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Woman rejects $200k offer for her puppy

<p>A woman has divided social media viewers after she claiming that she declined a stranger's $200k ($303,000 AUD) offer for her Doberman pinscher puppy. </p> <p>In the viral video, which has since racked up over 970,000 views, Alexis Elliott said: “someone offered us $200k for our puppy, and I told my husband, ‘absolutely f**king not’.”</p> <p>“Would you guys sell your dogs for $200k? Like, that is my baby!" the LA-based woman asked her followers. </p> <p>Many couldn't believe that she declined the offer. </p> <p>“It’s a crime to not accept 200k,” one wrote. </p> <p>“In this economy? Yes,” another commented. </p> <p>“Would run upstairs so fast and pack his bag,” a third joked. </p> <p>While some people were eager enough to give up their own dogs for $200,000, others  agreed with Elliot and said that they would never give up their fur babies. </p> <p>“ABSOLUTELY NOT. The people saying yes should not have a dog tbh,” one viewer commented, adding: “That boy is my life.” </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7308537421770116395&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40itsalexiselliott%2Fvideo%2F7308537421770116395%3Flang%3Den&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2Ff7435052bbf14b62a0c22bb295962a0f_1701651485%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2FoMfzRS5SbCDFYrMIAQZA7AAlb2PgflRLDERaED.image%3Fx-expires%3D1702508400%26x-signature%3Di2tT0G7gwHGCVFhMDi4EPSvcPUI%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>“A lot of you in these comments don’t deserve a dog,” another slammed. </p> <p>“Omg never. The thought of my dog being confused and feeling abandoned breaks my heart,” a third commented, while another user added that they wouldn't sell their dog even if they were offered one million dollars. </p> <p>One sceptic added: “Nobody offered you 200k for a dog, people with that kind of money are mostly financially smart. And you did not birth it." </p> <p>A few others came to Elliot's defence and said that it had happened to them in the past. </p> <p>“Someone offered me 100k for my dog. He was a pretty well-off athlete. Not everyone is smart with their money,” one commented. </p> <p>“I had a lady offer us $1M for our dog, and when we laughed she said, ‘No seriously, make me an offer, I’ll pay it’,” another claimed.</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

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Amazing money-saving hack hidden in Coles and Woolies Christmas shopping bags

<p>Woolworths and Coles have released specially designed paper bags ahead of the Christmas period, with many praising their multi-purpose usage. </p> <p>The 25 cent bags feature a Christmas design, and are meant to be cut open and reused as wrapping paper for Christmas presents. </p> <p>Shoppers have been sharing their delight at the discovery on social media, with many praising the supermarket giants for encouraging recycling. </p> <p>A member of the North Shore Mums Facebook group shared the revelation, writing, "PSA: the Christmas woolies bags are designed to be cut open and used as wrapping paper."</p> <p>Both Coles and Woolworths bags include cutting lines to help those planning to use them as wrapping this festive season.</p> <p>They added an edit to the post explaining the bags could also be cut into squares around the decorations and used as gift tags.</p> <p>Other alternatives to pricey wrapping paper include tea towels, paper that has been decorated by children in the family or making the most out of reusable gift bags which can be collected and saved for the next occasion.</p> <p>With many families anxious of excess spending during the festive period in the face of the ongoing cost of living crisis, the reusable bags are set to be a welcome hack for those trying to be money conscious this Christmas. </p> <p><em>Image credits: 9Honey</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 16px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 28px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #333333; color: #333333;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></p>

Money & Banking

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Top tips to protect your outdoor furniture

<p>If you have outdoor furniture, it’s important to look after it properly so it will stay in good condition over the years. Remember to invest in UV and water-resistant<strong> </strong>chair covers<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong> </strong></span>and pillows in order to ensure you can enjoy your outdoor furniture without the hassle of replacing all your items. Here’s how to care for your furniture.</p> <p><strong>1. Wooden</strong></p> <p>To get your wooden outdoor furniture ready for use, clean with hot soapy water or a hardwood cleaning fluid at the beginning of the season. If the furniture is very dirty then you can lightly sand the furniture after cleaning. It is a good idea to oil or paint your outdoor furniture after cleaning.</p> <p>If you want your furniture to age naturally, then oil the furniture with two coats and leave to dry for 48 hours. Use hardwood oil for eucalyptus and teak oil for teak furniture. If you want your outdoor furniture to look new, then use a stained oil. If you want to completely transform your furniture then paint with 2-3 coats and it should last for roughly three years.</p> <p><strong>2. Metal</strong></p> <p>When you wash your metal outdoor furniture be sure to clean it with a non-abrasive cloth. If the furniture is made from steel, you need to treat any scratches that expose the bare metal underneath to prevent rust. If rust has already set it on your furniture, remove it using steel wool and then touch it up using an exterior metal paint of the same colour.</p> <p>If your furniture is made from aluminium, it won’t rust but it may suffer from aluminium oxidation. This won’t decrease the strength of the furniture but it will change the colour of the metal over time. To prevent this from happening, make sure you clean it regularly and store it away or keep it covered during the winter months.</p> <p>One tip to keep your metal furniture in pristine condition is to polish it with car wax after you have finished cleaning it. The wax will help the furniture be more water resistant.</p> <p><strong>3. Rattan</strong></p> <p>Synthetic rattan is UV and weather-resistant so it won’t be as worn out by the weather conditions. Whenever it needs a refresh, wash with soapy water. It is important to keep an eye on the frame underneath as if that is made from steel rather than aluminium, you will need to abide by the metal care rules.</p> <p><strong>4. Resin</strong></p> <p>Resin outdoor furniture is fairly easy to look after. Wash it regularly with soap to keep it in great condition. If there is dirt or stains that are particularly hard to get out, then wash your furniture with a pressure washer.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Home & Garden

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How to double your money just by shopping during Super-September

<p>Did you know you can effortlessly boost your retirement savings simply by shopping – no strings attached? It might sound too good to be true, but thanks to <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Super-Rewards</a>, a leading cashback provider, this is now a reality. And what's more the process is free, with no ongoing costs, and is incredibly simple.</p> <p>Super-Rewards, a widely recognised program in the industry, operates much like typical cashback programs – but with one key difference: instead of receiving cash in your pocket immediately, your earnings are <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">directed into your superannuation fund</a> for later use. </p> <p>The best part? There are no fees or hidden costs; it's essentially free money when you shop at one of Super-Rewards' 500 <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC/category/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online partner stores</a> or 1,000 <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC/category/instore/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">physical stores</a> across the country – including big names like Apple, Catch, eBay, EnergyAustralia, Virgin Australia, The Good Guys, Petbarn, Big W, Appliances Online, BWS, Adore Beauty and more.</p> <p>Spanning categories like food and drink, health, automotive, clothing, beauty and more, you are literally being paid towards your retirement just for doing the shopping you were going to do anyway.</p> <p>The beauty of Super-Rewards <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC/how-it-works/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lies in its versatility</a>; you can link your cashback to any super account with ease. All you need to do is shop through the Super-Rewards app, website, or in-store, using their browser extension.</p> <p>"Boosting your super contributions has never been more crucial, especially in light of recent ASFA research showing an increase in retirement living costs," says Pascale Helyar-Moray, CEO of Super-Rewards.</p> <p>Super-Rewards presents a simple and effective solution for accumulating wealth in your super through everyday spending.</p> <p>"Whether you're male or female, employed or not, earning super has never been this straightforward," adds Helyar-Moray. "Super-Rewards is a 'set and forget' strategy for wealth-building, accessible to all Australians. It's incredibly user-friendly."</p> <p>And now Super-Rewards has launched <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"Super-September"</a>, during which users can earn a $10 bonus in their Super-Rewards account once they accumulate $10 in cashback between September 1st and October 31st. This offer is open to all Super-Rewards users, and cashback from all Super-Rewards retailers, both online and in-store, is eligible.</p> <p>Helyar-Moray explains, "We want to reward users with $10 for making responsible super contributions through Super-Rewards. While immediate cashback might be tempting, we understand that money spent today can't grow. Our mission is to foster responsible and sustainable wealth creation; we're excited to reward prudent super behaviour by contributing to our users' superannuation accounts."</p> <p>“This is about being smart in how you spend your money. You’re already buying groceries with MILKRUN, purchasing pet food at Petbarn, acquiring appliances at The Good Guys. It’s a no-brainer; you’re undertaking these activities anyway so you may as well be rewarded into your super for doing so, and let the power of compound interest help create a more financially secure retirement for you. It’s super – easy.”</p> <p><a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Super-Rewards</a> app is available for download on both the App Store and Google Play.</p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://go.linkby.com/SNUFMPYC" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Super-Rewards</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Shop around, take lunch, catch the bus. It is possible to ease the squeeze on your budget

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p> </p> <p>It’s no secret that the cost of living has increased substantially over the last year, with rises of between <a href="https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/employees-annual-living-costs-highest-record#:%7E:text=%E2%80%9CLiving%20costs%20for%20employee%20households,per%20cent%20was%20in%201986.">7.1 and 9.6 per cent</a> for all households. So what can households do to manage these increases?</p> <p>It might sound simple, but starting with a budget is the best approach. Even if you already have a budget, price increases mean it will need to be updated. For those new to budgeting, it is just a list of your income and expenses.</p> <p>Make sure you match the frequency of these so you are working out your budget over a week, or a fortnight, or a month. There are plenty of budgeting apps and websites that can help, such as the <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/budgeting/budget-planner">Moneysmart budget planner</a>.</p> <p>Once your budget is up to date, you can see your financial position. Do you have a surplus of cash – congratulations! You can save that money to help you in an emergency.</p> <p>But what about if you have less income than expenses? You need to work through a process of figuring out where you can cut back.</p> <p>Some expenses are easy to cut back on:</p> <ul> <li> <p>If you have multiple streaming services, drop back to one at a time. Check for any other subscriptions you might be paying for – if you are not using them frequently, now is the time to cancel. You can always resubscribe when money isn’t tight.</p> </li> <li> <p>If you are spending a lot of money on take out or paying for lunch, find cheaper alternatives such as eating at home and packing a lunch using cheaper ingredients. Switch to tap water for normal drinks, and take a travel cup of coffee with you.</p> </li> <li> <p>Check and see if public transport is cheaper for you. If you are using a lot of fuel and paying for parking, public transport could be a better option.</p> </li> <li> <p>Groceries can be a huge cost for families. It is always worth shopping around to not pay full price. Understand unit pricing and buy the products you use when they are on special. It might be necessary to switch to cheaper products.</p> </li> <li> <p>Check if you are paying too much for your utilities like internet, electricity and gas. There are comparison websites you can use, including the <a href="https://www.energymadeeasy.gov.au/">Energy Made Easy</a> website. You can also make simple changes such as turning off lights and using a saucepan lid when boiling water that will reduce your usage.</p> </li> <li> <p>Check other products you might be paying for, such as car, home and health insurance to see if you can save money by switching. Be careful with any life or disability policies. It is best to speak to a financial adviser before changing those as there can be implications for cover.</p> </li> </ul> <p>Other expenses, like housing, can be a lot harder to manage.</p> <p>Rising interest rates have pushed up mortgage repayments for homeowners. Mortgage interest charges have <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-05-03/record-high-living-costs-businesses-contracting-interest-rates/102296992">risen by 78.9% over the year</a> to March 2023. For many homeowners, their repayments are unaffordable compared to when they first took out their mortgage.</p> <p>If you are struggling to afford your mortgage, the first step is to talk to your lender as soon as possible. Moneysmart has <a href="https://moneysmart.gov.au/home-loans/problems-paying-your-mortgage">useful information</a> on what to do when you can’t meet your mortgage payments.</p> <p>You may also be able to <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/super/withdrawing-and-using-your-super/early-access-to-super/access-on-compassionate-grounds/access-on-compassionate-grounds---what-you-need-to-know/">access some of your superannuation</a> so you don’t lose your home, however bear in mind that this is a temporary solution and uses your retirement savings.</p> <p>Increased demand for rentals has seen average rents across Australia increase by <a href="https://content.corelogic.com.au/l/994732/2023-07-05/z2tcd/994732/1688600749Ly8Iv9wt/202306_CoreLogic_RentalReview_July_2023_FINAL.pdf">27.4% since the COVID pandemic</a>. Supply of rental properties is low, which means many people may not be able to find a suitable alternative if their rent increases and becomes unaffordable.</p> <p>It might be necessary to take on a housemate, or move to a cheaper location (make sure to consider additional costs such as transport). If your circumstances have changed suddenly and you cannot pay your rent, contact your landlord or property manager.</p> <p>If you are paying a lot in credit card or other personal debt repayments such as numerous Afterpay-style accounts, it could be a good idea to speak to a bank about consolidating.</p> <p>This can help move some expensive debt, such as that from credit cards, into lower interest debt and simplify your budgeting as there is only one payment. If debt is making your budget unmanageable, then you can call the <a href="https://ndh.org.au/">National Debt Helpline</a> or for First Nations Australians there is <a href="https://financialrights.org.au/getting-help/mob-strong-debt-help/">Mob Strong Debt Help</a>.</p> <p>A final option could be to increase your income by taking on more work. This can be a good solution, but if you already work full time it might be unsustainable. Two common side hustles to boost income are gig work, such as Uber driving, and multi-level marketing, which is selling goods like Doterra and Herbalife to family and friends.</p> <p>However, both are <a href="https://www.twu.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/McKell_QLD_Gig-Economy_WEB_SINGLES.pdf">low</a> <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/216593/1/MLM_report_Print.pdf">paid</a> and in most cases you would be better off earning minimum wage as a casual employee.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/210895/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/laura-de-zwaan-180752">Laura de Zwaan</a>, Lecturer, Department of Accounting, Finance and Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>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/shop-around-take-lunch-catch-the-bus-it-is-possible-to-ease-the-squeeze-on-your-budget-210895">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"The last male sanctuary": Barber shop campaigns to formally ban women

<p>An Adelaide barber shop which prides itself as "the last male sanctuary", has applied for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act, which, once approved, will allow it to formally ban women. </p> <p>The team behind Robbie's Chop Shop took to Instagram to ask over 42,800 of their followers to help with their application to Equal Opportunity SA. </p> <p>In their first pinned post on Instagram, the barber shop posted a photo of the letter explaining that they have applied for an exemption following a complaint made to the commission about their request for women to observe that it is a male-only business. </p> <p>"Unfortunately, this is not the first complaint of this type that we have received, so in order to deal with them once and for all, we have decided to make an application for an exemption to the Equal Opportunity Act," they wrote in the letter. </p> <p>They added that the business prides itself in being able to provide "a safe space for men to discuss their issues", so they applied for the exemption to deal with the complaints once and for all. </p> <p>The business believes that they are "not in breach of the act" if they are able to obtain this exemption. </p> <p>"As part of our application, we would like to include statements from you, our loyal and valued customers, that explain why you love Robbie's Chop Shop, and why you feel that is so important for Robbie's Chop Shop to be a safe space for men to come together and discuss their issues," they pleaded. </p> <p>Their plea has divided followers, while some men and women agreed with them, others seem to disagree with their stance. </p> <p>"I love that this exists and love the safe space you've created for men to unload their weights of the world without being judged and freedom speak up in a space with others that may be facing similar issues," one woman wrote. </p> <p>"I’ll never understand why this is an issue. There are so many women only places around. As a woman I’d much prefer to go to a hair salon than a barber," commented another woman. </p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvPYHawy18U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CvPYHawy18U/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by 💈 Robbie's Chop Shop 💈 (@robbieschopshop)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"💯 support - Great idea to have a space for men. In the UK there are lots of ladies/women only spaces and events etc. Don’t see the issue for men having their own space in society as well. 👍" wrote one man. </p> <p>"The concept of the last male sanctuary is not to discriminate against women but to offer a place for men to come and discuss the issues in their lives, in comfort with other similar men," commented another. </p> <p>One person wrote that they hope the business is equally welcoming to non-binary or trans people. </p> <p>"I hope you would welcome trans men, non-binary people and folks of any gender wanting a masculine haircut. We all deserve to feel included and safe to approach businesses knowing we won’t be turned away based on personal attributes we can’t change."</p> <p>"More like Robbie's Mojo Dojo Casa House," another quipped in reference to Ryan Gosling's character Ken establishing the patriarchy in Barbie land in the 2023 <em>Barbie m</em>ovie. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p>

Legal

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Climb the stairs, lug the shopping, chase the kids. Incidental vigorous activity linked to lower cancer risks

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783">Emmanuel Stamatakis</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>Many people know exercise reduces the risk of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2521826">cancers</a>, including liver, lung, breast and kidney. But structured exercise is time-consuming, requires significant commitment and often financial outlay or travel to a gym. These practicalities can make it infeasible for <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/42/11/901">most adults</a>.</p> <p>There is <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">very little research</a> on the potential of incidental physical activity for reducing the risk of cancer. Incidental activities can include doing errands on foot, work-related activity or housework as part of daily routines. As such they do not require an extra time commitment, special equipment or any particular practical arrangements.</p> <p>In our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734">study</a> out today, we explored the health potential of brief bursts of vigorous physical activities embedded into daily life. These could be short power walks to get to the bus or tram stop, stair climbing, carrying heavy shopping, active housework or energetic play with children.</p> <h2>How was the study done?</h2> <p>Our <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamaoncology/fullarticle/2807734">new study</a> included 22,398 <a href="https://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/">UK Biobank</a> participants who had never been diagnosed with cancer before and did not do any structured exercise in their leisure time. Around 55% of participants were female, with an average age of 62. Participants wore wrist activity trackers for a week. Such trackers monitor activity levels continuously and with a high level of detail throughout the day, allowing us to calculate how hard and exactly for how long people in the study were moving.</p> <p>Participants’ activity and other information was then linked to future cancer registrations and other cancer-related health records for the next 6.7 years. This meant we could estimate the overall risk of cancer by different levels of what we call “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33108651/">vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity</a>”, the incidental bursts of activity in everyday life. We also analysed separately a group of <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2521826">13 cancer sites in the body</a> with more established links to exercise, such such as breast, lung, liver, and bowel cancers.</p> <p>Our analyses took into account other factors that influence cancer risk, such as age, smoking, diet, and alcohol habits.</p> <h2>What we found out</h2> <p>Even though study participants were not doing any structured exercise, about 94% recorded short bursts of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33108651/">vigorous activity</a>. Some 92% of all bouts were done in very short bursts lasting up to one minute.</p> <p>A minimum of around 3.5 minutes each day was associated with a 17–18% reduction in total cancer risk compared with not doing any such activity.</p> <p>Half the participants did at least 4.5 minutes a day, associated with a 20–21% reduction in total cancer risk.</p> <p>For cancers such as breast, lung and bowel cancers, which we know are impacted by the amount of exercise people do, the results were stronger and the risk reduction sharper. For example, a minimum of 3.5 minutes per a day of vigorous incidental activity reduced the risk of these cancers by 28–29%. At 4.5 minutes a day, these risks were reduced by 31–32%.</p> <p>For both total cancer and those known to be linked to exercise, the results clearly show the benefits of doing day-to-day activities with gusto that makes you huff and puff.</p> <h2>Our study had its limits</h2> <p>The study is observational, meaning we looked at a group of people and their outcomes retrospectively and did not test new interventions. That means it cannot directly explore cause and effect with certainty.</p> <p>However, we took several statistical measures to minimise the possibility those with the lowest levels of activity were not the unhealthiest, and hence the most likely to get cancer – a phenomenon called “<a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/computer-science/reverse-causation">reverse causation</a>”.</p> <p>Our study can’t explain the biological mechanisms of how vigorous intensity activity may reduce cancer risk. Previous <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2017/02000/Brief_Intense_Stair_Climbing_Improves.10.aspx">early-stage trials</a> show this type of activity leads to rapid improvements in heart and lung fitness.</p> <p>And higher fitness is linked to lower <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002934320300097">insulin resistance</a> and lower <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109704017036">chronic inflammation</a>. High levels of these are risk <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0735109704017036">factors for cancer</a>.</p> <p>There is very little research on incidental physical activity and cancer in general, because most of the scientific evidence on lifestyle health behaviours and cancer is based on questionnaires. This method doesn’t capture short bursts of activity and is very inaccurate for measuring the incidental activities of daily life.</p> <p>So the field of vigorous intensity activity and cancer risk is at its infancy, despite some <a href="https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/43/46/4801/6771381">very promising</a> recent findings that vigorous activity in short bouts across the week could cut health risks. In another recent study of ours, we found benefits from daily <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x%22%22">vigorous intermittent lifestyle activity</a> on the risk of death overall and death from cancer or cardiovascular causes.</p> <h2>In a nutshell: get moving in your daily routine</h2> <p>Our study found 3 to 4 minutes of vigorous incidental activity each day is linked with decreased cancer risk. This is a very small amount of activity compared to <a href="https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/54/24/1451">current recommendations</a> of 150–300 minutes of moderate intensity or 75–150 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.</p> <p>Vigorous incidental physical activity is a promising avenue for cancer prevention among people unable or unmotivated to exercise in their leisure time.</p> <p>Our study also highlights the potential of technology. These results are just a glimpse how wearables combined with machine learning – which our study used to identify brief bursts of vigorous activity – can reveal health benefits of unexplored aspects of our lives. The future potential impact of such technologies to prevent cancer and possibly a <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-02100-x">host of other</a> conditions could be very large.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><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/210288/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/emmanuel-stamatakis-161783"><em>Emmanuel Stamatakis</em></a><em>, Professor of Physical Activity, Lifestyle, and Population Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/matthew-ahmadi-1241767">Matthew Ahmadi</a>, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>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/climb-the-stairs-lug-the-shopping-chase-the-kids-incidental-vigorous-activity-linked-to-lower-cancer-risks-210288">original article</a>.</em></p>

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How to clean these bathroom items that get overlooked

<p>Cleaning the bathroom will not only make your house feel nicer for but it is important for your hygiene as so many bathroom items are used on a daily basis. Even if your bathtub, shower, tiles and sink is clean, these bathroom items deserve your frequent attention.</p> <p><strong>1. Toothbrush and toothbrush holder</strong></p> <p>For obvious reasons keeping your toothbrush and toothbrush holder clean is vital to your mouth health. To keep your toothbrush clean, make sure you rinse it well after each use to avoid a build-up of toothpaste.  Frequently you should do a deep clean of your toothbrush and this can be done by leaving it in a cup of vinegar for 30 minutes. The vinegar will remove the build of bacteria on your toothbrush. Remember to replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months and then you can use your old one for cleaning. A toothbrush holder can be cleaned thoroughly by putting it in the dishwasher or you can rinse it out in hot water and dish soap to remove the build-up of gunk.</p> <p><strong>2. Loofah</strong></p> <p>Loofahs do a great of cleaning bodies but it is important to remember to clean them as well. Your loofah can be cleaned by submerging in a 50/50 mixture of hot water and vinegar for an hour. Then leave it to dry. This method can also be used on sponges or wash cloths.</p> <p><strong>3. Razors</strong></p> <p>It is important to clean your razor as a wet razor can become rusty and a moist blade can cause ingrown hairs and irritation when shaving. To keep your razor in top condition, put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and swipe across your razor. Dry your razor with a towel once you are done and store your razor in a dry place in your bathroom.</p> <p><strong>4. Toilet brush</strong></p> <p>To give your toilet brush a thorough clean, rest the brush between the toilet bowl and seat after cleaning the toilet. Spray the brush with a disinfectant and then let it sit as it drips for ten minutes or so. Then rinse the brush in very hot water and allow it to drip dry again. The<strong> </strong>brush holder<strong> </strong>should also be cleaned with disinfectant and then leaving it for ten minutes and rinsing with hot water.</p> <p><strong>5. Plunger</strong></p> <p>After each use of the plunger, spray it with a disinfectant and leave for ten minutes and then let it air dry. It is helpful to store your plunger with a plastic bag so that way, after you use it you can put in the bag and then take it somewhere to clean to avoid any dripping. Don’t re-use the plastic bag.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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Shop Smarter and Save Big: Unbeatable Deals on Appliances, Home items, and More in the EOFY Sales!

<p>The end-of-financial year sales are one of the biggest shopping events of the year here in Australia. Our favourite brands across various categories slash the prices by huge margins so that we consumers can grab a bargain. </p> <p>This event takes place every year, and this time round, it may be one of the best yet, with unmissable bargains including the highly-rated <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.canningvale.com%2Ftowels%2Fcollections%2Froyal-splendour%2F&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canningvale Royal Splendour Towel Sets,</a> which has over 2,500 5-star reviews! Reviewers shared their thoughts: “Love my new towels - they feel like a bit of luxury - great thickness and fluff. Very pleased” and “Beautiful soft lush towels very happy with purchase”. Even the talk-of-the-town Calming Blankets’ best-selling <a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.calmingblankets.com.au%2Fproducts%2Fweighted-blanket&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">adult weighted blanket is $100 off, reduced to $99</a>, so grab it while you can. </p> <p>When it comes to fulfilling your shopping needs, there's no better time than now. Why wait? By seizing this opportunity, you might just save yourself a pretty penny or two. We understand the challenges of navigating sales and limited timeframes to find the best deals, which is why we're here to lend a helping hand. Our expertise lies in uncovering the most enticing offers across various categories as we approach the end of the financial year.</p> <p>Whether you're looking to upgrade your tech and appliances, revamp your home bedding and towels for the colder weather, refresh your wardrobe for the new season, or even explore new beauty products, we've got you covered. Our extensive knowledge enables us to provide you with a comprehensive list of the best deals.</p> <p>So, without further ado, let's dive into our curated selection of deals for you to flick through below. </p> <h2><strong>Home </strong></h2> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/05/BeddingSets_byToaHeftibaUnsplash_HERO.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash</em></p> <p>We're approaching the peak of the cold weather, so If your bedding still seems better suited for keeping you cool rather than providing cosy warmth, now might be the perfect time to make a change. While you're at it, why not consider swapping out some home decor pieces as well? Give your space a winter makeover by adding touches of cosiness and incorporating warm colours. </p> <h3>Myer </h3> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%2Fbedroom-sale%3Ffacets%3Dmv--product_type_filter--quilt20covers%252Cmv--product_type_filter--sheets202620pillowcases%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off selected quilt covers and sheet sets</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%2Fsale-tableware%2Fdinnerware--sale%3Ffacets%3Dmv--mfname--heritage%252Cmv--mfname--maxwell202620williams%252Cmv--mfname--robert20gordon%252Cmv--mfname--salt26pepper%252Cmv--mfname--vue%252Cmv--sale_type--402520off%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">50% off Dinnersets by Maxwell &amp; Williams, Robert Gordon, salt&amp;pepper and more</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%3Ffacets%3Dmv--mfname--royal20albert%252Cmv--mfname--royal20doulton%252Cmv--mfname--waterford%252Cmv--mfname--wedgwood%252Cmv--sale_type--252520off%252Cmv--sale_type--302520off%252Cmv--sale_type--402520off%252Cmv--sale_type--502520off%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off a great range of Wedgewood, Royal Doulton, Royal Albert and Waterford</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%3Ffacets%3Dmv--mfname--sheridan%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off the original price of Sheridan</a></p> <p><strong><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">House</span></strong><strong style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">:<br /></strong><a style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;" href="https://www.house.com.au/collections/sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 75% off House-wide EOFY Sale</a></p> <p><strong>Koala:<br /></strong><a href="https://koala.com/en-au/eofy-sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 30% off site wide </a></p> <p><strong>Canningvale:</strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.canningvale.com%2Fsale%2Fbedding%2Fbedding%3Fis_index%3D0&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40-60% Off in the Big Bedding Sale</a></p> <p><strong>Emma Sleep:</strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.emma-sleep.com.au%2Fsale%2F&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 55% off selected products</a></p> <p><strong>Sheridan:</strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sheridan.com.au%2Fsale.html&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off sitewide</a></p> <p><strong>Calming Blankets:</strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.calmingblankets.com.au%2Fcollections%2Fbest-sellers&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off sitewide</a></p> <p><strong>Bed Bath N’ Table:</strong> <br /><a href="https://www.bedbathntable.com.au/products/catalogue" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Clearance Sale Up to 60% off</a></p> <p><strong>Bed Threads:</strong> <br /><a href="https://bedthreads.com.au/pages/bed-threads-sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mid-Year Makeover Sale 15% off Everything</a></p> <p><strong>Freedom:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.freedom.com.au/c/best-selling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Absolutely Everything on Sale</a><br /><a href="https://www.freedom.com.au/c/all-outdoor" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 55% off all Outdoor Furniture</a><br /><a href="https://www.freedom.com.au/c/all-rugs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 40% off all Floor Rugs</a></p> <p><strong>Harris Scarfe:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harrisscarfe.com.au%2Fcategories%3Fq%3D%3Arelevance%3Acategory%3Aquilts%3Acategory%3Apillows%3Acategory%3Acomforters-coverlets%3Acategory%3Atowel-collections%3AdealType%3AOnSale%3AdealType%3AFRIENDS%2520PAY%2520LESS&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40-60% off all Homewares &amp; Manchester</a></p> <p><strong>Dymocks:</strong><br /><a href="https://www.dymocks.com.au/books/promotion-winter-sale-june-2023/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Books for $9.99 in the Winter Sale</a></p> <p><strong>Booktopia:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Feofy-sale%2Fpromo3262.html&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 75% off top deals</a></p> <p><strong>My Deal:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mydeal.com.au%2Fsale%2Fstylish-bedside-tables&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Limited-time deals on bedside tables</a></p> <p><strong>Adairs:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adairs.com.au%2Fsales%2F&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to 30% off</a></p> <h3>Tech &amp; Appliances</h3> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/06/EOFY_Jonas-Leupe-on-Unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Photo by Jonas Leupe on Unsplash</em></p> <p>Tech and appliances are notorious for their hefty price tags, but their entertainment value or usefulness often justifies the investment. But, due to their high cost, it's wise to hold onto your bank card until the perfect deal presents itself, and that moment might be right now.</p> <p><strong>Myer:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%2Fappliances-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Great savings on Appliances by Breville, Sunbeam, Delonghi and more</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fhome--sale%2Felectronics-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Great savings on Tech by BOSE, Ultimate Ears, FitBit, Garmin and more</a></p> <p><strong>Dyson:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dyson.com.au%2Fdeals%2Feofy-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to $450, plus receive complimentary gifts and additional accessories with selected technology.</a></p> <p><strong>The Good Guys:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegoodguys.com.au%2Fhisense-75kg-front-load-washer--hwfy7514&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$500 Off! Fisher &amp; Paykel 10kg Front Load Washer - $995</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegoodguys.com.au%2Fsamsung-75-inches-ls03b-4k-the-frame-qled-smart-tv-2022-qa75ls03bawxxy&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$1100 Off! Samsung 75" LS03B 4K The Frame QLED Smart TV 2022 - $2395</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegoodguys.com.au%2Ftefal-easy-fry-classic-air-fryer-ey2018&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$100 Off! Tefal Easy Fry Classic Air Fryer - $99</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thegoodguys.com.au%2Fninja-intelli-sense-kitchen-system-ct682&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$30 Off! Ninja Intelli-Sense Kitchen System - $319</a></p> <p><strong>Appliances Online:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/promo/clearance-sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save on Appliances in the Clearance Sale</a><br /><a href="https://www.appliancesonline.com.au/product/tefal-cy8515-cook4meplus-multi-cooker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$99 off Tefal Cook4Me+ Multi Cooker + Bonus Gift</a></p> <p><strong>Bing Lee:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.binglee.com.au%2Fcategories%2Fpromotions%2Fend-of-financial-year-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Huge savings in the Yenda Financial Year Sale</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.binglee.com.au%2Fproducts%2Fdyson-v10-stick-vacuum-394101-01&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$450 off Dyson V10™ Stick Vacuum, $649 (down from $1099)</a></p> <p><strong>Kogan:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kogan.com%2Fau%2Fc%2Fdyson-australia-a%2F%3Fdispatch%3Dfree%26order_by%3D-discount%26shipping%3Dfree%26page%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to $450 on Dyson deals</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.kogan.com%2Fau%2Fc%2Fawesome-eofy-sale-tvs-home-entertainment%2Fshop%2Fcategory%2Fled-tv%2F&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Save up to 55% off TV deals</a></p> <p><strong>Harris Scarfe:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.harrisscarfe.com.au%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dsmith%2520nobel%3Arelevance%3Acategory%3Akettles%3Acategory%3Atoasters%3Acategory%3Aair-fryers&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% off all Air Fryers, Toasters &amp; Kettles by Smith+Nobel</a></p> <h3>Fashion &amp; Accessories</h3> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/06/EOFY_Priscilla-Du-Preez-on-Unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash</em></p> <p>Time to give your wardrobe an upgrade for the winter season. Think cosy layers, earthy tones, and clothes that will keep you toasty warm. Find everything you need in the sales below, and get ready to rock that effortlessly stylish winter look!</p> <p><strong>Myer:</strong></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fwomen--sale%2Fwomen-lingerie-sale%2Fwomen-sleepwear-robes-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% Off Women's sleepwear</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fwomen--sale%2Fwomen-handbags-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FROM $69 EACH Selected women's handbags and wallets by Marcs, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and more</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fmen-sales%2Fmen-clothing-sale%3Ffacets%3Dmv--sale_type--302520off%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off a range of men’s fashion</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fmen-sales%2Fmen-shoes-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOW $119 EACH Selected men's shoes by Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, GANT, Polo Ralph Lauren, Adidas, Calvin Klein, Florsheim and Wild Rhino</a></p> <p><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fkids-sale%3Flabel%3D%26facets%3Dmv--mfname--bauhaus%252Cmv--mfname--milkshake%252Cmv--mfname--sprout%252Cmv--mfname--tilii%252Cmv--product_type_filter--coats202620jackets%252Cmv--product_type_filter--knitwear202620sweaters%252Cmv--sale_type--302520off%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">30% off the original price of Kids' jackets, jumpers and cardigans by Milkshake, Sprout, Bauhaus, Tilii and Jack &amp; Milly</a></p> <p><strong>The Iconic:</strong>  <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theiconic.com.au%2Fwomens-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 70% off women’s Mega Sale Event</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theiconic.com.au%2Fmens-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 70% off men’s Mega Sale Event</a></p> <p><strong>Cotton On: <br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fcottonon.com%2FAU%2Fco%2Fco-sale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sale up to 50% off original prices</a></p> <p><strong>Bonds: </strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fbonds.com.au&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% off storewide</a></p> <p><strong>Seed Heritage:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.seedheritage.com%2Fsale%2Fwoman%2F&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off all sale styles</a></p> <h3>Health &amp; Beauty</h3> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/06/Jocelyn-Morales-on-Unsplash.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><em>Photo by Jocelyn Morales on Unsplash</em></p> <p>There's nothing quite like treating yourself to something that enhances your health or beauty. If it boosts your confidence, it's definitely a smart investment. After all, you deserve to feel as good as you look, and that's something worth going for!</p> <p><strong>Myer:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fsale-beauty&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 40% off beauty brands</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fsale-beauty%3Ffacets%3Dmv--sale_type--402520off%252Cmv--mfname--calvin20klein%3Flabel%3D%26facets%3Dsv--category--18167%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% off Calvin Klein fragrances</a><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.myer.com.au%2Fc%2Foffers%2Fsale-beauty%3Ffacets%3Dmv--sale_type--402520off%252Cmv--mfname--revlon%26pageNumber%3D1&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">40% off Revlon</a></p> <p><strong>The Iconic:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.theiconic.com.au/beauty-all/?campaign=lp-wmksbh-taf20-2423" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 70% off Beauty products in the Mega Sale Event</a></p> <p><strong>Sephora:</strong> <br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sephora.com.au%2Fsale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">15% - 50% off Selected Styles only</a></p> <p><strong>Adore Beauty:</strong><br /><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adorebeauty.com.au%2Fc%2Fspecials%2Fclearance.html&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 50% off Clearance beauty</a></p> <p><strong>Shaver Shop:<br /></strong><a href="https://go.skimresources.com/?id=204849X1683982&amp;xs=13&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.shavershop.com.au%2Fsale&amp;xcust=sen_eofy_sales_2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Up to 80% off</a></p> <p><strong>Oz Hair &amp; Beauty:<br /></strong><a href="https://www.ozhairandbeauty.com/collections/summer-clearance-sale" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EOFY Up to 70% off sale</a></p> <p><em style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Editor's note: When you buy something using the retail links in our stories, Over60 may earn a small commission. We do not accept money for editorial reviews, and we only write about products we feel comfortable recommending to our readers. Thank you.</em><span style="color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"> </span></p>

Home & Garden

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Woman finds piece of art history on sale for $8

<p dir="ltr">It’s every thrifter’s dream to find something in an op shop that is being sold for far less than it’s worth. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many frequent their local thrift shops to find hidden treasures from designer brands with a much more reasonable price tag, finally giving them the chance to own a piece of luxury. </p> <p dir="ltr">One experienced thrift shopper has taken this dream to the next level, after she found a series of ceramic dishes in her local Salvation Army store that are a piece of art history.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nancy Cavaliere, a native New Yorker, has shared the story of her ultimate thrifting experience, which began on her way home from work in the summer of 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr">Nancy recalled stopping by the store and browsing for a while before resigning herself to defeat after not snagging a bargain. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I see nothing. I almost leave,” she said in her now-viral TikTok.</p> <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/CqTY-WXJ4DM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/CqTY-WXJ4DM/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nancy Cavaliere (@casacavaliere)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">However, one more peruse past the china aisle was all Nancy needed for something to catch her eye, as she spied four unusual black plates with geometric faces hand-painted on them, with each plate marked with a $1.99 sticker. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I was going to buy them to make a tablescape,” Cavaliere said in the video. </p> <p dir="ltr">She bought the plates and left the store happy, and began to research her purchase once she got home. </p> <p dir="ltr">The plates, it turned out, belonged to Picasso’s “<em>Visage Noir</em>” series of hand-painted ceramics, produced in a pottery studio in the southern French town of Madoura in the 1940s. </p> <p dir="ltr">“When I tell you I googled this set… and saw how much they were worth and almost cried, passed out—I’m not lying,” Cavaliere said. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nancy then contacted several auction houses in New York, such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s, to have the plates appraised and authenticated. </p> <p dir="ltr">She was told they were each worth $3,000 to $5,000, and the following year, she sold three of her four plates at Sotheby’s for roughly $12,000, $13,000, and $16,000, respectively.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was in my office at my lunch break watching this live auction go down, crying my eyes out,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">The fourth piece, which bears Picasso’s signature, Nancy decided to keep and store in a safe deposit box. </p> <p dir="ltr">Cavaliere plans to sell it in 20 years and give the money to her daughter, perhaps for a trip around Europe. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s crazy,” she said, “that I actually own something that Picasso signed for himself.” </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram </em></p>

Art

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Financial guru reveals how to shop at Costco without membership

<p>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.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>However, one bargain hunter and money-saving expert has revealed how to shop at the supermarket without paying the membership fee.</p> <p>To access a Costco without a membership, shoppers need a shop card, financial guru Little Birdie explained.</p> <p>The cards can be preloaded with any amount from $25 to $999.99, with recipients then able to use them for purchase in store.</p> <p>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.</p> <p>Currently, there are only 15 stores across Australia.</p> <p>Parents of larger families have reported getting hundreds of dollars off their grocery bills by buying in bulk at Costco.</p> <p>“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.</p> <p>“I did a (fake) online order with Coles, selecting equal quantities as what I have purchased at Costco. Coles would have cost me $783.”</p> <p>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.</p> <p>“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!”</p> <p>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.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Money & Banking

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“Rip off”: Charity shop blasted over extortionate sale

<p dir="ltr">A local charity shop has come under fire for selling a pair of designer shoes for a hefty sum. </p> <p dir="ltr">The op-shop at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast is selling a pair of gold embellished Christian LouBoutin loafers for $500 after being discounted from $1,483. </p> <p dir="ltr">The eye-watering price tag was posted to Facebook and caused outrage among locals, as the shoes were propped up on a red velvet pillow. </p> <p dir="ltr">A woman by the name of Jo Sherwood posted the image to the Palm Beach community Facebook page, writing, “You know when Palmy has gone really upmarket (sic) … designer shoes at Vinnies.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite her claims, a spokesperson for the St Vincent de Paul Society has clarified the designer loafers were not from a Vinnies but another independent op shop in the area.</p> <p dir="ltr">Many were quick to slam the hefty price tag, calling the sale a “rip-off”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s bloody disgusting the prices they charge on anything. I saw a Kmart dress in there last week, they were selling it for more than Kmart sold it for,” another wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">Others were quick to call out many op shops who seem to have forgotten who they are there for. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Think they need to remember they are selling donated goods, not operating a boutique store,” someone replied.</p> <p dir="ltr">Another said that “all op shops have forgotten that they are meant to be there for the poor people, not just the hipsters.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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5 ways to pamper your mum for Mother’s Day

<p>Special occasions seem to come around so often that it can be hard to come up with new and thoughtful gift ideas. Here are five ways to lavish your love on your mum on <a href="https://www.innovations.com.au/p/gifts/mothers-day-gifts?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=nativearticle&amp;utm_campaign=MothersDayGifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mother’s Day</a> that don’t require you to leave the house.</p> <p><strong>1. Home spa treatment</strong></p> <p>Home spa treatments are a thoughtful and relaxing way to express your love to your mum. <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/2014/11/diy-beauty-treatments/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Over60’s favourite inexpensive DIY beauty treatment</span></strong></a> includes a face mask and foot treatment. To make your mum feel even more valued during her home spa treatment, gift her with a <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/robes/products/deco-by-linen-house-adult-bath-robe-super-soft?utm_source=Over60&amp;utm_medium=in-article-link-adult-bath-robe&amp;utm_campaign=Over60Shop&amp;utm_content=adult-bath-robe" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">new bathrobe</span></strong></a> as a present. She can wear her bathrobe as her day of pampering continues and it will definitely be a gift she can get good use out of.</p> <p><strong>2. Make her breakfast or brunch</strong></p> <p>Start Mother’s Day by spoiling your mum with her favourite breakfast. There is no better way to wake up in the morning than with the smell of your favourite hot breakfast cooking away in the kitchen. Don’t let your mum lift a finger and be sure to make the environment as calm and relaxing for her as possible as she enjoys her breakfast with you.</p> <p><strong>3. Perfect pillow</strong></p> <p>If your mum refuses to accept a gift for Mother’s Day this surprise present idea is perfect. Buy your mum a <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom?utm_source=Over60&amp;utm_medium=in-article-link-bedroom&amp;utm_campaign=Over60Shop&amp;utm_content=over60-shop" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">luxurious bedtime gift</span></strong></a> that you can leave on her bed. One of our favourite ideas is buying <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom/products/linen-house-exceed-standard-medium-pillow-900gsm?utm_source=Over60&amp;utm_medium=in-article-link-exceed-standard-medium-pillow&amp;utm_campaign=Over60Shop&amp;utm_content=exceed-standard-medium-pillow" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>a new pillow</strong></span></a> and <a href="https://shop.oversixty.com.au/collections/bedroom/products/linen-house-standard-pillowcase-elka?utm_source=Over60&amp;utm_medium=in-article-link-standard-pillowcase-elka&amp;utm_campaign=Over60Shop&amp;utm_content=standard-pillowcase-elka" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>pillowcase</strong></span></a> and leaving it on her bed to find just before she goes to sleep. You can also leave a mint on the pillow to add a small but thoughtful touch to the idea.</p> <p><strong>4. Involve the family</strong></p> <p>Days like Mother’s Day are a wonderful opportunity to not only honour mothers but also bring the family together to create memories. Involve younger children in your family by having them bring hand-picked flowers to your mum or gift a home craft activity like beaded jewellery. </p> <p><strong>5. Make sure she spends the day relaxing</strong></p> <p>If your mum loves it when people do an act of service for her, then be sure to help around the house and do any chores that need to be done for her. Whether that be the washing or vacuuming, lend a helping hand and let her spend the day relaxing on her special day.</p> <p><em><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">For more brilliant gift ideas for Mum, check out the full range of </span><a style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #d90000; text-decoration-line: none; background-color: #ffffff;" href="https://www.innovations.com.au/p/gifts/mothers-day-gifts?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=nativearticle&amp;utm_campaign=MothersDayGifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Innovations Mother’s Day Gift Ideas here</a><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">.</span></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Image: Midjourney</span></strong></em></p>

Home & Garden

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“Budget queen”: Mother shares insane shopping hack

<p>A Sydney mother has caught the attention of the internet after sharing her grocery haul for her family of nine.</p> <p>The mother spent under $250 on her shop from Woolworths and Aldi.</p> <p>She claims it will provide a total of 12 dinners and “a bunch” of snacks for school over the next fortnight.</p> <p>She mentioned that a year ago the same grocery shop would have cost significantly less as the cost of living crisis continues to soar.</p> <p>“So we are a family of nine, two adults, two teenage girls (19 and 13) four boys (11, nine, six and four) and a nearly four month old who will be starting on puree food next week,” she said.</p> <p>“Only a year ago this would have been around $175. This will make 12 dinners and a bunch of school snacks.</p> <p>“Normally I also buy around three to four packs of winter vegetables from Aldi, but they have sold out. I also normally go to Hunter and Gather to buy all our fresh fruit and vegetables. We buy milk when needed.</p> <p>“We buy bulk items like toilet rolls and laundry powder at Costco twice a year, which a 60pk of toilet paper would last around five months and the laundry powder around seven months.”</p> <p>The mother is currently on maternity leave, which in turn has her feeling the pinch even more, and she aims to keep her family’s “bellies fuller for longer”.</p> <p>“We try to keep to foods that are healthy and will keep our bellies fuller for longer. If I can hide veggies in it, it's a bonus.”</p> <p>She plans to use the ingredients to make meals that will last a fortnight such as devilled sausages, supergreen spaghetti, Irish stew and flaxseed chicken wraps.</p> <p>The kids’ school lunches include ham, cheese and a wrap with hummus. Lunchbox snacks vary from oat brownies to apple sauce muffins and lemon and almond meal cake, with fruit also.</p> <p>“The school snacks are a deal breaker. oats are so cheap and you can make so much with them and they are a real hunger tamer. I’ve always been a huge fan of baking because of my mum, so I make all my kids snacks.”</p> <p>The online community praised her price-cutting hacks, with one user labelling her the “budget queen”.</p> <p>A second commented, “Wow, wow, wow, I spend well over that a week for a family of four”.</p> <p>And a third said, “I’m taking note! We have two adults, two children under five and a dog and I spend $220 a week. I’m so impressed!”</p> <p>“That’s a well planned shop” another said. “Good on you for making it work at that price for that many people. Sadly in my house we are 2x dairy allergy and 2x lactose intolerant so I can only dream of that budget.”</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Dancing with the Stars still searching for stars

<p>As <em>Dancing with the Stars</em> prepares to return to screens in 2023, it seems the upcoming season of the show is already in dire straits. </p> <p>Channel Seven announced the show would be making its comeback to the network, originally airing from 2004 to 2015, before losing broadcasting rights to Network 10 from 2019 to 2020.</p> <p>Now, more than two years after the pandemic delayed the network's plans for the show's resurrection, a source told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/television/dancing-with-the-stars-is-still-searching-for-stars-ahead-of-2023-season/news-story/659b91f31f4f732221908810f2db12eb" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a> that the show is reportedly struggling to secure big name talent for the new season.</p> <p>Many personalities already contracted to Channel Seven have confirmed they will be sitting out the dancing program, ruling out any possibility of taking to centre stage for the 2023 season. </p> <p>Dr Chris Brown, who recently jumped ship from Channel 10, will be wrapping up in Africa for his co-hosting role on <em>I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here</em>, while former <em>Sunrise</em> host Sam Armytage is also a firm no after being promoted to the helm of <em>Farmer Wants a Wife</em>.</p> <p>Armytage previously appeared on the show in 2011, making it to week nine of the competition despite week's of consistently low scores from the judges.</p> <p>Also unwilling to put on his dancing shoes is sports news reader Matt Shirvington, and with production of the show only two months away, it is predicted that the cast will not be announced until the final hour. </p> <p>No judges have been confirmed to appear on the series at this time, however many suspect we may see veteran judges Todd McKenney, Helen Richey and Paul Mercurio make an appearance or two. </p> <p>Former hosts Sonia Kruger and Daryl Somers have also yet to confirm if they will be returning. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven / Instagram</em></p>

TV

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“Those attackers will be after me. I know they will.”: Horrifying social media trend leaves woman scared to shop alone

<p>A disturbing social media trend is prompting teenagers to attack unsuspecting victims in public while others record the violence.</p> <p>Videos of the attack involving South Australian teenagers were posted in Facebook groups where members are encouraged to continue the violence and upload more footage.</p> <p>In one video, a woman shopping at a Woolworths store is brutally assaulted by a teenage girl as her friend records and encourages the beating.</p> <p>In the video, the teenage girls can be seen strolling into the supermarket before picking a target - Jessica Burke, an unsuspecting shopper who happened to walk in front of the girls with her trolley.</p> <p>“Bash the s*** girl, bash her,” the girl recording says to her friend.</p> <p>The violent attack then begins with the teenager grabbing Ms Burke by the hair; dragging her to her knees.</p> <p>After Burke is on the ground, the teenager proceeds to kick and punch her in the head repeatedly in front of horrified shoppers, including children screaming in fear.</p> <p>To see the harrowing footage in full, <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11731143/Woolworths-shopper-bashed-teens-social-media-trend-urges-attack-civilians.html#v-4575687196736504272" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head here</a>. Caution: disturbing footage; viewer discretion advised.</p> <p>The woman suffered injuries to her head but says the psychological effects have been the most painful.</p> <p>“I can't go down to the shops like Woolies, Coles or Big W without someone with me because I'm too scared,” Ms Burke told 9News.</p> <p>"Those attackers will be after me. I know they will.”</p> <p>Several other videos online show the same attacker to be the main offender, assaulting other teenagers in parking lots and in the street.</p> <p>South Australian Police commissioner, Greg Stevens, said people encouraging the violence can also be charged, not just the attacker.</p> <p>“It is an offence to incite an offence,” he said.</p> <p>“If people are actively engaging in an activity that encourages other people to commit a crime then they can be held accountable for that.”</p> <p>Some local residents believe that even though the teenagers are being charged, they are then released on bail.</p> <p>“These days it's just a slap on the wrist and send you on your way,” Ms Burke's partner, Tarquin Gray said.</p> <p>“The system has just gone backwards.”</p> <p>“It is very complex and it is made more complex when it involves young people committing offences,' Mr Stevens said.</p> <p>Image Credit: Getty</p>

Legal

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Harry and Meghan reject Jeremy Clarkson’s apology

<p>Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have shot down Jeremy Clarkson’s apology following his scathing piece about them in <em>The Sun</em> at the close of 2022. </p> <p>The <em>Top Gear</em> star wrote the piece in the wake of the release of the couple’s Netflix documentary series, in which he explained how much he “hates” the Duchess of Sussex.</p> <p>The article, which was the most complained about and was removed from the website, saw Clarkson apologise for his words. </p> <p>It has now been revealed that the Sussexes have rejected Clarkson’s grovelling apology after it came out that Clarkson’s <em>Farm and The Grand Tour</em> series may be dropped by Amazon Prime.</p> <p>“On December 25, 2022, Mr Clarkson wrote solely to Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex,” read a response from the Sussexes’ representatives.</p> <p>“The contents of his correspondence were marked Private and Confidential.</p> <p>“While a new public apology has been issued today by Mr Clarkson, what remains to be addressed is his long standing pattern of writing articles that spread hate rhetoric, dangerous conspiracy theories, and misogyny.</p> <p>“Unless each of his other pieces were also written ‘in a hurry’, as he states, it is clear that this is not an isolated incident shared in haste, but rather a series of articles shared in hate.”</p> <p>Clarkson has now taken to Instagram to publicly apologise to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and to explain why he wrote such a piece.</p> <p>“I really am sorry. All the way from the balls of my feet to the follicles on my head. This is me putting my hands up. It’s a mea culpa with bells on,” his apology read.</p> <p>“Usually, I read what I’ve written to someone else before filing, but I was home alone on that fateful day, and in a hurry. So when I’d finished, I just pressed send. And then, when the column appeared the next day, the land mine exploded.  </p> <p>“It was a slow rumble to start with and I ignored it. But then the rumble got louder. So I picked up a copy of The Sun to see what all the fuss was about.</p> <p>“We’ve all been there, I guess. In that precise moment when we suddenly realise we’ve completely messed up.</p> <p>“You’re sweaty and cold at the same time. And your head pounds. And you feel sick.</p> <p>“I couldn’t believe what I was reading. Had I really said that? It was horrible.”</p> <p>Clarkson then went on to attempt to justify his reasoning for the article in which he claims he was thinking of an episode of <em>Game of Thrones</em> while writing the piece.</p> <p>“I was very angry with myself because in all those controversial days on Top Gear, when I was accused of all sorts of things, it was very rarely sexism.”</p> <p>He mentioned a few instances during <em>Top Gear</em> in which women drove faster laps than men, or the fact that there was never a segment about women not being able to park.</p> <p>Clarkson insisted that he wasn’t sexist, but went on to say: “I’m just not sexist and I abhor violence against women. And yet I seemed to be advocating just that. I was mortified and so was everyone else. My phone went mad. Very close friends were furious. Even my own daughter took to Instagram to denounce me. </p> <p>“The Sun quickly apologised, and I tried to explain myself. But still, there were calls for me to be sacked and charged with a hate crime.”</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cnep9lSsnie/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;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/Cnep9lSsnie/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jeremy Clarkson (@jeremyclarkson1)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">“More than <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/british-lawmakers-demand-jeremy-clarkson-apologise-to-meghan-markle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60 MPs demanded action to be taken</a>. </span></p> <p>“ITV, who make Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and Amazon, who make the Farm Show and the Grand Tour, were incandescent. </p> <p>“I therefore wrote to everyone who works with me saying how sorry I was and then on Christmas morning, I emailed Harry and Meghan in California to apologise to them too.</p> <p>“I said I was baffled by what they had been saying on TV but that the language I’d used in my column was disgraceful and that I was profoundly sorry. </p> <p>“Over the last thirty years, I have written very nearly five thousand newspaper and magazine columns, so it was inevitable that one day, I’d do a Harry Kane and sky one of the damn things. Which is what happened with the piece about Meghan.</p> <p>“So can I move on now?  Not sure. It’s hard to be interesting and vigilant at the same time. You never hear pearls of laughter coming from a health and safety seminar. But I promise you this, I will try.</p> <p>“Who knows? Very soon now I shall be a grandfather so in future, maybe I’ll just write about that.”</p> <p><em>Images: Netflix / Wikipedia</em></p>

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Dan Andrews rejects state funeral proposition for Cardinal Pell

<p>Dan Andrews has rejected the idea of holding a state funeral for the late Cardinal George Pell, saying he "couldn’t think of anything more distressing" for victims of child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church.</p> <p>Cardinal Pell, Australia's most senior Catholic, died on Wednesday at age 81 in Rome, after suffering heart complications from hip replacement surgery.</p> <p>Speaking in Melbourne on Thursday, Andrews offered his condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Pell, acknowledging it would be a “sad time” for them.</p> <p>However, he said victims of institutional child sexual abuse remained “foremost” in his thoughts.</p> <p>“We see you, we believe you, we support you and you’re at the centre of not only our thoughts, not only our words, but our actions,” Andrews said.</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that predator brothers and priests were systematically moved around knowingly. It was part of a strategy from one working-class parish to the next."</p> <p>“We should never ever forget that, and we will never ever forget victims, survivors of institutional child sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.”</p> <p>Andrews said there had been no request made for a state funeral service, which is funded by the Victorian government, nor would one be offered to Pell.</p> <p>“I don’t believe that there’s been a request made and these things are normally offered rather than asked for and there will be no offer made,” he said.</p> <p>“There will be no memorial service or state funeral because I think that would be a deeply, deeply distressing thing for every victim-survivor of Catholic church child sexual abuse. That is my view. I will not do that.</p> <p>“I couldn’t think of anything that would be more distressing for victim-survivors than that.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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