank

With winter right around the corner, many of us (me included) are dreading the frost-bitten mornings, increased heating bills, and feeling too frozen to enjoy our days. However, with winter comes a long list of simple things to appreciate, such as layering up with your favourite scarf before heading out, curling up under a blanket with a good book, endless cups of tea, and of course, the ultimate season for soup. Another thing to add to this unspoken list of winter essentials is the very thing that keeps us warm all day everyday: our most trusted pair of ugg boot slippers. This winter, it’s never been more important to make sure your uggs are in tip top shape, as there’s nothing more miserable than having cold toes in the middle of June. Luckily, Ugg Express is here to help. This Australian owned and based footwear brand has been crafting a wide range of high-quality ugg boots, street wear shoes and accessories for the Australian community for over 30 years. From <a href="https://uggexpress.com.au/collections/ugg-boots-for-women">women’s</a> and <a href="https://uggexpress.com.au/collections/mens-ugg-boots">men’s</a> collections to styles made for little feet, every pair of UGGs is meticulously constructed using a combination of robust soles, reinforced stitching and high-quality suede or leather exteriors to deliver long-lasting wear and endless warmth. If it's boots you’re looking for, or if slip-on slippers are more your speed, Ugg Express have what you’re after, with their entire range coming in at very affordable prices. I was lucky enough to be sent a pair of <a href="https://uggexpress.com.au/products/as-ugg-slippers-homey-unisex-sheepskin-slippers?variant=19690173005882">sheepskin Ugg slippers</a>, and can confidently say I have found my go-to Uggs for winter. These slippers are not a full boot, making them easy to slip on and off if you struggle with mobility issues, while still keeping your heels and ankles snug. As someone who has long suffered with circulation problems (even in the depths of summer will be fingers and toes be entirely too cold) these sheepskin slippers have answered my winter prayers. The ultra-soft sheepskin lining gently moulds to the contours of your feet, providing a cushioned and cloud-like sensation with every step, without leaving your feet feeling overheated or sweaty. Sheepskin also contains natural antimicrobial properties that wick away moisture and help keep nasty odours at bay, so your pair of Uggs smell fresh and new, even with extended wear. The warmth and comfort of these Uggs are unmatched, with a comfy sole adding much needed support, so you can wear them all day long. You can shop the entire range of Uggs, slippers, boots and much more <a href="https://uggexpress.com.au/">online</a>, with the Ugg Express website offering free shipping on orders over $100, and a no risk 30-day returns policy to ensure every customer is happy with their purchase. If you prefer to try before you buy, Ugg Express have stores located all across Australia. Don’t wait before you’re frozen solid to make your ultimate winter purchase! Explore the range today to discover a pair of stylish UGG boots you’ll be reaching for whenever the temperature dips. Image credits: Shutterstock

Beauty & Style

Are you a victim of elder abuse without even realising it?

A wealthy widow being told how to manage her money. A retired couple being denied access to their grandchildren. A single woman paying her high income-earning son’s credit card debt with her superannuation. Very different Australians with one unfortunate thing in common – they are all victims of elder abuse. While most people are familiar with the term ‘domestic violence’, the term ‘elder abuse’ is less well known. Which in itself is part of the problem: a lack of awareness helps perpetuate the cycle. The World Health Organization (WHO) <a href="https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/abuse-of-older-people" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defines elder abuse</a> as: “a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights.” It isn’t necessarily restricted to actions that leave physical scars – which can make it harder to identify, even for victims themselves. The absence of physical violence or financial theft can provide a false sense of security. Not recognising the signs that something is amiss lets mistreatment go unnoticed altogether. Alternatively, excuses are made for a loved one’s behaviour or concerns aren’t raised in order to ‘keep the peace’. How prevalent is elder abuse in Australia? The limited discussion of elder abuse in the media and society in general would suggest it isn’t common in Australia. Sadly, this couldn’t be more wrong. <a href="https://www.aihw.gov.au/family-domestic-and-sexual-violence/population-groups/older-people#abuse" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Government figures</a> estimate that one in six older people – around 598,000 individuals – were directly affected in 2023. Psychological abuse was the most widespread, while 2.1 per cent of older Australians – 83,800 people – experienced financial abuse. Who is responsible? The saddest fact of all is that elder abuse is typically committed by people their victims should be able to trust the most. More than half (53 per cent) of perpetrators are family members: adult children are the most common, with partners/spouses ranking third. Friends are the second most common perpetrators. What are the impacts? Impacts of elder abuse are typically far-reaching and depend on the type of abuse involved. Among them are: <ul> <li>Loss of control and independence</li> <li>Physical and mental health issues</li> <li>Relationship breakdowns</li> <li>Financial losses</li> <li>Insecure living arrangements</li> </ul> It is not uncommon for older people to be pressured over how to manage their finances and estate planning, influencing everything from how much they have to live off in retirement to care arrangements in their final years and who benefits from their estate. Much of the abuse and subsequent fallout centres around the family home. Charity <a href="https://www.theforgottenwomen.org.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Forgotten Women</a> notes there are over 40,000 women aged 55-plus who are homeless in Queensland alone. Elder abuse is often a contributing – if not causal – factor, such as one woman forced to live in her car while her son occupies her home. Meanwhile, the current housing crisis creates ideal conditions for abuse to flourish. Multi-generational households risk reduced independence and increased control over older people. A lack of proper agreements and structures when the Bank of Mum and Dad assists with a home deposit and/or loan guarantee opens the door to expectations of further financial assistance or threats to default on guaranteed loans. Warning signs of elder abuse Besides physical violence, red flags to look for include: <ul> <li>Coercive control – undue pressure over decision-making, living arrangements, spending and investment strategies, pensions, superannuation, tax, legal affairs and wills, ownership of assets, power of attorney.</li> <li>Guilt – emotional manipulation and ‘guilt-tripping’ for not meeting particular demands.</li> <li>Isolation – from family and friends as well as from independent professional advisers (your accountant, financial adviser, lawyer, healthcare professionals etc.).</li> <li>Money mismanagement – taking cash without consent; restricting access to money and assets; pressure to pay expenses that aren’t yours.</li> <li>Neglect and abandonment – withholding essentials or anything that is needed to maintain quality of life.</li> <li>Blackmail – a tragically common example is withholding access to grandchildren unless financial or legal demands are met.</li> </ul> Given the potentially disastrous consequences, it is important to recognise the signs and act quickly. Don’t suffer in silence or hope that things will sort themselves out. If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, seek help straight away. Speak to a trusted relative or friend. Seek independent legal and financial advice about your affairs. Or call the government’s <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/contacts/elder-abuse-phone-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">free elder abuse line on 1800 353 374</a>. And if your life is in danger, call triple zero (000) immediately. About the Author: Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a> Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754. Image: Getty

Retirement Income

Samantha Murphy’s heartbroken family mark first birthday without her

In a heart-wrenching saga that has gripped the community of Ballarat and beyond, the disappearance of Samantha Murphy continues to haunt her husband, Michael Murphy, and all those who knew her. Two months have passed since Samantha vanished without a trace, leaving behind a void that cannot be filled. As the days stretch into weeks and the weeks into months, Michael clings to hope, fervently believing that one day Samantha's body will be found, bringing closure to this harrowing ordeal. <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-victoria/michael-murphy-i-need-to-be-strong-myself-and-look-after-everyone-around-me/news-story/f653bc98fcca22a81eac34c270a7d8bd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Speaking to the Herald Sun</a>, Michael expressed the pain of his daily reality, where the absence of Samantha looms large. Despite his grief, he strives to maintain a semblance of optimism, eagerly awaiting any glimmer of positive news from the ongoing police investigation. Yet, as time wears on and the investigation inches forward, the anguish only deepens. The arrest and charging of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/everything-we-know-about-samantha-murphy-s-accused-killer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">22-year-old Patrick Stephenson</a> with Samantha's murder provided a brief moment of reckoning. However, since then, the progress has been slow, and Michael understands that justice may elude them until Stephenson chooses to cooperate. Acknowledging the arduous nature of the legal process, Michael remains steadfast in his support for the detectives tirelessly working on Samantha's case. August 8 looms on the horizon as the date when Stephenson is slated to appear before the Ballarat Magistrates' Court. For Michael and the Murphy family, it's a pivotal moment in their quest for justice, a step towards closure in a saga fraught with uncertainty. For Michael, the passing of milestones like Samantha's birthday – she would have turned 52 on Saturday – serves as a stark reminder of her absence. The pain of marking such occasions without her presence is a burden he carries with stoicism, determined to navigate life's challenges for the sake of his family. “It’s the first things," Michael told the Herald Sun. "The first birthday without Sam … any anniversaries without Sam. That’s a hard thing but we’ve gotta face reality and realise she’s just not coming back ... I need to be strong myself and look after everyone around me.” The timeline of events leading to Samantha's disappearance remains etched in the minds of those who knew her. Two months ago, she was captured on CCTV, embarking on her routine morning run around Woowookarung Regional Park. Little did anyone know that it would be the last sighting of her, plunging her loved ones into a nightmare from which they are yet to awaken. The community's response to Samantha's disappearance has been one of unwavering solidarity. During the initial days, emergency services and local volunteers mobilised in a coordinated effort to search for any trace of her. Their commitment to finding Samantha has not waned, as evidenced by ongoing searches organised by community groups like the Ground Crew. While the road ahead may be fraught with challenges, the community's commitment to finding Samantha remains resolute. As they continue their search for answers, they do so with the unwavering belief that Samantha Murphy will not be forgotten, and that one day, her family will find the closure they so desperately seek. Images: Nine

Family & Pets

How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

It’s 3am and you’re suddenly wide awake. Try these seven science-backed strategies to fall back to sleep fast. Give meditation a try As a mindfulness coach, I’m very aware of the day-to-day anxieties and worries that can interfere with a good night’s sleep. One of the most effective natural sleep aids is a quick meditation session to ease yourself out of those stresses. If you’ve never meditated before, you’ll likely find the meditation interrupted by thoughts flashing through your mind. It’s important for you to know that this isn’t a failure on your part, and that you aren’t doing anything wrong. Thinking is just what the brain does, as naturally as lungs take in air. The point is to be non-judgmental yet aware of your thoughts, bodily experiences and breath, moment by moment. Sleep better, feel better! <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.com.au/p/gaiam-wellness/rollers-resistance/27-72435-gaiam-strengthen-stretch-kit?affiliate=GAIAM6O" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This Blackout Sleep Mask from Gaiam</a> will help you feel well rested and renewed. Stop wanting to fall asleep It’s counterintuitive, isn’t it? Sometimes trying too hard to do something is the very thing that prevents us from achieving it – and that’s never more true than when it comes to falling asleep. Desperately wanting to sleep will only stoke anxieties that will further stress your brain, essentially feeding it the message that it’s not safe to sleep. Throw in those worries about your to-do list at work the following day, and the whole thing can snowball into a panic attack. Try letting go of that feeling that you absolutely must sleep now, and observe your own anxieties for what they are without judgment. When you stop looking at sleep as a goal, you’ll find it easier to fall asleep. Before you climb into bed, set aside 10-15 minutes to help relax your body and mind, with <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.com.au/p/gaiam-wellness/restore-massage/27-73353-gaiam-wellness-acupressure-neck-back-pillow?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this wellness acupressure neck and back pillow from Gaiam</a>. Start a journal If you find yourself struggling to fall asleep, pick up a pen and paper (not your phone!), and start writing: simply scribble down an account of what’s going on inside your head. Although there’s no “right” way to journal, you might start by listing the events of your day, and from there, how those events and encounters made you feel. Building this structured picture of your thoughts may help you see that the problem that’s keeping you up at night, and is likely less overwhelming than you thought. Why my insistence on a pen and paper? First off, studies show the simple motor action that’s involved in the act of handwriting has a calming effect. Secondly, the light emitted by laptops and phones isn’t conducive to falling asleep. Find yourself a "3am friend" Some of us are lucky to have a ‘3am friend’, that close confidant you can call up in the wee hours knowing that they won’t hold it against you in the morning. Although it’s great to have someone to talk to when you want to fall asleep, it’s important that the conversation doesn’t just rehash the anxieties that are preventing you from catching shut-eye in the first place. Rather than using the call to seek solutions for those issues, talk about things that calm your nerves, or even have them assist you in deep breathing. It may sound silly, but doing a series of deep, relaxing breaths can help you let go of the troubles that are keeping you wide awake. Take a warm shower Taking a warm shower not only relaxes your muscles and soothes minor aches and pains, but it also raises your core body temperature. As soon as you step out of the shower, your body starts working at lowering that temperature, which is something that normally happens when you’re falling asleep naturally. (That’s why we always feel the need for a blanket when we sleep, no matter how warm it is!) By kick-starting that temperature-lowering process, you’re tricking your body into falling asleep fast. Stretch yourself to sleep Anxiety keeping you up? Research suggests mild stretching can help take the edge off and relax muscles that have become stiff and sore after a long day. We’re not talking intricate yoga poses or acrobatics here, either: Simple stretches like an overhead arm stretch and bending over to touch your toes should do the trick. Ramp up the relaxation potential with a soundtrack of ambient noise at a volume that’s just barely audible. There are plenty of white noise apps that are free to download, but soft music can work as well (so long as there are no lyrics). Just remember, if you’re using an electronic device to play these sleep-promoting sounds, make sure it’s placed screen-down so you’re not distracted by the light it emits. Stretching is healing, and this <a href="https://gaiam.innovations.com.au/p/gaiam-wellness/rollers-resistance/27-72435-gaiam-strengthen-stretch-kit?affiliate=GAIAM60" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Strengthen and Stretch Kit from Gaiam</a> is a great way to start. An on-line workout is also included to get you started. Read (or listen!) to something new When you’re struggling with insomnia, it might be tempting to pull an old favourite off the bookshelf. In reality, it’s better to read or listen to an audio book that covers a topic on which you know absolutely nothing. New information, while taking attention away from the stressors that are keeping you up at night, gives your brain enough of a workout to make it tire more quickly than when it’s engaged with familiar subjects and concepts. Again, if it’s an audio book or podcast you’re listening to, make sure the light-emitting side of the device is face down to keep the room as dark as possible. Darkness and warmth play an essential part in the production and maintenance of melatonin, the hormone that plays the central role falling asleep. Image credits: Getty Images This article by Deepak Kashyap originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/how-to-fall-asleep-without-sleeping-pills-7-natural-sleep-aids-that-actually-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

How to be kind to yourself (without going to a day spa)

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lydia-brown-179583">Lydia Brown</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> “I have to be hard on myself,” Sarah told me in a recent telehealth psychology session. “I would never reach my potential if I was kind and let myself off the hook.” I could empathise with this fear of self-compassion from clients such as Sarah (not her real name). From a young age, we are taught to be kind to others, but self-kindness is never mentioned. Instead, we are taught success hinges on self-sacrifice. And we need a healthy inner critic to bully us forward into becoming increasingly better versions of ourselves. But <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167212445599">research shows</a> there doesn’t have to be a trade-off between self-compassion and success. Self-compassion can help you reach your potential, while supporting you to face the inevitable stumbles and setbacks along the way. <h2>What is self-compassion?</h2> <a href="https://self-compassion.org/">Self-compassion</a> has <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15298860309027">three</a> key ingredients. 1. Self-kindness This involves treating yourself with the same kindness you would extend towards a good friend – via your thoughts, feelings and actions – especially during life’s difficult moments. For instance, if you find yourself fixating on a minor mistake you made at work, self-kindness might involve taking a ten-minute walk to shift focus, and reminding yourself it is OK to make mistakes sometimes, before moving on with your day. 2. Mindfulness In this context, mindfulness involves being aware of your own experience of stress or suffering, rather than repressing or avoiding your feelings, or over-identifying with them. Basically, you must see your stress with a clear (mindful) perspective before you can respond with kindness. If we avoid or are consumed by our suffering, we lose perspective. 3. Common humanity Common humanity involves recognising our own experience of suffering as something that unites us as being human. For instance, a sleep-deprived parent waking up (for the fourth time) to feed their newborn might choose to think about all the other parents around the world doing exactly the same thing – as opposed to feeling isolated and alone. <h2>It’s not about day spas, or booking a manicure</h2> When Sarah voiced her fear that self-compassion would prevent her success, I explained self-compassion is distinct from self-indulgence. “So is self-compassion just about booking in more mani/pedis?” Sarah asked. Not really, I explained. A one-off trip to a day spa is unlikely to transform your mental health. Instead, self-compassion is a flexible <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-22348-8_7">psychological resilience factor</a> that shapes our thoughts, feelings and actions. It’s associated with a suite of benefits to our <a href="https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aphw.12051">wellbeing</a>, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15298868.2011.639548">relationships</a> and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17437199.2019.1705872">health</a>. <h2>What does the science say?</h2> Over the past 20 years, we’ve learned self-compassionate people enjoy a wide range of benefits. They tend to be <a href="https://iaap-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aphw.12051">happier</a> and have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2012.06.003">fewer psychological symptoms</a> of distress. Those high on self-compassion <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0146167212445599">persevere</a> following a failure. They say they are more motivated to overcome a personal weakness than those low on self-compassion, who are more likely to give up. So rather than feeling trapped by your inadequacies, self-compassion encourages a <a href="https://hbr.org/2018/09/give-yourself-a-break-the-power-of-self-compassion">growth mindset</a>, helping you reach your potential. However, self-compassion is not a panacea. It will not change your life circumstances or somehow make life “easy”. It is based on the premise that life is hard, and provides practical tools to cope. <h2>It’s a factor in healthy ageing</h2> I research menopause and healthy ageing and am especially interested in the value of self-compassion through menopause and in the second half of life. Because self-compassion becomes important during life’s challenges, it can help people navigate physical symptoms (for instance, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378512214001649?via%3Dihub">menopausal hot flushes</a>), life transitions such as <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0956797611429466">divorce</a>, and <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-22348-8_7">promote healthy ageing</a>. I’ve also teamed up with researchers at <a href="https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/">Autism Spectrum Australia</a> to explore self-compassion in autistic adults. We found autistic adults report significantly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-022-05668-y">lower levels</a> of self-compassion than neurotypical adults. So we developed an online <a href="https://www.autismspectrum.org.au/blog/new-online-self-compassion-program-for-autistic-adults">self-compassion training program</a> for this at-risk population. <h2>Three tips for self-compassion</h2> You <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/jclp.21923">can learn</a> self-compassion with these three exercises. 1. What would you say to a friend? Think back to the last time you made a mistake. What did you say to yourself? If you notice you’re treating yourself more like an enemy than a friend, don’t beat yourself up about it. Instead, try to think about what you might tell a friend, and direct that same friendly language towards yourself. 2. Harness the power of touch Soothing human touch <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.555058/full">activates</a> the parasympathetic “relaxation” branch of our nervous system and counteracts the fight or flight response. Specifically, self-soothing touch (for instance, by placing both hands on your heart, stroking your forearm or giving yourself a hug) <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000655">reduces</a> cortisol responses to psychosocial stress. 3. What do I need right now? Sometimes, it can be hard to figure out exactly what self-compassion looks like in a given moment. The question “what do I need right now” helps clarify your true needs. For example, when I was 37 weeks pregnant, I woke up bolt awake one morning at 3am. Rather than beating myself up about it, or fretting about not getting enough sleep, I gently placed my hands on my heart and took a few deep breaths. By asking myself “what do I need right now?” it became clear that listening to a gentle podcast/meditation fitted the bill (even though I wanted to addictively scroll my phone).<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223194/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lydia-brown-179583">Lydia Brown</a>, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-to-be-kind-to-yourself-without-going-to-a-day-spa-223194">original article</a>.

Caring

Embracing the art of beauty without compromise

When it comes to trying out the latest makeup products, people with sensitivities are often left behind. Whether it’s sensitive skin or allergies, makeup users can often find products that work for them and their limitations. But when it comes to having sensitive eyes, there are very few options for those who still want to partake in applying makeup. In answer to this gap in the market, an Australian ophthalmologist has developed a game-changing product that can give everyone the long lashes they deserve, even if they suffer from eye sensitivities. Enter: OKKIYO. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0xoSFPvHhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0xoSFPvHhl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a> </div> </blockquote> The OKKIYO Eye-Care collection was crafted with expertise by Dr. Jacqueline Beltz, with each product being the perfect blend of aesthetics and eye health. The range offers meticulously formulated products to beautify sensitive eyes, ensuring you don't just look good but also feel great. From the transformative PRIORITEYES Mascara to the gentle Sensiteyes Cleansing System, every item is a promise of quality, safety, and confidence. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvd68g8tBWE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cvd68g8tBWE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a> </div> </blockquote> The <a href="https://www.okkiyo.com/products/protect-and-preserve-mascara">PRIORITEYES Mascara</a> is crafted with natural ingredients that will protect your eyes, while still doing all the things you want a mascara to do. The mascara is tailored for those with sensitive eyes, ensuring a comfortable, irritation-free experience, making it the perfect blend of medical-grade care and cosmetic elegance. Its clean formula boasts over 90% natural ingredients, including nourishing Australian Manuka honey and rejuvenating citrus extracts, while also promising no smudging, lasting through watery eyes and eye drops, all while being a breeze to remove. Another feature of the OKKIYO mascara is its accessible packaging, as the square tube prevents the product from rolling away and out of sight, with the tube also featuring braille, so those with low vision can identify the product. When it comes to removing eye makeup, cleansing the eyelid margins is one of the most important steps in looking after the delicate eye area, especially if you have sensitive eyes. Thankfully, <a href="https://www.okkiyo.com/products/okkiyo-cleansing-cloth">OKKIYO cleansing cloths</a> effectively remove all traces of eye make-up as well as any dried oil, bacteria and skin cells from the lashes and lids, all while being good for the environment. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14D7OrvSYd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C14D7OrvSYd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Beauty + Makeup for Sensitive Eyes - OKKIYO™️ (@okkiyoeyes)</a> </div> </blockquote> The reusable muslin cloths cleanse the lid margins allowing the oil glands to function properly, producing tears that naturally desensitise the eyes. OKKIYO is the first Australian beauty brand to cater to the over 2.2 billion people in the world with low vision, and now, after three years in the making, the OKKIYO range is available exclusively at <a href="http://www.okkiyo.com.au/">www.okkiyo.com.au</a>. A proportion of profits from each OKKIYO sale will go to supporting Aboriginal Eye Health, improvements for people with low vision and general eye health research. Given the ophthalmologist-created and tested formula, those with eye sensitivities no longer have to choose between protecting their vision and looking fabulous thanks to the revolutionary OKKIYO system. Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

The life-saving item no Grey Nomad should travel without

When General Practitioner Paul Kelly hung up his stethoscope after nearly 40 years of dedicated service, he had a retirement dream shared by many Australians – hitting the open road and exploring the world with his wife, Robyn. However, with a history of heart problems, he was understandably hesitant about venturing far from medical facilities. His concerns were put to rest when a groundbreaking device, <a href="https://cellaed.io/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the CellAED personal defibrillator</a>, became available. Compact enough to fit in the glove box, this innovative device has opened up a world of possibilities for adventurers like Paul and Robyn. In Australia, a staggering 20,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrests outside of hospitals each year. Sadly, only 10% of them survive. The introduction of CellAED, a handheld defibrillator, is changing these grim statistics by providing a lifeline to those in remote areas. Paul and Robyn are enthusiastic members of this country's growing community of grey nomads. According to ABS data, nearly 16 million caravan and camping trips were made last year, with the majority taken by individuals in the age group most at risk of cardiac arrest. Therefore, it's not surprising that an increasing number of travellers, like Paul, are arming themselves with a CellAED as they embark on adventures across the country. Paul attributes the device to giving him the peace of mind and confidence to travel far and wide. In the past year alone, he has spent over four months caravanning along the picturesque Murray River, explored the coastlines of New South Wales and Victoria, and even managed a European holiday to France. With no intention of slowing down, Paul's trusted travel companion, the handheld defibrillator, has granted him the freedom to explore the heart of Australia without constant worry. "Hopefully, we'll never have reason to use it," Paul says, "but it sure takes the stress out of wondering what we'd do in an emergency." The CellAED defibrillator was developed by the Australian startup, Rapid Response Revival. This groundbreaking device is a game-changer because it's more affordable, portable and easier to use than conventional Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs). Luke Starr, a spokesman for CellAED, emphasised the importance of addressing the issue of cardiac arrests in remote areas. He noted, "A key reason why so few survive sudden cardiac arrest is because help is too far away or too slow. CellAED was created to tackle that problem. "Travelling with a CellAED personal defibrillator isn't just about looking after yourself. It's about giving your traveling companions and the people you meet along the way a fighting chance if the unthinkable happens. Sudden cardiac arrest is survivable if it's witnessed by someone who knows what to do," Starr added. Starr further advised, "One of the best gifts you can give your travelling companions is learning how to recognise cardiac arrest and what to do if it happens. If someone has collapsed, is unresponsive, and isn't breathing normally, call emergency services, start CPR, and get a defibrillator onto their bare chest. If you can do this within the first couple of minutes of an arrest, you'll be giving the patient their best chances of survival." The CellAED invention aims to offer more people the opportunity to survive cardiac arrest without relying on sheer luck. With CPR training and a CellAED handy, individuals are prepared to save lives from cardiac arrest wherever they go. The groundbreaking invention comes after new research pointed towards alarming statistics about heart conditions in Australia, revealing that people living in regional, rural, or remote areas are 90% more likely to die from heart conditions caused by high blood pressure than their urban counterparts. The Heart of Inequality report from the Mary MacKillop Institute for Health Research (MMIHR) at ACU underscores the stark disparities in heart disease outcomes across Australia, particularly affecting regional and Indigenous communities. Key findings from the report include the continuous increase in the burden of chronic heart disease, with hundreds of thousands of hospital admissions for heart-related conditions among Australians aged 35 and over. Moreover, Indigenous Australians living in remote areas develop heart failure on average 20 years earlier than the general population. So, as Australians continue to explore this vast and varied country, lifesaving innovations like the CellAED defibrillator are playing an increasingly crucial role in ensuring the safety and well-being of adventurers, particularly those in remote areas. Images: CellAED

Travel Trouble

"Without hope": Close friend shares sad Schumacher update

It has been a decade since the tragic skiing accident that left Formula 1 racing legend Michael Schumacher with life-threatening injuries, and the most recent update on his condition paints a decidedly sombre picture. Renowned motorsport journalist Roger Benoit, a close friend of Schumacher, recently conveyed a disheartening assessment, describing Schumacher's situation as "a case without hope" in an interview with the Swiss newspaper Blick. Schumacher's catastrophic incident occurred in December 2013 when he struck his head on a rock while skiing in the French Alps, resulting in severe brain damage. Despite wearing a helmet and skiing with his son Mick, Schumacher's life took a tragic turn. He spent 250 days in a medically-induced coma before finally returning home. Since then, updates on Schumacher's condition have been exceptionally scarce, primarily due to the steadfast commitment of those close to him to protect his privacy. In his recent interview, when pressed for a specific update on Schumacher's condition, Benoit offered these bleak words: "This sentence says everything about how (Michael) has been doing for over 3500 days. A case without hope." In 2021, Schumacher's wife, Corinna, broke her silence and spoke about the accident for the first time in eight years during a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/he-s-a-very-proud-dad-unearthed-snap-of-michael-schumacher-stuns-fans" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Netflix documentary</a>. She shared: "Michael is here. Different, but he's here, and that gives us strength, I find. We're together. We live together at home. We do therapy. We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he's comfortable. And to simply make him feel our family, our bond. And no matter what, I will do everything I can. We all will." Now 54 years old, Michael Schumacher has not been seen in public for a decade. His absence has left a void in the world of Formula 1, where he was a legendary figure, having clinched the Drivers' World Championships seven times, a record tied with Lewis Hamilton for the most titles in history. Schumacher's impressive 91 career Grand Prix wins rank second only to Hamilton's 103 victories. Image: Netflix

Caring

Cooking (and heating) without gas: what are the impacts of shifting to all-electric homes?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/trivess-moore-12580">Trivess Moore</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joe-hurley-157161">Joe Hurley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Gas connections for all new housing and sub-divisions will be <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-victorian-homes-go-all-electric-2024">banned in Victoria</a> from January 1 next year. The long-term result of the state government’s significant change to planning approvals will be all-electric housing. The ACT made <a href="https://www.climatechoices.act.gov.au/policy-programs/preventing-new-gas-network-connections">similar changes</a> early this year, in line with a shift away from gas across <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47559920">Europe</a> and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/19/gas-stove-culture-war-united-states">other locations</a>, although the NSW Premier Chris Minns has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/jul/31/nsw-wont-ban-gas-in-new-homes-as-premier-declares-i-dont-need-another-complication">baulked</a> at doing the same. Around <a href="https://www.energy.vic.gov.au/renewable-energy/victorias-gas-substitution-roadmap">80% of homes</a> in Victoria are connected to gas. This high uptake was driven by gas being seen as more affordable and sustainable than electricity over past decades. The situation has <a href="https://www.iea.org/events/net-zero-by-2050-a-roadmap-for-the-global-energy-system">changed dramatically</a> as renewable electricity generation increases and <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-07-27/aemo-wholesale-electricity-prices-fall-impact-power-bills/102654498">costs fall</a>. <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-electric-homes-are-better-for-your-hip-pocket-and-the-planet-heres-how-governments-can-help-us-get-off-gas-207409">Research</a> has suggested for more than a decade that the benefits of all-electric homes <a href="https://bze.org.au/research_release/energy-efficient-buildings-plan/">stack up in many locations</a>. New homes built under mandatory building energy performance standards (increasing from <a href="https://thefifthestate.com.au/innovation/building-construction/victoria-kicks-the-can-down-the-road-again-on-the-national-construction-code/">6 to 7 stars</a> in Victoria in May 2024) need smaller, cheaper heating and cooling systems. Installing reverse-cycle air conditioning for cooling provides a cost-effective heater as a bonus. Savings from not requiring gas pipes, appliances and gas supply infrastructure help to offset the costs of highly efficient electric appliances. Mandating fully electric homes means economies of scale will further reduce costs. <h2>How does this ban help?</h2> To achieve environmentally sustainable development, reforms of planning policy and regulation <a href="https://theconversation.com/sustainable-cities-australias-building-and-planning-rules-stand-in-the-way-of-getting-there-84263">are essential</a> to convert innovation and best practice to mainstream practice. Planning policy is particularly important for apartment buildings and other housing that may be rented or have an owners’ corporation. Retrofits to improve energy efficiency can be difficult in these situations. Banning gas in new and renovated housing will <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/getting-off-gas/">cut greenhouse gas emissions</a>. It’s also <a href="https://theconversation.com/gas-cooking-is-associated-with-worsening-asthma-in-kids-but-proper-ventilation-helps-151591">healthier for households</a> and <a href="https://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/research-data-and-insights/research/research-reports/the-victorian-healthy-homes-program-research-findings">reduces healthcare costs</a> as well as <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/getting-off-gas/">energy bills and infrastructure costs</a>. The Victorian government suggests the change will save all-electric households <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-victorian-homes-go-all-electric-2024">about $1,000 a year</a>. Houses with solar will be even better off. The government appears to be offering wide support to ensure these changes happen, but this will need to be monitored closely. Some households will face extra costs for electric appliances and solar panels. The government’s announcement of <a href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/new-victorian-homes-go-all-electric-2024">$10 million</a> for Residential Electrification Grants should help with some of these costs while the industry adjusts. There will be impacts and benefits for the local economy. Some jobs may be lost, particularly in the gas appliance and plumbing industry. The government has announced financial support to retrain people and they will still have essential roles in the existing housing sector. Many gas appliances are imported, including ovens, cooktops and instantaneous gas water heaters. Some components of efficient electric products, such as hot water storage tanks, are made locally. Local activities, including distribution, sales, design, installation and maintenance, comprise much of the overall cost. <h2>Challenges of change must be managed</h2> Sustainability benefits will depend on what <a href="https://grattan.edu.au/report/getting-off-gas/">happens with the energy network</a>. We need more renewable energy, energy storage and smarter management of electricity demand. The shift to all-electric homes may mean winter peak demand for heating increases. Energy market operators and governments will have to monitor demand changes carefully to avoid the reliability issues we already see in summer. However, improving energy efficiency, energy storage and demand management will help reduce this load (and household costs). While the benefits are clear for new homes, the changes may <a href="https://www.bsl.org.au/research/publications/enabling-electrification/">increase gas costs and energy poverty</a> for residents of existing housing who don’t shift to efficient electric solutions. The government has reconfirmed financial rebates to help households switch from gas. In addition, existing housing may face building quality and performance issues. Some may require electrical wiring upgrades as part of the transition. Social acceptance of some electric appliances may also be an issue. For example, <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/about/schools-colleges/property-construction-and-project-management/research/research-centres-and-groups/sustainable-building-innovation-laboratory/projects/heet-housing-energy-efficiency-transitions">our research</a> has found some households dislike the way heating from reverse cycle air conditioners feels. Others do not like cooking on induction cooktops. Consumer education and modifications to appliances and buildings may be needed to increase acceptance and avoid backlash. Some electric appliances are available overseas but not in Australia. Higher demand may increase the range of imports. For example, floor-mounted heat pumps can make heating feel similar to gas heating while still providing effective cooling. We should not assume electric appliances are all equal. To improve consumer protection, action is needed on weak standards and limited and inconsistent public information. For example, information on noise levels and efficiency under a range of weather conditions must be standardised. Moving housing away from gas is an <a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-981-99-2760-9">important step</a> in the transition to a zero-carbon economy and energy system. Careful management is needed to ensure this transition is effective, accepted and fair. Continued planning reforms are also essential to ensure environmentally sustainable development of housing and communities. Other urgent priorities include urban cooling and greening, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/turning-the-housing-crisis-around-how-a-circular-economy-can-give-us-affordable-sustainable-homes-208745">circular economy approaches</a> to reduce the material and waste impacts of housing and thus the carbon that goes into building and running homes.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/210649/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/trivess-moore-12580">Trivess Moore</a>, Senior Lecturer, School of Property, Construction and Project Management, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alan-pears-52">Alan Pears</a>, Senior Industry Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joe-hurley-157161">Joe Hurley</a>, Associate Professor, Sustainability and Urban Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/cooking-and-heating-without-gas-what-are-the-impacts-of-shifting-to-all-electric-homes-210649">original article</a>.

Home & Garden

How do I tell my kids we are currently short on money – without freaking them out?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-sharman-96073">Rachael Sharman</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a> I was a teenager during Australia’s 1990s “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/nov/17/remembering-the-recession-the-1990s-experience-changed-my-view-of-the-world">recession we had to have</a>”, and remember clearly a friend asking his dad for some money to go to the movies. With equal parts frustration and resignation, the dad explained he’d been retrenched and wasn’t certain employment was on the horizon in his near future. So he really didn’t have any spare money for cinema tickets. Rather than being scary or upsetting, as rather clueless teenagers this felt like something of a lightbulb moment. Many kids learn about their parents financial difficulties this way. Something they’ve always been able to have is suddenly denied them. The penny drops. But it’s not easy talking to your kids about the cost-of-living crunch. Many fear worrying their kids or leaving them with a lifelong “scarcity mindset”, where a person is forever cursed with a feeling spending money is always wrong. So how can parents communicate the financial realities to their children? And how might the messaging be different with younger kids versus teens? <h2>For younger kids, keep things calm and simple</h2> Most primary-aged children are oblivious to macro conditions outside their home and immediate community. They haven’t yet developed the ability to put sudden changes into perspective. The key here is not to have your own anxieties rub off on your kids. Children this age look to their parents as beacons of information and will very much <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2794157">mirror</a> any fear or anxiety you express. They may even blow things out of proportion. Keeping things calm and simple is key. Provide a basic explanation that things cost money, and you don’t have as much money as normal right now, so as a family there are certain things you just can’t afford. Very young children can be relentlessly narcissistic in their outlook – this is developmentally normal. They might even demand you work more or harder so they can afford their desired items and activities. The best you can do is laugh it off and offer to try – but explain that for now, the kids will have to come up with something else to do. Consider a plan to substitute their previous activities with free ones. For example, explain they can’t play their usual sport this season, but you are going to head to the local park every week to kick the ball around and have a picnic instead. <h2>Ask teens for their opinions and ideas</h2> Depending on their intrinsic interest in the news and understanding of maths, finance and economics, a sudden and unexpected drop in finances may also come as a shock to teenagers. But at around 12 years of age, children undergo somewhat of an explosion in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3621648/">frontal lobe function</a>. Their capacity to comprehend and process even complex information increases quite markedly. So teens may not only understand your current situation, but be able to help out. Giving teens a “role” to play in assisting the family builds a sense of competence and offers a team-based problem-solving approach to the emotional concerns they may be feeling. In other words, they’ll feel less powerless. This approach is underpinned by what psychologists and researchers call “<a href="https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/theory/">self-determination theory</a>”. This well-studied concept posits that most humans have an innate need to: <ul> <li> experience and demonstrate autonomy (making your own choices, acting on your own volition) </li> <li> competence (feeling like you’re good at something, have achieved something worthwhile) </li> <li> relatedness (working well with others, especially people important to you). </li> </ul> So working as a team towards a common goal is a great way for a family to pull together and help each others’ mental wellbeing. Discuss with your teens what activities, events and items might need to go on the backburner or be discontinued. And don’t forget, teens have a very well-honed hypocrisy radar – there’s no point suggesting they cut back on recreational activities, for example, if you are not willing to do the same. Use this as an opportunity to discuss the difference between “wants” and “needs” and ask them to sort family spending into those categories. Discuss points of disagreement calmly. Ask your teens to brainstorm ways to improve your financial efficiency – and help you in doing so. They might enjoy coming up with ideas such as grocery shopping with a strict meal plan in cheaper stores, looking for specials, riding or walking to school where possible, getting a part time job or helping out with childcare. Rather than fixating on what we have to go without, work with your teenagers to come up with proactive ideas on what you can do differently. Frame it as working together to achieve the same aim. Teach your kids there can be challenges in life, but how you go about managing them is the key. This will help them develop into resilient adults.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208008/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachael-sharman-96073">Rachael Sharman</a>, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-the-sunshine-coast-1068">University of the Sunshine Coast</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-do-i-tell-my-kids-we-are-currently-short-on-money-without-freaking-them-out-208008">original article</a>.

Money & Banking

6 ways to combat headaches without painkillers

Marissa Sandler is the CEO and co-founder of Careseekers. Previously a social justice lawyer and researcher for over 15 years, Marissa is passionate about helping people live with dignity and finding innovative solutions to problems. According to Headache Australia 5 million Australians suffer from headaches. Although most of us reach over for the painkillers whenever a headache strikes there are ways to combat headaches that don’t involve any medication at all. Headaches are rarely a one-off event and that is why although it is helpful to explore the different non-medicinal cures at the same time you need to look at prevention. If you don’t address the reasons you get headaches, no sooner have you got rid of one headache, you will be on the path to another one. If a headache does strike here are some things you can try to cure it: <ol> <li>Have a rest in a cool, dark room</li> <li>Alternating hot and cold therapies – place an ice pack on your head or have a warm bath or switch from one to the other</li> <li>Take a walk in the fresh air</li> <li>Get a massage</li> <li>Peppermint oil on your temples, foreheads and wrists will alleviate tension headaches</li> <li>Acupuncture has been known to help the most vicious of migraines</li> </ol> Headache Australia has lots of tips to minimise the number of headaches you experience. Their advice is based on understanding when headaches strike, knowing what causes them and then making lifestyle changes to reduce the causes. Understand when headaches strike Keep a headache diary – on the days you experience a headache make sure you note down what you ate, what exercise you did (if any) what was going on emotionally for you (was it a stressful day?) how much alcohol you consumed etc. Know what causes them By identifying precipitating factors that cause headaches – this includes the amount of sleep, environmental factors like amount of light and noise you are exposed to, diet, physical exertion And then… make lifestyle changes If lots of sugar causes headaches you will need to cut the sugar, if its alcohol you may look at cutting down the number of drinks you have in a week. If stress causes tension headaches you will need to reduce the stress in your life, this is obviously easier said than done but when it comes to stress you can only control your reaction. Take yourself out of situations you know cause you additional stress or distance yourself from people that cause you undue stress. Alternatively plan for stressful periods, if you know you have a stressful week at work try and make other aspects of your life not stressful or make sure you make time to go for a walk or eat healthy food. This all cannot happen if you don’t take responsibility for your headaches, understanding headaches are something that happens within you and not to you may empower you to take control of your headaches and make changes to reduce their occurrence and severity. Images: Getty

Body

5 ways to eat healthier without counting calories

How do you choose what to eat? Is it the aroma wafting from the kitchen that tempts you or the sight of decadent frosting on a springy cake? We tend to rely only on one or two senses, like taste and sight, when picking and eating food… but if we engage all five of our senses when deciding what to put on our plates it might just be the secret to making healthier food choices. Sight It’s probably not much of a surprise to hear that sight is perhaps the most important sense we use when we choose certain foods over others – just scrolling past a mouth-watering recipe on Facebook (we’re sorry) can make you hungrier. Presentation matters. The more appealing it looks, the more likely you’re going to eat it and enjoy it. So make an effort to present your healthy meals in a creative, fun and interesting way – you will satisfy both your sense of sight and your tummy. Touch A 2013 study in the journal Flavour experimented with how touch influences our food taste. In one experiment, they found people rated yoghurt denser and tastier when it was served in a heavy bowl rather than a lighter one. Co-author of the study Charles Spence said the tactile experience leads us to focus more intently on what we're eating and consequently we’re more aware when we’re truly full. Hearing One of the biggest eating mistakes is having your meal in front of the tele. When you’re engrossed with the sights and sounds on a screen, you tend not to focus on what you’re eating and before you know it, the whole plate is clean! Concentrate on eating during mealtimes and you’ll be less likely to overindulge. Smell Our nose tells us if a meal smells good but that tends to be the end of it. Deeply inhaling the aromatic scents of food can help you feel more satisfied with food even though you’re eating less. In a 2012 study, participants ate vanilla custard in a lab while researchers released a cream aroma at different levels of intensity. During the strongest aroma, the participants took smaller bites and consumer 10 per cent less of the treat. Study co-author René de Wijk, PhD, explained: “We tend to regulate intensely pungent sensations by reducing our intake. As a result, we can eat less but still feel satisfied." Taste Give any dish a generous sprinkling of salt will amp up the flavour but we know by now that it isn’t the best seasoning for our bodies. To get the same deliciousness from your dishes, chefs recommend adding umami. A review in Nutrition and Health found that adding umami-rich foods (such as parmesan, shiitake mushrooms and tomatoes) to your meals instead of high-fat extras and salt can reduce fat content by up to 30 per cent and sodium by 40 per cent – and no, the taste wasn’t comprised. Image credits: Getty Images

Food & Wine

How to holiday with your family without fighting

Rachel Croson, Dean, College of Social Science; MSU Foundation Professor of Economics, Michigan State University, explains how to have a holiday with your family without fighting. I had the most awesome holiday this year. My husband took our two boys, ages 8 and 10, to his family’s celebration, and I had five days of uninterrupted sleep, fun with friends and grownup time. Don’t get me wrong; I love my husband’s family and I believe that holidays are important opportunities for making memories. But I desperately needed a break, and I got one. And my husband and kids were delighted by the outcome as well. How did this happen? I applied the lessons from my academic study of bargaining and negotiation to my personal life. So, with another holiday season upon us, here’s some guidance on how to negotiate with your partner while strengthening this critical relationship. From theory to practice I became interested in negotiation as a graduate student, and part of my dissertation investigated bargaining behaviour. I have taught negotiation to students and executives, published <a href="http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.399.3789&rep=rep1&type=pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many scholarly articles</a> on bargaining and negotiation and given numerous <a href="https://www.mchra.org/event-2164407" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public lectures</a> on the topic. But, like many academics, I hadn’t thought to apply my academic expertise to my personal life. Once I started to do so, however, I quickly realized that the concepts and skills learned from negotiation can be used not only to get what you need or want out of your family life, but also to make your family life happier overall. The most important insight is that negotiation does not have to be win-lose. It can be win-win. Win-lose versus win-win The popular conception of negotiation is all about getting the best deal for yourself or your side. It was a set of Harvard professors in their <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Getting_to_Yes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">groundbreaking</a> 1981 book, <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/324551/getting-to-yes-by-roger-fisher/9780143118756/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Getting to Yes,”</a> who first popularly introduced the idea that negotiation could be “integrative,” or result in both parties being better off. In practice, <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/074959789090048E" target="_blank" rel="noopener">many negotiators see only “distributive” or win-lose possibilities.</a> In their minds, there is a fixed pie over which the parties are fighting: If you win, then I lose. As a result, most of the early <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0022103168900681" target="_blank" rel="noopener">academic literature</a> and practical guidance has focused on power. As you might imagine, this can be quite problematic for negotiating within the family. In contrast, the idea of integrative or win-win negotiations involves identifying outcomes that are good for both sides. There are a number of ways one can achieve integrative negotiations, but here I will discuss three of the major ones described in <a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/324551/getting-to-yes-by-roger-fisher/9780143118756/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Getting to Yes”</a> and <a href="http://amp.aom.org/content/18/3/109" target="_blank" rel="noopener">subsequent articles</a>. Trade-offs. For example, consider a couple sharing a chicken for dinner. One way to share would be to cut the chicken in half and to each get an equal portion. This would be a distributive solution since we are distributing the chicken between the couple, and if one were to get more (win), the other would get less (lose). An integrative agreement can be found by identifying trade-offs between the two parties. For example, it turns out that I like the dark meat and my husband likes the white meat. So I can give him my breast and wing and he can give me his leg and thigh, and we can both win. Adding issues. A second way to achieve win-win solutions is to change the scope of the negotiation. For example, each year my husband and I negotiate about where to take our summer vacation. I want to go to the forests of Lake Tahoe, and he wants to go to the casinos of Atlantic City. As long as the scope of the negotiation remains focused on this one trip, it will be difficult to satisfy us both. However, imagine we expanded the negotiation to include multiple dimensions. For example, we could make a multi-year deal where we alternated our destinations. Or I could commit to spending our winter vacation in Atlantic City, in exchange for a summer vacation in Lake Tahoe. Or he could agree to let me pick the vacation destination if I allow him to host a monthly poker game at our house. Beyond positions to interests. A third way to achieve win-win solutions is to move beyond each individual’s position and focus on his or her interests. For example, when my husband and I were getting married, we had our strongest disagreement about the wedding cake. I wanted chocolate and he wanted white (vanilla). After many rounds of arguing, I finally asked why he wanted white cake. He replied that white was traditional and he wanted the cake to be white in the pictures. I told him that my whole family liked chocolate, and we wanted to eat chocolate cake. Once you move beyond positions (white cake versus chocolate cake) to underlying interests (picture cake versus eating cake), many integrative solutions become possible: white chocolate, bride’s cake/groom’s cake, Photoshop and so on. In the end, we had a three-tier cake, with two large chocolate tiers and one small white tier which we fed each other for the photos. Negotiation tactics for the family So, how should you negotiate with your partner, parents or children to get what everyone wants during the holidays? Here are some suggested tactics to help you achieve these win-win outcomes. Be honest, not mean. To achieve win-win negotiations, all parties involved must be honest about what they want. <a href="http://www.people.hbs.edu/kmcginn/PDFs/Publishedarticles/1995-friendslovers.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One study</a> found that married couples come to fewer win-win solutions than friends in part because they are unwilling to ask for what they want, thinking that the other person will be angry with them. Simply giving in to the other person’s demands is not the pathway to win-win solutions. Instead, each party needs to express what is important to him or her and why, and listen carefully to his or her partner’s priorities and reasoning. Explaining that I wanted to eat chocolate cake and understanding that my husband wanted white cake for the pictures was pivotal to our coming to a win-win agreement. Make concessions. One of the hallmarks of negotiations is that no one gets everything he or she wants. You need to be willing to make concessions, to give up the aspects that are less important to you in order to get what is most important to you. While cleaning up after poker games at our house is not my idea of a great time, it’s worth it to get the summer vacation I want. Be creative. Once you understand and accept each other’s needs, you need to be creative about finding ways to meet them. This can involve brainstorming and being tolerant of your partner’s crazy, off-the-wall ideas in the process. Should we go to Monaco? What about an online poker account? How about a long weekend in Reno during our Tahoe trip? Make promises, not threats. Finally, a word about language. One of the realities of negotiation is that either party can walk away. One way to keep the conversation constructive is to make promises (if we both order the chicken, I’ll trade your white meat for my dark meat) and avoid threats (if you won’t trade, I’ll have to order the surf-and-turf). The past and the future Each family has a long history together, with real and perceived slights. Families also expect to have long futures together. As a result, it is extremely important that these negotiations be handled with respect for the other party, and with a view to the long-term costs and benefits. Pick your battles, and concede on the other issues. You don’t need to win them all, just the important ones. Image credit: Shutterstock Written by Rachel Croson. Republished with permission of <a href="http://theconversation.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/88842/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />

Travel Tips

9 easy ways to transform your bathroom without renovating

Mouldy grout and dated tiles are just some of the not-so-redeeming features of a tired bathroom, but regular renovations are an expensive and unsustainable option, so how do we fancy-up the bathroom without ripping out the tiles? We spoke to some experts to find out. 1. Spring clean “The first step would always be to declutter your bathroom and give it a thorough clean – the tiles, any dust and water marks,” says Leah Peretz of renovation experts Just in Place. Interior designer Suzanne Gorman suggests attempting a DIY re-grout or re-seal on the tiles for a fresher look, but warns: “It is a lengthy process and the dust from removing the existing grout can be major.” 2. Between the lines If your bathroom has the traditional sand-based white grout, Gorman recommends changing things up a bit. “There are a vast range of grout colours available on the market,” she says. “The grout colour and finish really does make or break the overall feel of your bathroom. For a subtle, contemporary look we choose grout that blends with the tile colour. If you feel game you can try a contrasting or even coloured grout.” 3. Spray it Just because you can’t afford to rip the tiles out doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the brown and tan floral forever. Mary McManus of Lavender Hills Interiors suggests spray-painting outdated tiles. “Old, stained or old-fashioned patterned tiles can be spray-painted fresh bright white to look almost new.” 4. Tapping into trends The aesthetic impact of a new toilet is greater than you’d imagine. Architect Ben Johnson of Benedict Design says replacing tapware and sanitary fixtures makes a huge impact on the look and functionality of the bathroom. “The options have exploded in recent years and you can get anything from matte black to gold,” says Johnson. “If you’re replacing your toilet, go for a back-to-wall model as this will keep lines clean and make mopping easy.” 5. Exhausted fans If you feel your exhaust fan isn’t at its best, give your electrician a call and have it replaced with a higher powered unit. They don’t cost too much and will prevent unwanted mould build-up and condensation. “An old exhaust fan not doing its job properly can have a huge negative impact on all your finishes in the bathroom,” says Gorman. “Paint, mirrors, tiles and shower screens age dramatically without proper ventilation.” 6. The sky’s the limit Go one step further with real ventilation via a skylight – a worthwhile investment, according to Johnson. “Getting natural light into a bathroom will have many benefits, from lifting your spirits in the morning to keeping mould at bay.” Aesthetically, it can also highlight a particular area such as the basin or shower. “If you can, build it with an open shaft that will improve the sense of space by giving additional height and breaking up the ceiling.” 7. You’re so vain Peretz suggests upcycling an old piece of furniture with a lick of paint then sitting a basin on top for a unique vanity. You can replace a run-of-the-mill shaving mirror with a glamorous vintage one or opt for a contemporary black statement mirror. Tip: If you just want to replace your shaving mirror with a smarter version, Gorman says a larger mirror will hide any evidence of previous wall fixings. Alternatively, ask your local glazier to make up a replacement. 8. In the details From framing your children’s art to displaying your towels on a ladder, all our experts agree that small touches can make a big difference. “Bring in some texture and colour with thick ribbed bath mats and fluffy towels,” says McManus. And fluffy towels are even better when they’ve come straight from a heated towel rail. “Most towel rails come as a plug-in,” says Johnson, “which helps if you’re not planning on cutting into your walls or replacing tiles. A warm towel on a winter morning is a wonderful thing.” 9. Go green “A living plant will bring colour and texture into your bathroom,” says Peretz. “A ficus or a palm in the corner can be a beautiful statement if you have enough space. Orchids and bamboos like the humidity.” McManus suggests placing some blue-and-white ginger jars and an orchid on the vanity for that final touch. Written by Joanne Gambale. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Domain.com.au.</a> Images: Getty

Home Hints & Tips

Financial guru reveals how to shop at Costco without membership

With the cost of living crisis, people have started abandoning their local supermarkets and heading to Costco to do a shop that doesn't break the bank. While best known for its deals, shoppers must have a membership with the wholesaler, meaning they pay a yearly fee of $60 to shop there. However, one bargain hunter and money-saving expert has revealed how to shop at the supermarket without paying the membership fee. To access a Costco without a membership, shoppers need a shop card, financial guru Little Birdie explained. The cards can be preloaded with any amount from $25 to $999.99, with recipients then able to use them for purchase in store. There is a catch - the cards have to be bought by a current member, and can’t be used online, or in fuel stations, Birdie continued in her TikTok. Currently, there are only 15 stores across Australia. Parents of larger families have reported getting hundreds of dollars off their grocery bills by buying in bulk at Costco. “Every time I go to Costco, my favourite part is seeing how much money I saved. Yesterday was my first trip there in a few years. I spent $593,” one woman wrote on Facebook. “I did a (fake) online order with Coles, selecting equal quantities as what I have purchased at Costco. Coles would have cost me $783.” She claimed the quality of the products, particularly meat, is better than other stores and is the ideal place to purchase expensive dog food in bulk at a quarter of the price. “We actually ended up saving around $35, on approximately six weeks food for our dogs. But the real win is that we have it already, and don't have to get stress when we're running out and all the supermarkets are out of stock!” The wholesaler has served to help many families in desperate times with one woman saying she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/food-wine/groceries-option-even-cheaper-than-aldi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">saved a whopping $600</a> by shopping at Costco. Image credit: TikTok

Money & Banking

How to downsize without leaving the suburb you love

If you find yourself rattling around in a home that now has too many rooms to clean, and you’d prefer to spend more time doing things you love rather than household chores, it might be time to downsize. Not only can downsizing your property simplify your lifestyle, it has the potential to free up some funds as well. If you manage your ‘empty nester’ status well, it can become a profitable nest egg! But downsizing to a smaller home can be a daunting process. You may not be ready for the close proximity of a retirement village, nor are you keen to leave the neighbourhood you love. You have great neighbours, you’re close to family, and you have all the amenities you want nearby, but your house just doesn’t suit your lifestyle anymore. So, what are your options? There are in fact a couple of great alternatives to packing up and leaving everything you’ve known behind: building a dual occupancy home or a knockdown rebuild on your existing block of land. What is a dual occupancy development? A dual occupancy home design, also known as a ‘duplex’ or ‘multi-dwelling’, can come in a variety of layouts: either two attached dwellings side by side, where both properties have street frontage, or one behind the other, where there’s a driveway down one side of the property. A dual occupancy home is a great consideration for those who: <ul> <li>Want to remain in the same area but don’t need as big a house.</li> <li>Want a low maintenance lifestyle.</li> <li>Have a large block in an area where land prices are increasing.</li> <li>Want to realise some of the equity in the land.</li> <li>Want to create an ongoing income stream through an investment property.</li> </ul> Unlocking wealth with a dual occupancy home design The Australian property boom has made many people many millions. But the fact is that the wealth lies in the land not in the dwellings themselves. Many people who have owned a slice of the Aussie Dream for more than 10-15 years are sitting on potential gold, however all their equity is tied up in the land beneath their house. For empty nesters that are ready to downsize, this offers enormous opportunity. It’s no surprise that dual occupancy house designs are increasing in popularity. There are a number of ways you can capitalise on this opportunity: <ul> <li>Live in one house and sell the other.</li> <li>Live in one house, then rent the other one. This provides a potential income stream and is particularly great if your property is in an area where rental supply is low.</li> <li>Sell both houses and live somewhere else. This option works well in areas where housing stock is low and demand is high – and when you’re prepared to find somewhere else to live!</li> </ul> There are some design limitations when it comes to building a dual occupancy home due to the somewhat restricted footprint, and a number of things to consider such as the size of your block, street frontage, driveways and council approvals. Thankfully however, experienced homebuilders such as Metricon have the expertise and know-how to provide you the guidance you need to make the most of your asset. Knockdown rebuild – build a brand-new home, wherever suits your lifestyle “Don’t move your life, improve your life!” is a fitting motto for those looking to take advantage of their great location by building a more suitable home for their life stage. If you really love where you live but your home just isn’t right for you any more, then there are two likely options: a renovation or a knockdown rebuild. A knockdown rebuild is especially a great option when you are looking to downsize – such as replacing your double storey home with a more suitable single storey option. Perhaps you are weighing up the option of moving but also hoping to build new. Let’s explore your options. To renovate or rebuild? Before jumping on the renovation bandwagon, assuming it is an easier option, there are a few factors to consider that may ultimately influence your decision. These can include: the extent of your renovation, the comparable costs between renovating and rebuilding, and the expected increase in value of your property. Other factors such as the condition of your home (some old homes can’t cope with structural changes), and ongoing expense (a new home is typically cheaper to maintain than an older home), may preclude you from renovating. Renovating can often result in unforeseen cost blowouts and uncover previously hidden or undiscovered faults. There’s also the hassle of shifting furniture, isolating rooms, living in only part of your home or moving out completely during the renovation. A knockdown rebuild however, may be easier and deliver a more satisfying result than you think: a brand-new home where everything is clean and reliable, in a floorplan that matches your desired lifestyle perfectly. Re-locating and building new If you’re looking for a complete lifestyle change when downsizing, perhaps weighing up the options of a sea or tree change, you can have the best of both worlds and build your dream home to perfectly suit your new location. Images: Getty

Downsizing

Cruise passenger left without a single change of clothes in a lost luggage nightmare

When Australian grandmother Cheryl Stuchbery and her husband, John, set sail with Royal Caribbean cruises from Sydney to New Zealand, they thought they were embarking on their dream holiday. But some dreams are destined to turn into nightmares, as Cheryl soon learned, when it was revealed that staff aboard the cruise liner had lost her suitcase. For the next 11 days, Cheryl was left without so much as a change of clothes, forced to wear the same outfit time and time again. John helped as much as he could, offering his own underwear so that his wife wasn’t entirely going without. Speaking to Australia’s A Current Affair, Cheryl admitted that the entire experience had left her “very depressed. I was in tears a lot at the time.” “Cheryl ended up wearing my knickers,” John explained, adding that it only made sense, because his clothes had actually been available. "I've put a pair on, but the only thing is, I couldn't fill out the little pouch in the front," Cheryl added. When the staff were unable to locate her bag on the second day of the trip, they offered to wash her one outfit for her. Every morning, they would drop by, collect her things, and take them off to wash and dry. While this ensured Cheryl had clean clothes to wear each day, it also meant she started them with three hours sitting in her cabin and waiting. “They [would] give Cheryl a t-shirt and a dressing gown,” John explained, “so for the first sort of three hours each day, we're sitting in the room waiting for the clothes to come back.” In the time since, Cheryl has tried to find humour in the whole situation, though she certainly hadn’t even been able to consider it at the time. It wasn’t the first time the couple had set out on a cruise, it was just the first that their belongings hadn’t made it along with them. “They did say it was very unusual for a suitcase not to turn up at all,” Cheryl noted. “For quite a bit of time we felt that it had been stolen because they'd searched the ship," John said. And, in timing that came as no help to the cruising couple, Cheryl’s bag turned up the very day after they’d arrived back in Sydney. To make matters even worse, it had been onboard the whole time. As John put it, “it had been on [the] boat all the time and they say, 'well, that's okay, you've got your case back'.” Royal Caribbean have since issued a statement in apology, writing that they “sincerely apologise for misplacing Mr and Mrs Stuchbery's luggage. During their cruise, Mr and Mrs Stuchbery were provided with complimentary express laundry, an onboard credit to assist with purchasing incidental items, and specialty dining. “The luggage was located on return to Sydney and Mr and Mrs Stuchbery have been offered additional compensation and documentation to support a claim via their travel insurance.” But it hasn’t done anything to help the sour taste of the whole ordeal left in the Stuchbery’s mouths, with Cheryl declaring that she still “feel[s] very angry.” Images: A Current Affair / Nine

Cruising

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

Airline fees You’re paying extra for almost everything when you fly these days, from your bags to your seat. So be sure to compare not only the prices of flights but what they’re charging in extra fees. You may also want to weigh your bag before you go to avoid any additional charges. Bank fees Not keeping enough money in your bank account could cost you some serious cash. How much? ATM and other maintenance fees can also add up to $1,000 over ten years. To avoid them, look for banks with free ATMs that don’t charge monthly maintenance fees. Buying things new Sure, a shiny new car is tempting. But as soon as you drive it off the lot, the car loses 11 percent of its value. A better option? Opt for a reliable used car and a short-term loan you can pay off quickly. The same goes for electronics and other items. Convenience foods Pre-cut fruit and vegetables can save time, but they can also dent your wallet. Instead, buy food as close to its natural form as possible, and divide it up into portion sizes yourself. The same concept applies for all those fancy lattes. Even if you buy just three $5 drinks each week, that’s $780 per year. Over a decade, it’s $7,800. Credit card interest It’s not uncommon to be charged 20 percent annually, although some people face even steeper rates. If you carry $25,000 in debt, paying 20 percent on it will cost you a whopping $5,000 annually – just in interest. To avoid paying extra money for old debts, try the snowball method. Pay off the card with the lowest balance first, then move on to the next one. Dry cleaning A typical trip to the cleaners for your pants and shirts can cost you more than $10. With a weekly visit, that could add up to more than $500 per year. To save that money, clean your shirts in the delicate cycle in your washer or hand wash them. Eating out Going out to dinner with the family can be a nice treat, but doing it regularly really adds up. Instead of buying your lunch every day, save money by packing it. And before you go out, look for specials like coupons or happy hours or get entrees instead of full meals. Extended warranties Getting an extended warranty on that refrigerator or car you bought sounds like a good idea. But most extended warranties aren’t worth the money. Why? The fine print may not include likely problems, or you may be buying duplicate coverage. A better plan? Open a savings account and sock away money for any repairs that might come up. Impulse buys Spur-of-the-moment buys can cost you more in the long term, because you may not really need them, or you haven’t shopped around for better deals. Really want something? Take a 24-hour breather and see if you still do. Name brands Brand names can be tempting when it comes to consumer products like cereals and soaps. But the generic versions work just as well. And when it comes to medications, generic versions can cost between 30 and 80 percent less than brand-name drugs. Ask your doctor to specify on the prescription that generic medications should be substituted for name brands. Phantom electricity Everyone wants to make sure their electronic devices are charged. But keeping your laptop and phone plugged in once they’re at full power is costing you – especially with high energy prices. To save money, make sure to power down your devices when you’re not using them and use a power strip to easily turn off several electronics at once. Procrastinating You might think it’s a good idea to wait for last-minute deals, but procrastinating can cost you in the long run. Plane tickets and hotel rooms can get more expensive the closer to the date. And procrastinating on saving money will mean less down the road. Speeding Rushing to get somewhere may be tempting, but it can also add up. On the highway, speeding can decrease your fuel mileage by up to 30 percent. That’s not counting what it will cost you if you get stopped for your leadfoot or hit another vehicle. So slow down and save. Subscription boxes The average subscription box costs between $10 and $40 per month, which means you could be spending well over $100 a year – on just one service. Think about whether you’re really using (and enjoying) the majority of the items in the box on a regular basis. If not, it might be time to cancel your subscription. Unused memberships You signed up for that gym membership with the best of intentions, but if you’re part of the 67 percent of people with a membership who never set foot in the gym, you could be wasting more than $700 a year. And if you’re a member of one of the fancier gyms, you’re wasting even more. Tax deductions you're missing Earned income tax credits were designed to help keep money in people’s pockets. But 20 percent of people who qualify for the deductions don’t take advantage of them. To make sure you get the deductions you’re entitled to, use an online tax program or hire a professional. Wasted food A trip to the grocery store may cost you money in more ways than one. Because of lack of planning, impulse buying, and cooking too much food, an average of one in five bags of groceries goes to waste. To save, make a plan before you go shopping, don’t go to the store hungry, and eat/freeze your leftovers. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/food-home-garden/money/ways-youre-wasting-money-without-knowing-it?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Money & Banking

3 ways to save money without sacrificing your social life

It’s hard to stay social when you’re trying to curb expenses. However, there are tricks that will allow you to spend some quality time with friends and loved ones without having to feel like you’re throwing money down the drain. 1. Be honest, be positive You don’t have to make flimsy excuses to avoid going out – be open about your intentions, but frame it positively. Instead of saying “these events are too expensive”, you can tell them, “I’m trying to be really good at saving and staying home these days”. While it may be uncomfortable to say no to invites outright, your friends may turn out to be more supportive to your goals than you expected. 2. Provide alternatives Fill your social calendar with free or cheap activities. This could be a visit to the new art exhibition in your city, a potluck picnic at the park, a hike by the mountains, a game night at your home, and more. Don’t forget to look out for special promos and discounts on popular websites like Groupon or Scoopon for more affordable options. 3. Put it in the budget Don’t want to skimp on your bar outings or group classes? It’s time to look at your budget. Once you determine the amount you need to save every month, set aside some of the rest for fun-related expenses. Budgeting allows you to figure out your priorities and stay within the limits. Stick to your allocated budget well – once it’s out, do not extend it any further!

Retirement Income

How the royal family will spend their first Christmas without the Queen

A royal insider has revealed how King Charles and his family will spend their first Christmas without the Queen. This festive season will be the first for the family since the death of Queen Elizabeth in September. Buckingham Palace has confirmed that King Charles III will continue the tradition of hosting Christmas at Sandringham, the Queen’s Norfolk estate, with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla. Sandringham is also the location of Prince William and Princess Catherine’s second home, Anmer Hall. Royal expert Emily Nash told <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/20221128158211/inside-royal-family-first-christmas-without-queen/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HELLO! magazine</a> that some traditions will remain the same for the royals, but other things will feel very different without the Queen's presence. “This is going to be a very poignant Christmas for the King and his family, as their first without the late Queen in their midst,” Nash said. “But it’s also a chance for them to all come together and share their memories and continue family traditions in the place she loved so much.” December is set to be a historic month for King Charles, who will record his first Christmas message for the public as the reigning monarch, to be broadcast on December 15th. “I’m sure he will reflect on his mother’s remarkable reign and the outpouring of love and support for him following her sad death,” Nash said. “I think the royal family will want to honour all the traditions they associate with Christmas at Sandringham - exchanging gifts on Christmas Eve and walking to St Mary Magdalene for the Christmas Day service, but there’s no doubt it will be an emotional time for them without their matriarch.” Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Our Partners

Over 60

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Keep warm this winter without breaking the bank

Are you a victim of elder abuse without even realising it?

Samantha Murphy’s heartbroken family mark first birthday without her

How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

How to be kind to yourself (without going to a day spa)

Embracing the art of beauty without compromise

The life-saving item no Grey Nomad should travel without

"Without hope": Close friend shares sad Schumacher update

Cooking (and heating) without gas: what are the impacts of shifting to all-electric homes?

How do I tell my kids we are currently short on money – without freaking them out?

6 ways to combat headaches without painkillers

5 ways to eat healthier without counting calories

How to holiday with your family without fighting

9 easy ways to transform your bathroom without renovating

Financial guru reveals how to shop at Costco without membership

How to downsize without leaving the suburb you love

Cruise passenger left without a single change of clothes in a lost luggage nightmare

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

3 ways to save money without sacrificing your social life

How the royal family will spend their first Christmas without the Queen

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Keep warm this winter without breaking the bank

Are you a victim of elder abuse without even realising it?

Samantha Murphy’s heartbroken family mark first birthday without her

How to fall asleep without sleeping pills: 7 natural sleep aids that actually work

How to be kind to yourself (without going to a day spa)

Embracing the art of beauty without compromise

The life-saving item no Grey Nomad should travel without

"Without hope": Close friend shares sad Schumacher update

Cooking (and heating) without gas: what are the impacts of shifting to all-electric homes?

How do I tell my kids we are currently short on money – without freaking them out?

6 ways to combat headaches without painkillers

5 ways to eat healthier without counting calories

How to holiday with your family without fighting

9 easy ways to transform your bathroom without renovating

Financial guru reveals how to shop at Costco without membership

How to downsize without leaving the suburb you love

Cruise passenger left without a single change of clothes in a lost luggage nightmare

Ways you’re wasting money without knowing it

3 ways to save money without sacrificing your social life

How the royal family will spend their first Christmas without the Queen

Our Partners

Join Over60