(This move was a killer! Taken by Margie Pope my PT)

I’ve been exercising for (ahem) a few years now. The only breaks I’ve taken have been around my pregnancies—or the occasional day when I’ve been properly unwell - when I have the first Covid jab for example!

I still follow the rule my personal trainer Margie drilled into me: if my symptoms go below the neck, it’s time to rest.

For years, my routine has been: yoga, Pilates, spin classes, running. Okay I was fit , if a little bit of an over-trainer.

But my body has more or less stayed the same, I’ve had quite a softft mum tum, which I wrote about for the Daily Mail.

I’ve never craved a six pack, or expected one (if you read the article you’ll know why) but I did start getting curious about what would happen if I dared to do something a bit heavy!

I didn’t want anything extreme - I have naturally narrow shoulders and hips—if I had any goal it was to have a stronger upper body and a bit more toned around my thighs.

If I’m honest (gulp) I wanted a slightly more lifted bum.

Also I’ll add a disclaimer here - I most certainly have self esteem issues. I klnow I’m never going to be good enough; kind enough, clever enough, pretty enough, anything enough really.

But what I can do is make sure I’m as healthy as possible. I’ll probably do a Substack on my insulin resistance and how I’ve managed that.

Being diagnosed with PCOS age 19 made me much more conscious of needing to be healthy than other teenagers and 20somethings my age probably were!

The shift: Summer 2024

In the spring/summer of 2024 life opened up a little, because my youngest finished primary school, and suddenly I had the space—mental and practical—to try something new.

I was also going through a mental shift, on HRT knowing that one phase of my life may be switching and I thought - rather than start a new degree (although I did get my PHV licence) I would join my then 15 year-old daughter back in the gym. We would be doing weights together. That was the plan in any case.

The PT at Nuffield in Bishop’s Stortford gave me a programme of five weightlifting moreve I could do in 25 minutes and told me I should aim for two to three sessions a week.

After each session I then do a pilates or yoga session on the mat, using my Peloton app. I don’t have a specific time, it can be early in the morning or 4pm after I finish at school.

Anyway these are the five moves that made the biggest difference.

1. Deadlifts

Deadlifts, which mean lifting a weights bar and only bending your legs (keeping your knees back, as in like a move to sit in a chair but lifting up before you sit down) work glutes, hamstrings, and also back, core and grip strength.

I started with a 15kg bar. Now I’m lifting a 20kg bar with 5kg plates on each side.

2. Squats and lunges

You’ll all know a squat! I was doing mine with a bar but at the moment I’m using the Smith machine.

I also do lunges on the Smith machine.

Squats have made my lower body more than any spin class ever did. At the moment I’m up to 20kg on my lunges and 17.5kg for squats.

3. Overhead press

This one is hard for me, I only have to have a bit less sleep (I am someone who. needs and gets at least 7 hours a night) and I find these tough.

Lifting weight above my head works my shoulders, arms, and also my core.

I started at 10kg and now lift 17.5kg on a good day.

My shoulders do feel stronger and I’ve noticed I can hold my handstand a bit longer (a handstand against the wall at the moment!).

4. Chest press

This one wasn’t my favourite at first. That changed when i started getting compliments about my ‘pecs’. I was wearing a Karen Millen leopard bra top at a friend’s 55th birthday last year - a Guilty Pleasures disco - when some young women approached me. “How did you get your arms and shoulders to look like that, they are amazing.” The women were in their 20s - so Gen Zs - when I told them I was doing chest presses they immediatel chorused that they too were going to start going to the gym!

The chest press has my PT said: “built strength across my chest and arms, balancing out all the pulling movements and improving overall upper body stability.”

.

5. Rows

Rows - another really hard one - but I feel help with posture.

I now use a 20kg bar with 2.5kg on each side, and this movement has strengthened my back and given me definition.

It’s helped with posture, reduced that slightly rounded-shoulder feeling from desk work.

I do this strength workout two to three times a week at the gym.

I still keep my aerobic exercise—running, spinning, yoga etc but I’ve gradually increased what I lift, and I’m just about to change my programme again to keep progressing.

If you are reading this and want to start weight training please make sure you get medical advice first!

And don’;t forget those small muscles too, but that’s for another Substack!

The menopause has quietly become the basis for one of the fastest-growing wellness markets globally. In 2024, the sector was worth around £10 billion and around £300 million of that was spent in the UK alone.

Supplements make up the majority of that spending. Three-quarters of UK women going through menopause or perimenopause are now buying supplements to manage symptoms.

And, somewhat suspiciously, the window in which menopause is said to operate has been getting longer. Women aged 40 to 60 — and older and younger — are being told we should expect symptoms including:

• Hot flushes

• Vaginal dryness

• Brain fog

• Anxiety

• Sleep problems

• Weight gain

• Low mood

• Joint pain

• Hair changes

• Pain during sex

• And a range of other vague, difficult-to-pin-down issues

Yes, I agree these symptoms can begin years before menopause as hormones ebb and flow.

This increasing widening of the “menopause years” also creates a very large and lucrative customer base. I was recently at a menopause event where quite a few women were definately in their 60s and 70s.

Which is when - hopefully - symptoms of the menopause would surely have settled down.

This got me thinking: are women are being sold stuff they don’t need?

I guess it doesn’t help that many GPs are not always as clued-up about menopause as they could be. When our medical professionals are not sure how to treat us, it’s no surprise we start looking elsewhere, like on Instagram or TikTok…

Midlife is already a vulnerable time for many of us

We’re starting families later, we’re often at the peak of demanding careers.
Some of us are caring for ageing parents or grandparents and we may also be navigating major life transitions — children leaving home, relationship changes, etc etc.

Add those pesky hormones (or lack of them) to the mix, and it’s easy tof see why so many of us are searching for solutions beyond a prescription.

And this the perfect environment for companies to sell us things.

The menopause has become a bandwagon with brands and influencers jumping on board, often taking advantage of confusion and collective anxiety (which, ironically, is itself a menopause symptom).

So what works? And what doesn’t?

Supplements are being sold to us menopause solutions, but they’re not regulated in the same way as medicines.

There is limited evidence around things including: black cohosh, red clover, maca, adaptogens, collagen and hair-loss supplements.

Take collagen supplements. Davina McCall is currently the face of a well-known collagen brand appearing across social media. But when I tested collagen supplements on 10 women in their late 40s and early 50s, none noticed a meaningful difference.

Hair-loss supplements are another example. I recently saw Sara Cox promoting one on Instagram. From her own profile, it appears she may have hair extensions.

How much are these endorsements worth?

What Actually Works (Evidence-Based)

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is still widely considered the gold-standard treatment. Dr Jan Toledano of the London Hormone Clinic described it to me as the most effective option for many women.

HRT can treat hot flushes, sleep, and mood and helps support bone health and long-term risks around thinning ones.

She also told me it remains underused despite strong evidence

Of course, HRT isn’t suitable for everyone — but it is one of the few menopause treatments with substantial scientific backing.

Some supplements do have evidence — but importantly, they help with specific symptoms, not just the menopause itself:

• Magnesium → sleep and anxiety

• Vitamin D + Calcium → bone health

• Omega-3 → mood and inflammation

• B vitamins → energy and cognition

• Soy isoflavones → mild hot-flash reduction

• Creatine → muscle and brain function

Of course none of these necessarily work but there is more evidence around them.

What really makes a difference to menopausal symptoms

Diet and nutrition

What we eat is so important, for example vitamin C helps the body produce collagen naturally. Interestingly, many collagen supplements also include Vitamin C — which may explain why people sometimes see improvements when taking it!

Instead of spending hundreds on collagen powders, a basic multivitamin or Vitamin C supplement may be a cheaper alternative.

Cosmetic treatments

Botox works. So do facelifts, when done well. So do other ‘tweakments’.

Polly Vernon writes honestly and intelligently about her experiences, and her Substack is worth reading if you’re considering any of these options.

For the record: I’ve only have Botox and have it twice a year. It does also have some disadvantages, for example I first took it for a squint but because I no longer squint my optical prescription has increased!

Exercise

Exercise is still one of the most effective tools we have:

Strength training builds muscle and bone density, then there’s yoga and Pilates which can help with flexibility and also posture!

Cardiovascular exercise like running, swimming, walking and cycling are amazing - for sleep as well as helping with managing weight and hormones!!

No supplement, cosmetic procedure, or miracle product can replace these fundamentals.

I’m not knocking supplements and I’m glad the menopause is finally being taken seriously.

But let’s be real - the best solutions are likely to be the ones that take the most effort, and the least money! You can’t just throw cash at it.

(Pic: Janie Taylor, of me in my three pig costume (well pig#1 and #2) in Water Lane’s production of Fairytale Courtroom - 25/26 October 2025)

During the last summer and early autumn daughter - who is now in year 12 doing ‘A’ levels - had been searching for a part-time job.

She’d been to six interviews, applied for at least 20 jobs, and was feeling suitably rejected.

I didn’t point out that 6 interviews from 20 job applications is pretty good going, as she’s going to face enough challenges job-hunting when she leaves full-time education and/or training.

Finally she got not one, but two job offers. Thankfully she was appreciative of being in a position to pick and choose.

She, and her year 12 cohort missed out on quite a few things; some rites of passage. like sitting SATs, going on a year 6 residential trip, plus missing out on school trips through to year 8/9 due to Covid restrictions (and backlogs).

Last month - during her first week of work in her new job she worked four days - as one included an induction.

Now my income ebbs and flows, last months I was in a production of our drama group’s pre-Christmas children’s play Fairytale Courtroom, I also had a couple of job interviews and a feature to finish off - but I’d started that the week before.

It meant that - on paper my 16 year old earned more money than me.

My youngest - 12 (nowhere near 13!) is already in the business of pricing her services.

This is thanks - largely to us renting out our granny studio flat - aka the fifth bedroom in our house - as a guest house. We tend to get a lot of one-night stays from travellers en route to Stansted Airport and there’s often quite a turnover.

If I’m not on a deadline I’ll do the clean and bedding. But during the summer our daughters both helped out. In fact daughter no 2 did rather a good job of it.

Most of her hard work ended up benefitting the staff (or owners) of Waterstones and Amazon thanks to a very serious book habit .

Anyway one of my editors asked me to write about the dynamics of this change in our household’s finances.

My article has been published and you can read it in Daily Mail (it was in print in the Mail on Sunday

If your energy bills made your eyes water last winter, you’re not alone.
Across the UK, the rising cost of keeping warm has hit households hard and it has been since the pandemic

The good news is you don’t have to overhaul your home or live by candlelight. A few small, smart changes can make a surprisingly big difference — to your bills and the planet. 🌍

🏡 Home energy hacks that work

Let’s start small. Because when it comes to saving energy, little tweaks add up.

✅ Turn your thermostat down just one degree — that’s around 10% off your bill straight away.
✅ Get a smart meter and see where your energy’s really going (you’ll never look at “standby mode” the same way again).
✅ Tweak your boiler settings, insulate a draughty door, or turn off the radiator in that spare room no one uses.

Think of it as decluttering your energy use — one cosy corner at a time.

🔌 Ten Ways to Slash Your Electricity Bill

1. Ditch the draughts.
   A few gaps can cost hundreds a year in lost heat. DIY fixes like a door brush, draught excluder or thermal curtains can work wonders.

2. Let there be (better) light.
   Switch to LEDs — they use 80% less energy and last longer. Bonus: your lighting bill drops by about £25 a year.

3. Wash cooler.
   30°C is the new 40°C. You’ll save around £30 a year — and your clothes will be just as clean.

4. Line dry when you can.
   The tumble dryer is a sneaky energy hog. A simple drying rack or a heated airer will save you around £60 a year.

5. Boil just what you need.
   One cup = one cup of water. Stop overfilling and save £10–£12 annually (plus a little planet karma).

6. Load that dishwasher.
   Run it full and skip the pre-rinse — that’s £15 off your bill.

7. Wrap your hot water tank.
   A £20 insulation jacket can save about £50 a year.

8. Swap one bath a week for a shower.
   A small change, £10 saved. Add an energy-saving showerhead for another £40–£50.

9. Time your shower.
   Four minutes or less can shave £70–£80 off your annual energy spend.

10. Switch off standby.
    TVs, consoles, chargers — if the light’s on, it’s costing you. Smart plugs can help automate the off-switch.

🔥 Cutting Heating Costs Without Cutting Comfort

Cold months don’t have to mean financial frostbite. Try this:

1. Turn down radiators in unused rooms. Save up to £50.

2. Dial your thermostat down one degree. That’s roughly 10% off your heating costs.

3. Use timers, not constant heat. Heat the home only when you need it.

4. Check your boiler flow temperature. Lower settings can save £50+ a year.

5. Keep heat in. Curtains closed at night, open in the day — simple but effective.

6. Add DIY double glazing film. Quick, clear, and removable.

7. Snuggle up smart. Heated throws cost pennies an hour and feel luxurious.

8. Look for energy-saving grants. Many councils offer support for insulation upgrades.

9. Insulate your loft. Warm air rises — don’t let it escape.

10. Explore solar or heat pumps. Bigger investment, bigger payoff.

🌞 Thinking Long-Term

If you’re planning home improvements, it’s worth exploring heat pumps or solar panels.

• The UK’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme can offer £7,500+ towards a heat pump.

• Solar panels can pay for themselves in a few years — and any surplus power can be sold back to the grid.

That’s money in rather than money out.

🧭 Why It All Matters

💰 For your wallet:
Energy efficiency frees up money for what really matters — your savings, your holidays, your midlife reinvention fund.

🌍 For the planet:
Using less energy = cleaner air and fewer carbon emissions. It’s good for your finances and your conscience.

🧩 Quick FAQ

Does saving energy really save money?
Yes — immediately. Switch off, turn down, and you’ll see it next month.

What uses the most power at home?
Heating and tumble dryers are the top culprits.

Do energy-saving gadgets help?
They can — especially smart plugs and LED bulbs — but awareness is your best tool.

Can I get help?
Yes! Schemes like ECO, HUG, and the Warm Home Discount Scheme offer support for upgrades and insulation.

💬 Over to you:
What’s your best “energy-saving win”? Message us below
Have you tried any of these — or found something that worked even better?

Reply or comment below — all ideas welcome.

Hey friend,

If you’ve been feeling a bit flat lately — tired, uninspired, maybe even a little lost — you’re not the only one. The world’s been heavy, and it’s easy to slip into survival mode without even realising it.

The good news? You don’t need to fix everything at once to start feeling better. Sometimes it’s about small, grounded steps — the kind that quietly rebuild your sense of clarity and confidence.

Here are five things that can help, shared from my own coaching work and life experience.

1. Get clear on what you actually want

Get clear on what you actually want — not what you think you should want, or what looks sensible on paper.

What feels good for you? Imagine your ideal day: how do you look, feel, and act? Getting that clarity is the first step toward change and creating more of what you truly want in your life.

2. Remind yourself of what you already have

When things feel uncertain, it’s easy to forget what you’re already bringing to the table.

Your experience. Your skills. Your personality, life lessons and strengths. You’re not starting from square one — you’ve already done and learned so much.

Write down your achievements, big or small. It’s a great reminder that you’re more capable than you think. Confidence grows from seeing your own progress clearly.

3. Surround yourself with the right people

We are not meant to do life alone.

Positive relationships that boost your mood, inspire you, support you and challenge you make all the difference. Change feels lighter when you have people who have your back — friends, family, mentors, coaches, or communities that lift you up.

Having conversations that help you grow into the person you want to become is powerful medicine.

4. Get clear on your finances

Money stress can quietly drain your energy.

Know exactly what’s coming in and what’s going out. This simple act alone is a huge confidence booster — because when you can see where your money is working for you (and where it’s being drained), you can take back control.

Cancel subscriptions you don’t use. Cut the extras that don’t bring you joy. These small steps free up not just money, but mental space too.

Often, seeing it clearly is far less overwhelming than letting it swirl around in your head.

5. Celebrate the small wins

Change doesn’t happen overnight. It’s built in the small, quiet moments that no one else sees.

Celebrate every bit of movement, even if you’re not where you want to be yet. Each small win is proof that you’re growing — and every time you notice it, you build more belief in yourself.

Momentum comes from recognising that you are moving forward, one step at a time.

We’re all finding our way through the mess and magic of being human. Remember: you’re not starting over. You’re starting from experience.

Take a breath. Be kind to yourself. You’ve got more in you than you realise. 💛

Cheryl is a mindset and business coach. Her mission is to help people build confidence, self worth and belief in themselves so they can live a more fulfilled and happier life.

Cheryl has also appeared on the Bishop’s Stortford Community Podcast where you can listen to her inspiring story.

Find me online:
📸 @cherylmaseycoaching
💌 hello@cherylmaseycoaching.co

(Sally Jones - top pic with her mum in a Bupa commercial, bottom pic far left - with her fellow BBC breakfast show presenters in the mid 1980s)

“If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d be striding along the cliffs at Seaford Head, pushing a sleek new mobility aid for an advert, I’d have laughed you out of the room.”

My children certainly did — they still tease me that my next gigs will be for Otex ear drops or Stannah stairlifts.
But here I am at 70, working as a model, extra, and occasional actress — a completely unexpected side hustle that’s brought fun, friendship, and a little extra income to my later life.

🎥From sports broadcasting to modelling

I was one of the BBC’s first women sports presenters including BBC Olympics daytime sports coverage of golf, tennis, athletics, showjumping, and even NBA basketball. Over the years, I’ve presented BBC Breakfast, Woman’s Hour, and written prolifically as a freelance journalist.

I have also presented and fronted a BBC politics and assorted news and lifestyle shows for the BBC in the 1980s and 90s.

These days, I still write and broadcast, but I also find myself doing something quite different: being photographed and filmed for brands who want to show that life — and style — don’t end at 50.

It all began by chance. I was writing a personal piece for Lloyds Bank, and they needed “real” people for the accompanying images. Before I knew it, I was being asked to pose. From there, I signed up to StarNow, an online casting site, assuming they’d only want “bright young things”. To my surprise, there was a genuine demand for women my age who look — well — normal.

I’m tall, broad-shouldered, a size 16 (a bit less these days after a stressful spell), and more “country woman” than catwalk queen. But that’s exactly what many brands are after. They want recognisable faces — people who look like someone’s mum, neighbour, or gym buddy.

(Sally’s work has taken her to some scenic places)

📸 Learning on the job (and laughing along the way)

I won’t pretend it’s always glamorous. Some “courses” that promised to find you work as a model, in fact they are borderline scams — you’d pay £50 to learn how to “walk properly” and get a glossy certificate for your trouble.

I did a modelling course after I left school – my mum wanted me to get a bit more poised and confident, and learn how to do makeup and wear clothes properly etc.

It was a laugh but very few of the girls on it actually went on to do any paid modelling at that time.

But now at my age and even older there are genuine opportunities were out there, especially for those of us who are reliable, confident, and happy to drive to a location at 6am with a thermos of tea.

During Covid, I landed my first proper shoot — a campaign for BUPA Care Homes, filmed with my then 90-year-old mum. She played the elderly resident, and I her concerned daughter. It was a wonderful day out for both of us, complete with salmon fishcakes and a professional food stylist. That video is still online, and it remains one of my favourite memories.

Since then, I’ve been an extra in the American series Citadel, starring Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra (I played an eco-protester, running through Birmingham city centre), and recently a bereaved mother in an indie film set in the Peak District (to be released my shoot was in Nottingham!).

The Joy of Being Visible Again

Modelling in later life isn’t just about the money — though it can certainly help pay for the champagne. It’s about visibility, confidence, and saying yes to something new. So many women I know in their 50s and 60s feel they’ve become invisible, especially after menopause. But the truth is, the world needs to see women like us — strong, capable, resilient, and still curious about life.

It helps, of course, to be comfortable in your own skin. I’ve never been vain — years on live television soon knock that out of you — and I’ve learned not to worry if a photographer catches my “best side” or my double chin. As long as I look genuine, that’s what matters.

🌱 Later-life model tips

If you’re tempted to try it as a side hustle, here’s what I’ve learned:

1️⃣ Sign up to legitimate platforms.
Try StarNow, Mad Dog 2020 Casting, or Extra People. You’ll need a few natural photos — nothing too fancy.

2️⃣ Be realistic.
You probably won’t replace your main income, but you can earn fun money and have unforgettable experiences.

3️⃣ Network.
Once you’ve done a few shoots, word spreads fast. Directors, photographers, and producers remember people who are reliable and pleasant to work with.

4️⃣ Stay open-minded.
You might play a care-home daughter one week and a “country lady in tweed” the next. It’s all part of the fun.

5️⃣ Connect with advocates.
Check out Ageism Is Never In Style, founded by Jacynth Bassett, which champions representation of older women in fashion and media.
You might also reach out to Lauren Crumb, director of the Crumb Agency, who’s passionate about age diversity in her casting work.

6️⃣ Don’t let age stop you.
I’ve just been signed to Mustard Models at 70 — and another friend joined at 58. There’s room for all of us.

✨ Why It’s Worth It

After a long career in broadcasting and writing, I never imagined a second act like this. But it’s kept me active, creative, and visible — and reminded me that reinvention doesn’t have an age limit.

Some days, I’m writing obituaries for The Telegraph; other days, I’m pretending to cry on camera, or pushing a designer mobility aid across a windswept cliff. And you know what? I love both.

If you’re reading this and wondering whether you could do it too, my advice is simple:
Say yes.

You’ve got the experience, the poise, and the personality. All you need is a bit of curiosity — and a willingness to laugh when the photographer tells you to “look wistfully at the horizon.”

“The best side hustles don’t just earn you a little extra money — they remind you how much life there still is to live.”

🧡 If you enjoyed this piece, subscribe to my Substack — Middle Life, Money & More — for more real-world stories about reinvention, confidence, and earning in the second half of life.

(Picture is of a local spinney where my dog Charli drags me on her walk when she’s wanting lots of things to sniff, and where me and my pup detective can also check developers aren’t chopping down trees they are not meant to be..).

This article has also appeared in Freelance finance & more

I’m not averse to a good old weep, a few tears let loose can be therapeutic and help express emotions that might otherwise stay locked up (and possibly turn themselves into something more toxic and unmanageable).

This morning though I found myself crying, not quite uncontrollably but almost so, at -of all things - my smartphone screen.

But it wasn’t in response to cute or sad pictures of dogs (or cats), or at some horrible, or wonderful news.

No, nothing my normal tears are prompted by, instead I was crying in response to a reply on my ChatGTP app.

I’d gone on my phone looking for a productivity app.

I normally put a list of things in my Apple notes app, but that just hasn’t been working for me - not since I left my staff reporter job in July anyway.

I had considered downloading a paid-for project management app but then - the voice of my husband entered my head - his voice said: “Why not try and get Chat GPT to come up with schedule”.

(He’s been banging on about this for ages but more about that later.)

So on a whim, and not wanting the faff of another app on my phone I’d sat down and wrote in the ChatGPT request box what I thought I needed to get done over the next seven days (Tuesday to Monday) and a suggested schedule for doing it.

I wanted time to walk the dogs each day - which could be anytime up to 8pm. Then time to edit 25,000 words of my book, plus time for my children (although one has a part time job now) plus exercise and housework.

I also had the intention of deep cleaning the house too (with at least one child’s help) and time to pitch articles and write my Substacks.

Immediately Chat GPT came up with a schedule.

It was a list of all the stuff I could do, it was a list that looked (OMG) do-able, it even had some inspirational quotes inserted.

As I looked at it I had the strangest feeling, I cannot yet describe exactly was it was but made me cry. The nearest I guess may be a feeling a relief.

It was as if a friend had put their hand on my back and told me - that I could do it, without panicking and even fit in some TV and family time.

It was difficult to stop the tears from flowing, but in between sobs I called my husband (who was at work luckily not with a client) to calm myself down.

My husband is into the last few months of his Phd research.

I’ll admit I didn’t want him to start his PhD Why? Because he is researching not just psychology but AI.

Since he started it in 2023 he has banging on about how AI can do both good and bad.

Mostly how I could use it as a virtual assistant, not just to plan my days but to go through my emails and mine my lost ideas and come up with pitches and story follow-ups for editors. All good stuff, but I had struggled emotionally with the idea of using ChatGPT.

Artificial intelligence is the nemesis of journalists - and some other trades and professions at the moment - because it is threatening to replace the work we do.

AI generated stories are all over the internet, not helped by the news organisations generating their own version of pink sludge that often appears under the guise of a new or useful story.

But the last couple of weeks I’ve been warming to the idea of using it for help with things I do struggle with, not writing - but being organised.

And I may be about to converted. Probably at some point this week - I will use my alloted pitching time to use ChatGPT to mine my emails for my own ideas, ideas I may have lost or followed up on.

For now - I’ve spent my allotted time on Substack and it’s on to a kitchen clean out next, along with changing the beds.

I’ll be doing that for 2 hours before hopping on my Peloton and then taking myself and my daughter swimming at my gym - hopefully by 4.30pm, so we can have a nice pizza afterwards.

First though, I may need luck cleaning the sludge around the sink! AI may be able to get me more organised but there are some things it most certainly cannot do.

(One of my many fitness ‘yoga suits’ from Sweaty Betty - all bought during a massive splurge in 2016/2017 - me working out 7/10/2025 at Nuffield gym)

“Your arms are amazing, how do you get them like that?”

I was celebrating my friend Lauren’s birthday at Guilty Pleasures in Camden’s Koko last autumn and a couple of young women in their late 20s had approached me to ask about (of all things with what is going on in the world) my arms.

“Oh I do pilates and yoga,” I paused because I’ve trotted that answer out before but this time I need to add: “I’ve also started doing heavier weights, so that probably helps too.”

Indeed it must have done. Pilates and yoga are great for keeping the insides all toned and zipped up but not for building strength and serious muscle tone.

I have long had weights at home but the heaviest I had owned wa 9kg.

That was until spring last year, when my daughter insisted on joining me in the gym.

She had been pestering me for ages. I finally gave in and we’d both had an introductory session with a personal trainer.

As well as giving her some exercise he gave me a heavy weights programme. These were not dumbbells, instead they were the kind on a long pole.

I was scared at first. My programme included squats, deadlifts, a chest press, overhead press and bent over rows. After a few sessions I even started enjoying it, and slowly I increased the weights I could lift.

I started swapping classes on my bike and long runs for 3x heavy weight lifting a week.

But last month my regime hit a wall. I had developed tendonitis in my hip and had to back off training.

First world problem: but what would happen if I wasn’t able to exercise ever again?

When my husband complimented me on my appearance in my gym gear my first thought was not “Ahh that’s sweet” but, “what if I can’t do this any more?”

Then I took stock, a couple of rest days and enforced extra yoga and stretching can do that to me…

“Do I really need to keep striving - to improve my fitness and health anymore. Isn’t what I have enough?”

I realised then I had reached that place. The place when you don’t want to look any different, when you’ve done or doing enough and that’s okay.

That’s a scary place though, literally - for the first time in ages - there’s nothing to strive for, I even have my Peloton ‘legend’ status (nerd speak here).

When I returned to exercise after my oldest daughter 16 years ago I was a physical wreck - but the feeling of doing that first run, up a tiny slope in Stansted, was priceless.

Working out is addictive, but what happens after you’ve reached your goals.

Part of the fun of going to the gym, doing any kind of fitness or training is the transformation process.

Getting better, feeling better, looking better (subjectively of course).

But if I stop now what will happen, well I know my sleep will be worse, I will not enjoy my food as much, and I will be even more crabby (water sign here!).

I also have a wardrobe of clothes that fit me and I don’t want to buy (too many) new ones. I do have my eye on a Baukjen dress!

Plus I’m healthy, my family is healthy and happy, as are my doggies and cat.

So if you are still on your journey, enjoy it, it is amazing, the destination wonderful but please don’t forget to take in the view as you enjoy the ride.

(With running and strength instructor Jon Hosking - his classes on the Peloton running app are fabulous!)

I bought my Peloton in April 2020, just as lockdown was starting.

From memory I paid £2,200 for the bike plus a starter kit of bike shoes (cleated ones), a mat and some 1kg light weights. I think that included headphones too.

I paid it off in instalments and it worked out at around £90 a month. This included the £39 family membership subscription.

It may have seemed like an indulgence, but at the time (just before lockdown}) I was paying £15 a time to use a spinning studio in London’s West End.

I’d been doing that since my youngest daughter was. born, I’ve been almost addicted to spinning classes since I first took one in late 2002 at my Nuffield gym in Bishop’s Stortford.

It’s not just the bike though, not only are there plenty of cycling classes, you can do strength, pilates yoga and there is an outdoor running app. It’s got almost everything.

I’ve even made friends from my Peloton too!

If you choose the app only - and I know some have - you can pay £24 a month and get all those classes - but without the metrics and the ability to stream live classes.

I’ll update this article later but let’s just say that the new Peloton which launches today (1 October) has tempted me into thinking about trading in my trusty ‘basic’ bike for a brand new one. However I’m not 100% sure.

Many of the changes Peloton announced today will be available to users who are on the full family subscription - the price of which will be going up.

I’m more excited about the breathwork app and the collaboration with Halle Berry (details below) which is aimed at helping menopausal women in their fitness journey (I’ll be writing more about this later).

The new ultra comfortable seat is also a plus (my daughter may use the Peloton more if we upgrade and then there is the swivel screen, which my basic bike doesn’t have).

The launch is mostly focused around the launch of Peloton IQ, an AI and computer enabled software and hardware system which will help users get the most out of their workouts.

I don’t use weights at home - my weight training is in my local Nuffield and I go there to get a break from working from home - but I can see that for those into their home strength training - who can fork out for a set of weights - this would be amazing.

Peloton says there are 2 million Peloton members who also do strength training and use their bike and tread.

The new offering - which also helps correct posture and personalising your fitness regime appears very much catered to them.

There are some other changes, the price of a full Peloton membership is going from £39 to £45 and the cost of the app to £28.99.

“This is the start of a new chapter for Peloton,” said Peloton CEO Peter Stern. “We’re doubling the value of our hardware with the Cross Training Series by delivering world-class cardio and strength in a single machine.

“With Peloton IQ, we’re introducing a new level of intelligent personalization to become the ultimate partner in our Members’ wellness journeys. This is more than an upgrade; it’s a relaunch.”

My verdict - because I enjoy going to the gym - is that while these upgrades are great they are very much for Pelo fanatics. They may encourage a few more to buy the bike.

Super fans like me - well I’ll have to see if I can persuade my husband to let me buy a new one. Oh and there is a new holder for a mobile phone - in case you are not 100% sold!

So what does the new Peloton include?

What does the new Peloton include:

• Peloton Cross Training Series. This new series includes five connected fitness devices: the Cross Training Bike, Bike+, Tread, Tread+, and Row+ (Tread+ and Row+ available in the US and Canada only). Each device features an advanced Swivel Screen, making it easier for Members to switch seamlessly between cardio, strength, yoga, pilates, barre, and more.

• Built-in Movement Tracking Camera that enables personalised guidance for strength workouts through Form Feedback, Rep Tracking, and Suggested Weights

• First-ever speakers featuring a woofer and expert tuning by Sonos to deliver clearer sound, deeper bass, and an immersive, studio-like experience

• Hands-Free Control (“Ok Peloton”) that allows for adjusting weight, skipping moves, or pausing a workout with voice commands

• Integrated three-speed Fan that sits atop the screen and can be powered and adjusted through the equipment’s tablet

• For Bike+, the Peloton Phone Tray, which securely attaches to the Bike+ handlebars and fits most phones and tablets vertically or horizontally

• For both Bike and Bike+, a new seat that provides greater cushioning A new Peloton Comfort Saddle is now available to purchase for any of Peloton’s new or original bikes, offering extra padding and width to provide more support and comfort than a standard

• The Peloton can connect with Connect, Fitbit, and Apple Health, Peloton IQ delivers uniquely tailored recommendations and insights to help Members eliminate the guesswork from their routines, improve results, and stay engaged in their fitness journey.

• Insights and Analysis: All-Access Members will receive weekly performance summaries with actionable recommendations and modifications to their Personalized Plan or Activity Targets. For example, they may see a notification that their distance is increasing during a 30-minute run, showing their pace and endurance are improving.

• Personalized Recommendations: For those enrolled in a fitness goal but not a Personalized Plan, Peloton IQ will suggest individual classes based on unique Member data. For example, a Member might see a suggestion on their homescreen like: “After Tuesday’s 30-minute climb ride, today’s 45-minute Lower Body Strength class helps build strength for running and cycling performance.” With every workout, recommendations get sharper, helping Members discover new ways to train while staying aligned with their goals.

Peloton’s Chief Product Officer Nick Caldwell. “We combine a deep understanding of your workout history and wearable data with your real-time performance and your form to give you the guidance you need to meet your goals.”

Peloton is expanding its offerings to support our Members’ entire wellness journey, such as strength and mobility, mental wellbeing, and sleep and recovery. Today, the company announced new partnerships to co-develop classes and programming, providing Members with more options and supporting a comprehensive wellness experience.

• Hospital for Special Surgery–the world leader in orthopedics and rheumatology–and Peloton have formed an unprecedented collaboration to produce programming focused on musculoskeletal injury prevention and recovery. This programming will become available in the coming weeks.

• Halle Berry’s Respin Health and Peloton will co-create an eight-week program, curating Peloton classes that specifically target symptom relief and overall quality of life improvement for perimenopause through postmenopause, which will be available in the coming weeks.

• The Peloton x HYROX collection will continue to expand, with new class offerings that support Members’ training for upcoming global HYROX events featuring Instructors Robin Arzón, Andy Speer, Logan Aldridge, and Marcel Maurer.

• Peloton has acquired Breathwrk, a pioneering wellness app specializing in breathing exercises. There is strong evidence for the benefits of breathwork in reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, and improving mood, focus, relaxation, and sleep.

(Every £1 counts!)

Adult children could play a part in helping an estimated 370,000 people, mostly women, get state pension backpayments worth up to £8,000, experts have claimed.

HMRC has been sending out letters alerting people of state pension age they have been underpaid, however many of those entitled to the cash have not responded, meaning they cannot be paid.

Read more

(It’s not about having your cake and eating it - make sure any relative helping look after you children doesn’t miss out on a full state pension)

An increasing number of grandparents are taking advantage of a Government scheme that allows them to top up their state pension.

The scheme, specified adult childcare (SAC) credits, is for grandparents who provide childcare for children under 12 and allows them to earn National Insurance credits, which are qualifying years for the state pension.

Financial adviser Quilter submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request and found that applications for SAC credits have soared in recent years.

Read more

(Me in spring 2022 - that hair cost £200 a pop to highlight, it’s this length now but has more of a curl)

I shaved my hair off in November 2022 for charity, raising £700 for the Deborah James Bowel Babe fund.

Since then I’ve saved - by a rough reckoning - around £450 a year on highlights, another £200 on haircuts (my mum occasionally trimmed my hair so this is on the lower end for someone living in south east England) plus goodness knows what on shampoo, conditioners and hair products.

Since it’s grown back I’ve noticed a distinct difference, my hair is greyer and a bit coarser but since taking HRT it now grows quicker, is less likely to fall out (so there is more of it) and it’s curlier.

I know so many women who find their once compliant hair changes for the worse as they get older. Many women I know notice hair thinning and loss, not just because they are getting older, but after having children.

[I’ve included some product suggestions at the bottom of this article that may have helped me]

Anyway my ‘new hair’ meant my old styling gadgets weren’t really useful anymore, particularly the curling tongs!

As my hair grew back I tried the Dyson airstrait, having used the Dyson supersonic hair dryer for a few years - and lost it to my daughters).

When the airstrait worked, it was amazing, but one of the clips on the side fell off, and I had to return it.

So I decided to wait until my hair was a bit longer before buying another gadget.

Earlier this month as my hair hit crucial shoulder length, I saw Dyson had launched a new version of the airwrap; a multi hairdryer type thing that also curls hair. Friends of mine swear by it and now I was tempted.

As well as sleeker curls, it promised the most powerful hair dryer on the market and also a straightening/smoothing function similar to the airstrait.

The only snag - it cost: £580. Yes £580!

I had £200 of vouchers - birthday and Christmas to use at one of the retailers stocking the item.

Even so spending £380 felt a bit wrong. Then I noticed a review of the new airwrap in a newspaper - the journalist’s hair looked amazing, so I pressed ‘buy’.

I put the remainder of the balance on a 0% credit card I’d not used for a while, all the while thinking this had better be good!

I have two daughters with long hair, one with curly hair and one with straight thick hair. The journalist who wrote the review has the same hair as my daughter, so I thought, well someone will get a lot of use out of it.

Is the new Dyson airwrap worth it?

Well the hair dryer attachment was/is amazingly fast, but not enough on its own to justify buying an extra Dyson hair dryer.

The curl attachments - there are two - were so fiddly and I also couldn’t figure out how to change the air direction. I attempted to use it several times, my hair blew everywhere even when I tried to do it in small sections, and the curls didn’t hold for long.

The straight/smooth function was the bit I was most excited to try. At first it wouldn’t switch on then when I did manage to get it started it didn’t clamp all the way down my hair, and I found having to push a button each time I took a section of hair was time consuming (the airstrait was better for this).

I didn’t bother with the two brushes, especially as when I went to use it again, the hair dryer failed to turn on and all the buttons flashed at me.

I was able to send the item back on the basis of it being faulty but I am annoyed because the pics in the article promised so much.

I would say if you are going to buy it - and I’m sure for some it may be the best gadget ever - purchase it from Dyson or QVC. Both offer returns within 3 months if you change your mind. So long as the dryer is in the same condition as it was when it was sold.

I hope I’ve not crushed anyone’s hair dreams. The retailer who sold me the gadget - recommended that if I buy it again I get a lesson from Dyson. They assured me it was a faulty machine and that for many people the airwrap is an amazing time saving gadget.

In the meantime I’m going to keep using a second hand Ghd duet styler - which does a good enough job, oh and prise the supersonic from my daughters from time to time.

(Me today September 2025 with grown-out roots and suffering from a head cold and sinus infection - I am really struggling with growing out this grey by the way- & that’s a very rough blow dry on the Dyson supersonic)

Hair products and things (all under £580)

I do believe HRT may have helped my hair grow faster but I’ve also started using products which may or may not have reduced my hair shedding.

The L’Oreal hair growth booster serum and shampoo and conditioner set costs around £40, but I’ve stocked up using either my Nectar card (in Sainsbury’s) or Boots Advantage card (in Boots). I’ve been using this since January and because I don’t wash my hair every day the shampoo and conditioner lasts around 6 weeks but I go through a bottle of the serum every 8 weeks. My husband thinks it's because I’m massaging it into my scalp every night rather than the product itself. But it feels like a nice treat at the end of the day. I put it on with my retinol face cream, my neck and bust cream, my foot cream and body creams.

I use Aveda scalp solutions scalp mask along with the scalp brush before I wash my hair. I apply it and use the brush to give myself a DIY scalp massage. It feels so nice and smells good.

For styling I use the Aveda bond boosting styling cream, and I put Aveda damage remedy split ends cream when it's dry (this has been discontinued but I buy it on Vinted and eBay).

Vitamins - I take Boots vitamin C on the recommendation of Deborah Mitchell, and a multi vitamin - either Menopace Night, or Pregnacare New Mum (it’s got marine collagen, an amount more than some expensive supplements), I also take the WellWoman gummies - not all on the same day. If I have a busy morning I’ll make sure I take the night vitamins instead.

It may be that breakfast helps with hair as well. For years I didn’t really eat it, except at weekends.

When I can’t stomach breakfast, especially after I've done a HIIT or Tabata on my beloved Peloton (which is like a therapist for me!) I have a couple of spoonfuls of wholemeal peanut butter - Aldi does a cheap tub of the stuff under the brand Foodie Market.

I’ve stopped highlighting my hair and I miss it, I was using Daniel Field’s organic hair dye and it made my hair in better condition and covered my grey but my hair was still a bit dry.

The best thing for my hair has been a wash out tint (plain old brown) - I use Shrine drops or Bleach’s instant coffee wash out dye - it has to be applied nearly every wash but I don’t need to leave it on long. It doesn’t cover greys completley but it is seeing me through the worst of growing out a head of dark reddish blond hair versus brown mousy grey (25%) hair.

Water, lots of it is good too. I was a strictly sparkling water girl but my dentist told me off as it can damage tooth enamel (I’ve spent nearly £3k having my teeth straightened and whitened in the last three years). Now, my husband bought me a large Brita water filter, I glug water as much as I can. I’ve found Roses lime cordial is the only squash without sweetener in it, so I stock up on that and try and limit how much I drink of it.

I do drink the odd coffee and odd glass of wine, but I do also eat a lot of veg, and crisps and goats cheese, and eggs. That’s for another article.

None of the items mentioned have been gifted, all have been bought and tested by me. I don’t earn any money from mentioning them. If you want to support independent journalism - please consider becoming a paid subscriber.

And Deborah Mitchell, who started her beauty business at age 17, has confirmed that some of the best anti-ageing tips are ones which cost very little or nothing at all.

After several decades in the beauty business Mitchell knows what works. She set up her skincare brand Heaven using her own customised ingredients and her bee venom masks have sold out several times.

They have been a royal favourite for a few years and in December Heaven was one of 400 UK companies awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Camilla

Mitchell has launched a collagen drink which has helped clients suffering from thinning hair and weak nails.Deborah Mitchell, founder of Heaven skincare and a facialist to Queen Camilla and Kate Princess of Wales, has spent years researching what skincare works, and what doesn't.

Mitchell's signature bee venom masks have sold out several times. They have been a royal favourite for a few years, and last December, Heaven was one of 400 UK companies awarded a Royal Warrant by Queen Camilla.

While she recommends expensive skincare, including her own collagen supplement, Mitchell says she always tells her clients to invest in themselves by eating well and making sure they drink enough water and get 7 hours of sleep.

The cold ‘treatment’ that takes years off your age

There is one simple thing that can have a big effect on skin, says Mitchell, and that is vitamin C supplements. Clients who take a regular dose of the vitamin, which works alongside the mineral iron, can soon see a big difference.

Mitchell said any vitamin C tablet can do the trick, both Aldi and Boots both do high strength vitamin C tablets at £1.99 for a month's supply.

One of the first places to show signs of ageing is the eyes, explains Mitchell.

She said: "Drinking enough water and making sure you eat your greens is one way of keeping eyes from looking crepey but making sure you get enough vitamin C can add an extra sparkle.

She explained how great vitamin C is for boosting the immune system but crucially it is involved in the production of collagen. Collagen is the main protein in skin, bones and connective tissue, and production of it can slow down as we get older.

Mitchell also tells her clients to make sure they wear a good sunscreen. "Getting out in the sunshine is great for skin but you need to make sure you wear some sun protection and a good moisturiser."

Vitamin C is great for boosting the immune system but it is involved in the production of collagen. Collagen is the main protein in skin, bones and connective tissue, and production of it can slow down as we get older.

She said: "When my clients are getting enough vitamin C they also say they love the way their eyes shine and look dewy. Even the colour of their eyes is more vivid, blue eyes look more blue and hazel eyes can look brighter."

She said: "Clients whose eyes often water benefit from extra vitamin C as dry eyes can be helped by vitamin supplements."

Wearing less makeup not more

Makeup does not necessarily suit older skins and it can make complexions look more lined, says Mitchell.

But if going cold turkey is not an option then Mitchell urges clients to make their own foundation.

She said: "Mix small amounts of foundation with a moisturiser. This won’t sit in lines and it can give your make up a more finished look."

Mitchell adds that some clients cannot use makeup for other reasons.

She said: "Some people can build up an intolerance to ingredients in makeup. However good quality pigments don’t cause allergies as much."

"I advise my clients to give skin a makeup break, such no makeup Sundays.

"The microbial build-up can actually cause allergies to makeup use, so if you super or double cleanse, that really is worth its weight in gold."

Moisturiser and SPF - of course

It goes without saying that wearing sunscreen is a must.

She said: "Choosing a moisturiser that naturally heals such as the bee venom mask/moisturiser a great option too, of course.

"We have developed an anti-ageing moisturiser which uses bio-identical ingredients, but if you can find a moisturiser that suits your skin's needs, go for something with good quality ingredients. Always try and use a night cream as your skin can then feel the full benefit of it while you are resting."

Keeping a younger state of mind

Looking younger is a state of mind, claims Mitchell.

"Think young and you can be young.”

Being younger is also about making an effort and investing in yourself, says Mitchell.

She said: "You can get to a certain age and think 'that’s the best you can do'. Well that's simply not true and skin needs attention the same as a good pair of shoes."

She adds: "Get the right polish and you can sparkle."

“Just be happy and act young, having a positive mindset is the greatest gift you can give to yourself."

Have a routine

Have an easy but frequent skincare routine - this will make you feel so much better as each day your skin thanks you for it

If you struggle with mornings have a nighttime regime that you can do just before you go to bed. A good body cream or oil which you can apply to your legs, neck and arms and a good quality night cream.

“Be active. Find an exercise you enjoy, even if it's walking with your dogs. This will not only help oxygenate your body it will help you sleep well too. Exercise is an investment in yourself.”

Eat food that loves you back and make sure you drink enough water and top up your vitamins.

This article first appeared here and has been updated.

I was instantly intrigued. As a mum to (then) four and eight year-old daughters, and with both my husband and I working full time, anything that promised to make cooking bit easier was a must buy.

Our first Tefal Actifry cost £89 and was bought from the Tefal outlet in Street, Somerset.

My husband protested as the prospect of another gadget in our kitchen - to be fair he does a lot of the cooking and the housework in our home - but I was not deterred. They even threw in a soup maker for a buy one get one half-price discount.

The Actifry didn't have a lot of moving parts, it worked simply by having a paddle which rotated around the base which stopped food sticking to the bottom. It also had a handy oil dispenser which told you how much you needed to cook healthy chips and roast veg.

We mostly used it for oven chips, at that stage our girls were now super fussy and my husband had been promoted so we didn't spend quite as much time doing any actual cooking.

It was well used but six months in, I attempted to make spaghetti bolognaise, adding the onions first and then the veg, stock mince and sauce. Unfortunately I overfilled it and it stopped working.

Oven chips

Reluctantly I took it to our local Tefal outlet in Braintree, they agreed to take it back in part exchange for a larger slightly more expensive model.

Unfortunately that too broke after a year. Overused with oven chips, although our repertoire now included roast veg and lots of sweet pototoes.

We then moved home and the Actifry got taken to the dump – Tefal still sells a version of it, just with a few more bells and whistles – and I vowed not to buy any more kitchen gadgets and go minimal.

But then during lockdown I started scrolling reviews of the Thermomix, a £1,000 plus gadget that does everything, well mostly everything; my husband's question as to whether it would also iron his shirts and polish his shoes went unanswered.

My compromise was to buy a Ninja Foodi Max 15-in-1. Not just an air frier, but pressure cooker, steam cooker, roaster, dyhydrater, prover and even yoghurt maker.

I used it to the max this time and we made lovely curries, steam-roasted veg and some deyhdrated salmon snacks for our Beagles.

We did also use it to cook oven chips but more likely the air frier was kept busy with making tofu, paneer and halloumi crispy.

That first model lasted a year. It's time expired when when the pressure cooker function stopped working. I was cooking some rice and was waiting for the steam function to release. I waited a few mintues and nothing was happening and the lid locked fast.

I convinced myself the Ninja was about to explode and - my children were at school - I evacuated the house, going on to the green outside with our dogs. I called my husband demanding he return home immediately – at the time he had 20 staff to manage and was a engineer in a major IT company.

I realised how silly it all was and ventured back into the house, turned off the machine and rang John Lewis who agreed to replace it with the same model.

Our fourth air frier, also a Ninja, saw even more action, I baked cakes in it - mostly Nigella Lawson's devils food chocolate cake on repeat!

But the pressure cooker function freaked me out and on the one occasion I went to use it the lid locked again and wouldn't release; John Lewis kindly gave me a credit note rather than replace the item.

Finally - the one ‘fryer’ to rule them all?

So a year ago we bought our Instant Pot Duo Crisp and Air Fryer for £179. It does also have a pressure cooker and slow cooker function but I've not used those yet.

It has lasted so far, I think because it doesn't have so many moving parts as the Ninja - so there are less things that could go wrong. It's not quite as good at crisping chips, and paneer and halloumi do stick to the air fryer pan, in the Ninja they always cooked through and were easy to take out with no bits left behind.

But the IP is also easier to clean, the Ninja's element was incredibly fiddly to wash. However a couple of nights ago it started making a strange noise so I'm crossing my fingers that this one is 'the one'.

(* all products featured were purchased by the author)

You don’t need to have been diagnosed with a terminal illness to access your pension early [early normally means before the age of 55, although it will depend on your pension scheme’s rules].

First though, here’s Eva and her husband Graham’s story:

Eva and her husband Graham Rickett were able to access a special type of pension payment when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer.

Eva and her husband ran a successful business but that all changed when Graham was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in October 2022.

The couple who run Henley Scan had taken out medical insurance but found out they were not covered.

Eva said: "Graham's cancer was pancratic, and he was given a seven % chance of survival, it was such a shock."

Eva, who is 60, said the couple accepted they would have to sell our home.

Graham was 61 at the time of the diagnosis. "We were also told 50 % of the people who have pancreatic cancer are dead within six months."

The couple "dropped everything". "We had a shop on the high street where we digitise old tapes, videos and slides, but and we weren't able to man the shop. So we closed the shop and moved the business home."

Eva was also unwell. "I have a rare immune disorder Birdshot chorioretinopathy. "It affects blood flow to the eyes, but is under control, although I am on a lot of medication."

Because they were over 55 they were able to start accessing their pension. "At first we used the 25 % cent tax free lump."

Soon it became obvious that they needed additional income. Eva said: "We still had a mortgage, a legacy of having put our three children, now 20, 25 and 32, through private school."

The couple, who had both previously worked for Vodafone, had cashed in their final salary schemes in 2018 when they set up Henley Scan.

Eva added: "We were given very generous transfer values."

The couple had been given lump sums which were then put into private pensions for them.

She said: "We got a very good deal at the time Vodafone they offered us good money."

The couple then made the decision to start taking a regular income from their pensions. "It paid for the bills and it gave us the financial breathing space we needed."

Graham had Whipple surgery and is now having six monthly scans to make sure he continues to be in the clear.

Eva said: "We still work but from home and part time and flexible. We have this work-life balance. The pension means we can pay for all the basics. It's not a huge amount but it's a relief to know things are covered. And less pressure on the business."

What happens to your pension if you get ill

If ill health means you are no longer able to work you may be able to get some or all of your pension early.

How much you can withdraw and how that money is taxed will depend what type of pension you have and how unwell you are.

The state pension cannot be accessed earlier due to ill health but personal and occupational pensions can offer savers a little more flexibility.

Private and workplace pensions can only be accessed once you turn 55 – this is set to increase to 57 by 2028.

Although in the event of ill-health, pension schemes may be able to provide benefits earlier.

In the more extreme case of serious ill health, defined by a life expectancy of less than a year, some savers may be eligible to receive the entire value of their pension benefit as a tax-free serious ill health lump sum, regardless of their age at the time.”

Defined benefit pensions, the gold-plated schemes run by both public sector and private employers, allow people to take early retirement if they can no longer work because of ill health.

This might be a result of an accident or a long-term, but not necessarily a terminal or life-limiting, health condition.

David Brooks, head of policy at Broadstone, said: “All schemes will have different rules when it comes to ill health. “But in most cases they will need evidence the person is and continues to be medically incapable, both physically or mentally, of continuing their current occupation as a result of injury, sickness, disease or disability.”

Brooks warned: “The member may also have to satisfy the trustees and the sponsoring employer and this requirement can be time consuming.”

If conditions are met an ill health pension payment can be paid before the normal minimum pension age of 55, or age 57 from April 2028.

Rather than a lump sum, those in a defined benefit scheme can take their pension as a regular income.

Brooks warned some schemes will stop the pension if the saver then recovers. He said: “This can be very hard for trustees as members are often still suffering with the initial condition, or even worse. However, the trustees do have a duty to ensure the benefits being paid are to those who should be receiving them.”

Justin Corliss, senior pensions development and technical manager at Royal London, explained that active members, those still working for the employer running the scheme may even still get an increase in their pension income, although it would not be as much as if they were still working.

The rules around early pension payments and ill health are different if the pension is a defined contribution one, DC schemes include both personal pension and employer schemes.

Unlike a DB pension there is not an infinite amount of cash so if you need to access your pension early, then you can be at serious risk of draining your pension funds down

As with the DB pension you will need to approach your pension provider and provide evidence.

Taking your money from your pension as a lump sum, in addition to the 25 per cent tax-free cash allowance, means it is no longer protected from inheritance tax if you do die before it is spent.

Clare Moffat, Royal London pensions expert said: “Not only will taking your pension early lead to some unwanted tax liabilities and it may impact on any state benefits.” Moffat and Corliss warned that savers may be better off leaving their pension untouched for longer if their life expectancy isn’t compromised.

What happens to your pension if you are terminally ill

If you are diagnosed with a terminal or life-limiting illness you may be eligible to take a serious ill health lump sum, or Sihls, from your pension.

The rules apply across DB or DC schemes. To qualify you will need to have less than 12 months to live; as this type of lump sum is effectively an early lump sum death benefit payment.

You can withdraw up to £1,073,100, the old Lifetime Allowance, without having to pay tax.

If the amount in the pension is more than £1,073,100, tax will need to be paid at your marginal rate.

The marginal rate is the rate at which you pay tax after taking into any other taxable income you earn.

Moffat said while the rules around Sihls could appear more clear cut than taking an ill health payment, qualifying for one could be challenging.cing a serious illness can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to managing your finances. For many, the option to access pension savings early can provide much-needed financial support during a difficult time. However it can also drastically impact your retirement. So it’s important to understand the potential benefits, implications and rules around doing so.

Most pensions can’t be accessed before age 55 (rising to 57 from 2028). If you’re seriously ill or have an accident you may be able to access it earlier. How you take your pension will depend on what type of pension you have.

Here’s are some more details, which explain what happens to your pension if you get sick

If you get sick and have a defined benefit pension

Defined benefit pensions, also known as final salary schemes, are a type of workplace pension that pays you a retirement income based on your salary and years of employment. These pensions are getting rarer but if you started saving 25 years ago or work in the public sector, you may have one.

If you get sick or develop a disability that means you can no longer work, then you may be able to get your defined benefit pension paid earlier. You’ll need to:

• give your pension scheme evidence that you’re medically, physically, or mentally incapable of continuing in your job as result of injury, sickness or disability; or

• you’ll have to satisfy the trustees who run the scheme and the sponsoring employer that you can no longer work.

The application process can be time-consuming but if you meet the scheme’s ill health payment conditions then you might be able to take your pension as a regular income. Each defined benefit pension is different, some schemes may reduce the pension you get, whereas others might increase your pot. This could happen if you’re an active member when you become unwell or, if your condition is terminal.

Keep in mind that some schemes will stop paying out your pension if you recover, so it’s best to check with your employer on their exact rules.

If you get sick and have a defined contribution pension

If you have a defined contribution pension, including personal and workplace pensions, the rules are different.

These schemes are run by pension companies and are based on how much you’ve contributed, rather than your salary and length of employment. So just keep in mind that if you start accessing it early, you’ll still need to leave enough to last you in retirement.

With a defined contribution pension, your options for early withdrawal are:

• to buy an annuity to guarantee your income, but these are expensive to buy if you’re under 55; or

• to choose pension drawdown and take some of your pension, leaving the rest invested. You’ll still be entitled to take 25% of your pension as a tax-free lump sum, the rest will be subject to income tax.

As with a defined benefit pension, you’ll need to provide your pension provider with evidence you’re no longer able to work. It’s then at their discretion how much you’re able to access - for example, it could be a tax-free cash sum or reduced pension. Check for exact terms and conditions with your provider.

If you’re a PensionBee customer, you can find out more about what qualifies for early withdrawal on ill health grounds.

If you do start withdrawing from your pension early, it may affect your ability to claim benefits. You can check if you’re eligible for any state benefits using this calculator. It could be more worthwhile to keep your pension invested and claim benefits to support you while you’re sick. This way you’ll continue gaining National Insurance (NI) contributions, which count towards your State Pension entitlement.

What happens to your pension if you’re terminally ill?

If you’re diagnosed with a terminal or life-limiting illness, then the same rules apply whether you’re in a defined benefit or defined contribution scheme.

If you have less than 12 months to live then you may be able to receive a serious ill health lump sum. You can receive a serious ill health lump sum at any age as long as you’ve yet to withdraw anything from your pension (referred to as an uncrystallised pension). This is effectively an early lump sum death benefit payment where:

• you can withdraw up to £1,073,100 without having to pay tax;

• you’ll pay tax at your marginal rate on withdrawals over £1,073,100;

• your marginal rate considers any other income you earn; and

• if you’re over 75, taking a serious ill health lump sum is taxable.

When funds are withdrawn from your pension, they form part of your estate. This means when you pass away, your loved ones will have to pay Inheritance Tax (IHT).

Can I access the state pension if I get sick?

You can’t access your State Pension earlier than the current State Pension age (66 rising to 67 from 2028) even if you get sick. If you’re unable to work because of ill health or an accident you may also want to check what benefits you’re entitled to, including Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and/or Universal Credit.

Risk warning

As always with investments, your capital is at risk. The value of your investment can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invest. This information should not be regarded as financial advice.

Before you read this, some background, and how I came to write this article:

Since taking bioidentical progesterone my skin, hair and nails have improved. The doctor I see for aesthetic treatments told me she had noticed they were looking much better.

My hair is probably more noticeable because I shaved it off a few years ago, and it was only just growing through when I changed from the patch version to the utrogestan (200mg) version. It’s much thicker and grows quickly too.

My HRT also involves 3 pumps of the gel version of ostrogen.

So although my skin was looking good (that pic - no make up and hair not washed for a few days AND I had a cold) my job - weird hours, stressful deadlines had made me look grey, tired and lacking something.

I had seen collagen discussed on various Facebook groups and among my friends and family there’s been an ongoing debate as to whether it was worth forking out for.

Normally I would have relied on exercise and diet and lots of water to keep my skin looking glowing (ish) but I’ve lost over half a stone in weight in the last year (although thankfully putting some of it back on now!)

I decided to do my own ‘not so scientific’ testing of collagen to see if it could benefit me. I approached some beauty PRs and they sent me samples to try. I had so many sent I decided to divvy them out among friends and family.

That’s the background, and I was led down a rabbit hole which prompted me to speak to one of the UK’s leading hormone doctors. This is what she told me:

Women in their mid 40s and older are missing out on a treatment that can protect both their looks and their health in middle age, a leading hormone doctor has claimed.

Women who are experiencing symptoms of the menopause, including thinning hair, tired skin and other signs of sudden ageing, are being urged to consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT) before buying expensive creams and supplements.

Dr Jan Toledano, founder of the London Hormone Clinic said that only around 14% of women were taking HRT, with many missing out on its benefits.

She said that while some commercial supplements 'may work' modern HRT, particularly body identical (bioidentical) HRT, provided the building blocks for human tissue; this includes collagen which is frequently being sold as a supplement that can combat the signs of ageing.

Dr Tolenado said health scares around HRT had put women off when more modern advanced versions of HRT provided the building blocks that some supplements were claiming to replace.

She used the example of collagen supplements that were being sold to menopausal women. She said there was no scientific evidence that they worked any better than modern HRT.

The Daily Express conducted its own research into the efficacy of collagen, using several leading brands the six women who took part - aged between 40 and 55 - noticed no difference in their skin, teeth or hair.

Dr Tolenado said: "There is one way of improving your collage levels and it's called oestrogen. The hormone itself is the thing that improves your hair, skin and your soft tissue."

She added there was no evidence collagen supplements were harmful, just they would be less easily absorbed than estrogen itself.

"Oestrogen also helps the skin hydrate, it also decreases your risk of heart disease of bone thinning and it is anti-inflammatory so it stops your skin being puffy."

The doctor also said many women may benefit from testosterone. "ITs not suitable for all women but many will see benefits in their skin moisture levels and thickness. It is also brilliant for skin and hair texture."

She said: "HRT is evidence based and has been subjected to many many studies.

While previous versions of HRT, sometimes called toxic HRT mimicked the female hormones progesterone and oestrogen, modern versions are bioidentical and are more easily absorbed right into the bloodstream.

Dr Tolenado said women should seek the advice of a GP. "Women need to make sure they are getting the bioidentical versions as these are the most effective. There needs to be much more awareness around HRT."

"HRT is available on the NHS and in some cases is free."

This article first appeared on the Daily Express

January is over and done with, we’re nearly halfway through February - it’s a short month- and March (aka spring) will soon be here.

It’s certainly not too early for some financial spring cleaning or (gulp!) even a spring finance overhaul.

We’ve asked our lovely finance expert Alice Haine, for her midlife financial checklist.

No pension - start one today

If you aren’t saving into a pension at all, start today. Alice, who is personal finance analyst at Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners said: “You can start a private pension anytime you want, whether you are working, self-employed or out of work.

If you are employed by a company and you are over 22 (and under state pension age) then you will have been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension scheme, as long as you are earning £10k a year or more.

If you are self-employed then you will need to sort out your pension, sorry!

But it’s not that hard. The hardest bit will deciding which pension provider to go for.

You may want to go with one of the big names: Standard Life, Aviva, Fidelity, your bank, or you may want to set up a self invested personal pension - with a platform like A J Bell, Hargreaves Lansdown or ii.

If you are not convinced you need a pension, then Alice points out that the Institute of Fiscal Studies has estimated the average self-employed Brit has a retirement shortfall of almost £250,000.

Putting money into a pension is a way of clawing back some of the tax you pay. You can put up to £60,000 a year into a pension, as long as you are earning £60k (or more). For every £100 you put into a pension you will either get £120 - if you are a basic rate taxpayer or £140 if you are a higher rate taxpayer.

You can pretty much google pension companies, and if you are feeling brave consider the self invested personal pension or Sipp. You can use the money in your Sipp to invest in stocks and shares, although you will pay a fee for each transation.

Check your state pension - are you saving enough  

“As well as a private pension, it is vital to make sure your state pension record is on track to ensure you receive the maximum payout,” says Alice.

“Your state pension entitlement is determined by the number of qualifying National Insurance years you have. People typically need at least 10 qualifying years of NI contributions to receive any state pension at all and at least 35 years to receive the full new state pension.   

Checking your personal tax account for any gaps in your National Insurance record quickly identifies whether you have enough qualifying years to receive a full state pension – a valuable source of income considering the full new state pension rose by 8.5% in April and is now worth £11,502 a year.   

Taxpayers can backdate their NI contribution history by six years, but there’s a upcoming cut off date which is allowing people to top up the gaps on their NI record all the way back to April 6, 2006.

Those with NI gaps could therefore increase their state pension income if they fill them but remember the deadline to make up the shortfall closes in less than 2 months, so 5 April 2025, so they need to act fast.  

Looking after your loved ones with pension   

Contributing to a pension may be one of the best ways to plan your retirement but making sure your loved ones can also benefit from your diligent saving is another.

Alice says: “The money in your pension is an asset, which along with your savings and investments, can be left to your loved ones when you die, but it is vital you inform the trustees of your scheme who you want the money to go to. “

From 2027 pensions will become subject to inheritance tax, although you will need to have built up enough in your pension for it to be taxable.

Under current rules, if you die before the age of 75, your pension can be passed on to your beneficiary tax-free but if you die after the age of 75 - any funds paid out will incur tax charges.

From 2027 pensions will become subject to inheritance tax, although you will need to have built up enough in your pension for it to be taxable.

“The important thing is deciding who you want your pension to go to.  If no death benefit nomination is in place, then your beneficiaries would only be able to receive your pension benefits as a lump sum, something that could see them hit with a significant tax charge if you die after your 75^th birthday.   

Find your missing pensions

Most of us will have at least 11 jobs over the course of our careers.

That’s a lot of paperwork and of course a few pension pots.

Alice says that even those that stayed with their employer for a short time may have started making contributions, then stopped paying into the scheme when they left and forgot about it.    

“While in an ideal world the Government’s heavily delayed Pensions Dashboard – which is supposed to give UK savers oversight of their entire pension record, including their state pension - would do the hard work for you, the project is yet to materialise.”

For now, savers who have lost track of their pensions should log onto the Government’s free Pension Tracing Service to find their old plans. They need the names of their former employer or pension provider to answer the questions.   

Having all your pension pots into one place 

Gathering old workplace pensions, or other private pensions, into one place, a process known as consolidation can be a wise move.

Alice says: “Scooping all your old pensions together into a single pension will give you a clear picture of the state of your pension and whether you have adequate savings to fund your retirement. You will have one password to recall and one place to track your pension savings and ensure they are aligned to your long-term financial goals.”

Use ‘carry forward’ to mop up unused allowances  

Pensions have another tax benefit called ‘carry forward’ where savers can mop up unused allowances from the previous three tax years once they have made full use of their current year allowance.

A bonus or inheritance, for example, can be put to work in a pension, with a saver potentially able to make a gross pension contribution of up to £200,000 before the end of this tax year on April 5.    

To do this you need to have contributed the maximum permissible amount to your pension in the current tax year and have belonged to a UK-registered pension scheme in each of the three tax years before the current tax year – though it does not matter if you did not pay money into the scheme over that period.

Alice says: “Someone that wants to use the carry forward rule to contribute £100,000, for example, needs qualifying earnings that at least match that figure this tax year.”

Don’t give up the chance to secure free cash: make the most of pension tax reliefs  even if you are not working

Alice says: “We have already explained how money contributed to a pension gets topped up by 20% automatically for basic rate taxpayers, while higher or additional-rate taxpayers can claim back another 20% or 25% respectively through their tax returns.”

“But even non-taxpayers, those not working or children, can benefit from tax relief, though the amount they can contribute is capped at £2,880 with the government topping thfat up with 20% tax relief giving them a total pension saving of £3,600 per year. 

Don’t transfer out of a final salary pension or defined benefit scheme  

Alice warns that while it is tempting to cash in a final salary schme - i.e get a transfer value before you retire and use it to buy a personal pension - this may not be a good idea.

“These offer a retirement income directly linked to your earnings, rather than the performance of an investment fund and therefore offer much greater certainty. “Instead, look at consolidating your other pensions and leave the final salary pension where it is.”

Pick a savings account for YOU

Alice says that high street lenders don’t always have their customer’s best interest at heart and have historically been slow to pass on interest rate rises on to savers.

“While the FCA has cracked down on banks and building societies offering dismal returns to savers, it is always wise to take matters into your own hands by shopping around for the best deals on the market, particularly as the top savings deals are now disappearing. “

The first rule of thumb is not to hold your savings in a regular current account, which typically pay little or no interest on the money held in them.

Current accounts are your main bank account, where your salary or pension is paid into, and are designed to be used for day-to-day spending and regular bill payments.

While high interest current accounts exist and can offer more competitive interest rates, they typically come with stipulations such as a minimum number of direct debits and still won’t be an adequate match for savings rates on other types of savings accounts 

Easy-access accounts, which can come with better interest rates provided you shop around for the best deal, can be good places to stash emergency funds - money that you can tap into to cover unexpected expenses, such as a boiler breaking down or car repairs.

These types of accounts, as well as short-term fixes, provided you don’t need instant access to your money, can also be good storage spaces for short-term savings goals such as a summer holiday, or birthday and Christmas gifts for the children. 

For medium-savings goals, such as a dream holiday or paying for a child’s wedding, then a longer, fixed-term account will typically deliver a higher return. These types of accounts offer more competitive interest rates but they can also come with accessibility restrictions with penalties imposed for early withdrawals so savers should only contribute money they don’t need to access.   

For those wanting even higher returns, notice accounts offer a rate boost though they require a lengthy notice period for withdrawals that can be anywhere between 30 to 180 days depending on the deal signed up to.

This means they are only suitable for people looking to lock money away for a long-term savings goal. Separately, those with a fixed sum to save from their income every month, can consider a regular saving account can offer the best rates – though the competitive savings rate means the saver must abide by set terms and conditions. 

Don’t breach your Personal Savings Allowance in the process, however 

One thing people with spare cash to save must consider when choosing a savings account is their Personal Savings Allowance, the amount a taxpayer can receive in interest on their savings before they are liable for tax. Basic rate taxpayers have a PSA of £1,000, while higher rate taxpayers have a PSA of £500 and additional rate taxpayers receive no concession at all. 

Hunting out the top savings rates for regular bank and building society accounts might not always be the best move as savers with significant cash sums stashed in a high-interest savings accounts might not realise they will be liable for tax on their nest eggs. While savings rates are now in retreat following the Bank of England’s decision to cut the base rate by 25 basis points in August, with at least one more rate cut expected this year, the top rates still have the potential to tip those with sizeable sums stashed away into taxable territory.  

Considering the tax-efficiency of savings pot is imperative for mid-life savers who are likely to have larger pots to play around with. The point at which a nest egg is liable for tax depends on the interest rate applied to the account – and also sometimes on how the tax is applied (such as daily, monthly, annually or at maturity) - so savers with more attractive savings rates might find they become liable to a tax payment at a much lower level of savings than they had anticipated.   

This is where tax-efficient savings options, such as a pension or Individual Savings Account (ISA) come into play. ISAs enable savers to stash up to £20,000 each year without incurring tax on interest or capital gains. The £20,000 applies across all types of ISA, so a savvy saver could store a portion of their savings in the highest-interest Cash ISA they can find and deposit the rest in a Stocks & Shares ISA to take advantage of longer-term investment returns.     

If you don’t have an emergency fund, start one now  

Back-up savings ready to cover unexpected expenses are key when you consider the many curveballs life can throw at you. The older you get, typically the more responsibility you have, whether it’s finances, career or family. An emergency fund is there to cover unplanned expenses that suddenly crop up and need to be paid for straightaway, such as a broken washing machine, frozen pipes, car repairs or worse, job loss.  

“Bestinvest suggests people aim to hold six to 12 months of their regular expenses in an emergency fund, so if you don’t have that money safely tucked away yet, start building it now. Even if you can only spare £50 or £100 a month to begin with, it will kickstart your journey towards financial security with each top-up helping to ease the stress that comes when sudden costs land in your lap and you don’t have any reserve funds to pay for them.  

Emergency funds need to be available quickly, so an easy access savings account, separate from your current account, can be a sensible solution. Alternatively, a tax-free option such as a Cash ISA with a generous savings rate is a good option as are Premium Bonds that could see your emergency pot net you a large prize. 

Don’t just rely on an emergency pot, you need a sinking fund too  

To prevent an emergency pot being used to cover everyday bills, open a second account to act as a sinking fund. This should cover specific planned expenses - big costs that crop up once a year such as car or home insurance, a holiday or an annual car service.   

Having separate emergency and sinking funds makes it easier to budget effectively because the sinking fund will have clear targets to save towards as you can anticipate what those major annual costs will be.   

It is always a good idea to automate your savings to happen at the start of the month, straight after your salary lands in your current account. It means you can instantly forget about it and know exactly how much you have left for your everyday expenses while your money toils away in the background. 

Check your tax code – you may be paying too much   

The UK is set for a lengthy period under a historically high tax burden – and that’s in spite of the National Insurance cuts coming. With the personal allowance and higher rate income tax thresholds now frozen until 2028 and the 45p top rate of income tax now kicking in at £125,140 rather than the previous level of £150,000, making sure you are paying the right amount of tax is vital.   

To check your tax code and other income details, visit www.gov.uk/check-income-tax-current-year. Millions of tax codes are wrong every year and it is your responsibility, not your employer’s or HMRC’s, to check it. You may be overpaying, or underpaying, something that can happen if you change jobs, earn money from more than one source, such as a part-time job or a property portfolio, or have recently retired.   

Checking your code could see you receive a generous rebate, though if you’ve been paying too little you may be out of pocket too. Also, don’t forget the end of January deadline for filing your self-assessment tax return, or you could face a late filing penalty.   

Remember, getting up to speed on all the tax allowances and tax reliefs that apply to your finances is another way to claw back some cash. Afterall, there is no point saying no to free money and paying tax on things you don’t need to.   

Tax relief on maintenance payments for the divorced, uniforms you need to buy or repair and maintain for work and charity donations plus a whole host of others allowances, such as a trading allowance of up to £1,000 for casual income or a £7,500 rent-a-room scheme for letting out a room to a lodger in the home you live in are just some to read up on to reduce your tax burden. It’s often a case of use it or lose it on tax allowances and reliefs as some can be carried over for a set period and others can’t.   

If you don’t have a budget, start one today  

The Government sets a Budget each year, and your household should as well. It is the best way to understand the state of your finances and ensure you have enough to cover everyday expenses in addition to savings, investments and life’s little luxuries.   

Creating a monthly budget is relatively easy as you are simply documenting how much money is coming in, how much must go out and how much can be allocated to other needs and wants. This can be done on a spreadsheet or even in a notebook.  

First list ‘must-have payments’ such as rent or mortgage costs, utility bills, council tax, insurance, food, transport, phone and broadband. Then add in those ‘like-to-have payments' such as going out, holidays, beauty and fashion, exercise and sport, subscriptions to streaming services – and savings and investments. Add it all together and see how much you spend every month.   

Deduct that figure from your net income - the amount you take home every month after paying taxes - to see what you have left. If you are spending more than you earn, cut expenses from your like-to-have list to help reduce your outgoings.  If the situation requires more aggressive action, slash the must-have list to see if you can trim expenses there too.    

Don’t neglect your debts  

We may be emerging from the cost-of-living crisis, but its effects are still hurting household budgets today, with some households still forced to rely on credit to make ends meet. 

Servicing debt has become ultra expensive with interest rates on credit cards, overdrafts and loans still high despite the BoE’s interest rate cut at the start of August, creating a challenge for those with large unsecured debts. Those who only make the minimum payment on an outstanding credit card balance could find themselves in the red for years because of the spiralling effect of compound interest on the debt, where you not only owe interest on the original credit but also on the interest that has accrued.   

Those with multiple debts must first face up to the problem and then then develop a strategy to repay them in a set amount of time. One way to do this is to use the ‘debt avalanche’ or ‘debt snowball’ methods – effective ways to clear consumer debt such as credit cards and loans.   

First list all your debts and make minimum payments on all except one. On that final debt, pay off as much as feasibly possible. Then once the card or loan is cleared, target the next balance until all the debts are gone.   

The difference between the two strategies is simple: with the snowball method, you target the smallest debt first and the biggest debt last – as the smaller liabilities will be easier to clear offering encouragement along the way. The avalanche approach targets the highest-interest debt first and the lowest interest debt last, reducing the overall cost of your liabilities.    

A 0% balance transfer deal, where you transfer existing debts onto a new credit card to clear them with zero interest applied to the outstanding balance for a set period, can ease the strain for those with niggling debts. Borrowers can find 0% interest terms of up to 28 months – enough time to potentially clear a large balance without paying heavy interest charges. Some cards charge a balance transfer fee, so factor that into your calculations. 

Money and menopause 

“Women have a very unique mid-life challenge compared to their male peers and that’s the menopause.

“It coincides with a time of life when most people are nearing the peak of their earnings potential, so, while your career may be flying high your health may be faltering and it can become quite hard to keep up the momentum. 

Mood swings, fatigue, hot flushes and a whole host of other menopause symptoms, from dry eyes, skin and hair to stomach, bladder and immune system challenges as well as poor sleep, anxiety and stress can dent a woman’s confidence at a key point in her career.

“For some women, the condition can be so disabling, they simply quit work and walk away from their careers because they cannot cope with so many challenges at a time when they should be at the top of their game. 

“Thankfully, more and more employers are recognising that menopause can be debilitating for women and are laying on more resources to support them, whether that’s free counselling helplines, health checks, webinars with leading experts or even dedicated days off when symptoms feel like too much. But that does not happen across the board and the danger for women that do give up work prematurely is that they risk denting their financial futures. 

“Women who are really struggling should not only seek the help of their GP but should also inform their boss and ask for reduced hours or some understanding if they need to step away from work for short periods.

“Employers are generally more accommodating these days and if you don’t ask for help and support you won’t receive it. For the sake of your finances, taking a few days or weeks off while you seek the support you need is far more preferable than stopping work altogether. Women must step up and simply say ‘I’m not feeling good’, ‘I need some time’ or ‘please bear with me while I get myself sorted’. With the right medical help, menopause symptoms can improve, so take the time you need.  

If you do get into financial difficulty, the first step is to identify the money worry that weighs on your mind the most. This can be one of the quickest ways to relieve financial stress. Whether it’s a large outstanding credit card balance, a poor credit rating, a missed debt payment or a poorly performing investment, identifying the most pressing concern can deliver instant relief.   

Jot down your money worries in list form and rank them to identify what needs to be tackled first. Sometimes the easiest things to fix can be causing the most anxiety, such as a missed bill payment that could be cleared as a priority. While using money being saved for a specific purpose might be disappointing, it will instantly erase the fear that comes with defaulting on a bill.    

Then commit to tackling each money woe one at a time. Doing everything at once will feel overwhelming so focusing on them one by one will gradually relieve the mental burden. 

Next be proactive and approach your creditors for help before they approach you.  If your finances are unsustainable and you fear you are going to miss a bill, mortgage, loan or credit card payment, contact your creditors straightaway. Ignoring default letters will only exacerbate the situation. By being upfront, your creditor will offer options to reduce payments in the short term and hopefully develop an affordable repayment plan to help you catch up on missed payments.    

Make sure you are in the right headspace to communicate your struggles effectively before you make the call. Crying or shouting down the phone without a rational plan won’t fix the problem.   

The cost-of-living and cost-of-borrowing crises of the past couple of years have been testing for many people and most providers now have better processes in place to support people.  Anyone worried about their situation can contact their lender and ask for information and support.  

If managing your emotions is difficult when speaking to creditors, seek medical help for your financial stress.

NHS talking therapies include counselling and cognitive behavourial therapy, both effective treatments for anxiety and depression. The service is confidential, with patients able to refer themselves directly without going through their local medical practice.

Meanwhile, charities such as Mind and the Samaritans offer confidential telephone support lines to talk through money problems. “

I worked on News Year’s Day, and Boxing Day and most of the other days around Christmas. Christmas Day was the only one I had ‘off’; and that was spent cooking (I enjoyed that so it wasn’t a chore).

Starting a new job in the middle of November also put the brakes on any social life my husband and I might enjoy.

Don’t feel too sorry for us, I did manage one Saturday early in December to cram in three Christmas parties and that, plus some drinks for work a few days later.

Even so, when my Try Dry app reminded me (on New Year’s Day while I was sipping some cava) to sign up for Dry January it still felt like a good thing to do.

I’m not a huge drinker, more a binge(er) and may go weeks or even months without drinking then pack it all in when I do something social.

Trying Dry January

Last January I did do the DJ thing and noticed how good my skin was. So I kept up a moderate approach to alcohol most of last year.

I also noticed when I did drank too much, for example my daughter’s school leaver (year 6) disco, the dark thoughts and anxiety that would accompany it.

It was an emotional time and I’m sure going overboard on the Pimms made me temporarily a bit crazy.

So while I haven’t given up the wine completely I am trying to be careful about how and when I drink. The more stressed or anxious I feel, the worse it is for me to drink.

Getting drunk also makes me feel over-exposed, even if I haven’t got drunk in public, and I’m learning to embrace my inner ‘introvert’ because sometimes I am at my happiest just being quiet and alone - alcohol breaks into that.

I’m less likely to go crazy if I’m having wine during a meal with friends, but if I buy a bottle of Jacobs Creek after a day of mad deadlines and crazy stuff then I’m going to feel very very bad the next morning.

So while I did still have a few drinks in January, I managed not to do anything messy and I avoided feeling (too) anxious most days.

Yoga is really helpful - but doing it in the morning before the big to do list that constantly stalks my mind starts talking to me.

Dry January and money

Vanity aside there are savings to be made (and this is a money blog so I guess I need to put a few facts here too)

According to Hargreaves Lansdown each household spends £614 a year on alcohol and tobacco. “If that was spread evenly over the year it would come in at £51 a month.”

I guess that’s not so much a surprise, but Hargreaves Lansdown also pointed out households spend an average of £2,472 a year on hotels and restaurants, and £2,951 on recreation and culture.

This is £542 in a year – or £45 a month.

Sarah Coles, head of personal finance, Hargreaves Lansdown said using that money to pay off debts every month instead could save an average of £858, investing it could make £14,907, and in your pension it could be worth £110,000.

“If you’re counting the days to the end of Dry January, or your enthusiasm for any healthy resolution is starting to wane, it might help not to focus on what you’re giving up, but on what you’re going to gain. Changing a few of your expensive habits, and giving up on the unhealthy ones, can make an enormous difference to your pocket.

“So if you’ve pledged to spend less on going out in January, and you can stick with your new habits, the savings will be equally impressive. If we were to cut just 10% of this kind of spending, we could save £542 in a year – or £45 a month. Sticking with all these changes could save you £96 a month.”

Paying debts sounds good though, Sarah says if you had £2,000 on a credit card at 20% and are currently paying £50 a month, it might take 5 years and 3 months to clear the debt, and you’d end up paying £1,119 in interest.

If you added £96 to your repayments, you’d cut the repayment time to 1 year and 4 months, and you’d pay £261 in interest – saving £858. The highest fifth of earners could boost repayments to £198 with the money they were saving and save £930 in interest.

If you need to build your emergency savings, meanwhile, you could put your £96 a month into a savings account paying 4.5% and after a year you’d be sitting on £1,176 – which is a decent step towards building enough cash to cover the recommend minimum of 3-6 months’ worth of essential spending.

If you wanted to invest, and you made this resolution a long-term lifestyle change, it could be a brilliant start.

If you were to drip feed your £96 monthly saving into investments over ten years, with an average return of 5%, you might end up with a nest egg of £14,907 in a decade’s time. The more you can save by cutting back, the more those investments could grow, so households in their early 40s could end up with £18,013, couples with kids £18,168 and the highest fifth of earners £22,982.

But the really dramatic difference comes from making a change for life. If you are age 35 and currently paying £100 a month into your pension – matched by your employer, you could be on track for a pension pot of £115,000 by the age of 68. If you were to add the extra £96 a month into your pension, and your employer matched it, you'd boost your pension pot by an incredible £110,000 – almost doubling it, and making a palpable difference to retirement.”

“If you’re looking for an upside to making difficult changes, it’s a big ask to wait until retirement to get payback, so most people tend to put a little bit towards each of their goals, so you get to enjoy the rewards of your better habits for the rest of your life.”

If you are wanting to cut down on alcohol the Try Dry app is a good place to start.

If you are worried about your drinking or someone else’s please make use of the following resources.

• Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).

• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups.

• Al-Anon Family Groups offer support and understanding to the families and friends of problem drinkers, whether they're still drinking or not. Alateen is part of Al-Anon and can be attended by 12 to 17-year-olds who are affected by another person's drinking, usually a parent.

Women are falling behind men when it comes to investing and saving. It’s a gender investment gap that has been estimated at around £567billion - and Hollywood and TV portrayals of men and women are reportedly to blame.

I wrote a story about this link between Hollywood and the investing gap for the Daily Express (the newspaper I’m a staffer at), I’ll put a link at the end of this blog in case you are interested (it’s got a nice pic of ‘my Leo’ on it too).

But the concept of investing? That is something I struggle with so much!

I mean investing? For years I’ve struggled to budget, let alone save, let alone invest.

My whole life has been one long money anxiety fest. It’s quite depressing to think about it, but yeah when it comes to money I’ve never, and have never been ever, in a very comfortable place.

We all know that being in a comfortable with something means you never deal with it and I’m very good at avoiding things!

I’ve tried to be, I really have. I’ve spent it. I’ve saved it. I’ve gone on ‘no spends’ month/year (although you can’t do that once you’ve had children).

Now I’ve come to terms with being a ‘functioning spendaholic’. One of the first things I did when my oldest daughter was born was set up a life insurance policy so she would get something if and when I died.

It’s been baby steps now I put a small amount each month into an ISA, pay for a life insurance for our mortgage and have a health and critical illness cover.

The life insurance was extended to my younger daughter when she was born so they will get £2k each a month if I die before they are 23; the idea being that money will get them through university or further study/training.

That wasn’t enough though, it’s not enough so in November last year I took a staff reporter’s job, not just for career fulfilment and to make up for the big old gap in my news reporter’s CV, but for the pension and benefits the job offers.

I have opted for salary sacrifice and so I know that so long as I work my socks off for the next ten years I may, just may emerge with some kind of reasonable retirement fund to make up for the years of faffing around.

I also really want to be a writer, that’s my post 60 plan.

I’ll never be able to sit back the garden with a cup of tea and slice of cake and watch the world go by but that’s okay; as long as I can buy the cake and the tea so I can drink and eat nice things while I work. It’s okay.

Oh yeah and have money to treat my children and maybe help them out too.

What happened to me, what made me so afraid of looking at my own bank account?

Without going into detail and telling stories that are not mine to tell, let’s just say I have used and still use money to ‘treat’ myself.

Buying stuff has helped heal my broken heart; not necessary with the stuff, just that buying so much of brought me to a crunch point where I had to deal with it.

That’s why I’m now a ‘functioning spendaholic’. I do have a loan and credit card debts, but they are for home improvements, business expenses and things that are needed and that my journalist’s income doesn’t quite cover.

I’m still a bit scared at looking at my bank account; but I know how to hold my own hand and tell myself it’s okay. It is just money and there are things in my life which are way more important!

Back to investing though.

I’m going to have to get out of my own way as there is a bit of money sitting in a Sipp (self invested personal pension) for me; I set it up to make full use of my tax allowance a couple of years ago.

That money isn’t going to grow by itself. Time to pull up the big girl pants again!

Read my piece here: Women warned over £567bn black hole as Hollywood's hits 'blamed'

I worked most of the Christmas break, my one day off was Christmas Day itself. Having spend the majority of 2024 easing up on my alcohol intake. I am now feeling the effects of having had three quarters of a bottle of Cava and a bit too much of the Baileys.

But I’m not going to beat myself up. Like most of you I work hard and I look after other humans (even if they don’t always realise it), so I deserve to be kind to myself.

So this blog is about being kind.

First up:

New year resolution one - you don’t need to lose weight

If you are still carrying more llbs (kgs) than you want to then late December/early January is not the time to worry about it.

In fact the more you think about it the more likely you are not to lose it. Accept your body and make small changes. Do things that bring your soul and spirit happiness. If you do need to lose weight for medical reasons then speak to your GP first obviously.

New year resolution two - work on your body but make small changes

Starting small for me meant doing something about my posture, but my efforts had am unexpected result.

I’ve done yoga and worked out for year but two c-sections have destroyed my stomach, and most of the feeling in my lower belly and upper legs! I thought I was going to die during my c section so I guess being alive was a bonus.

For a long time I accepted I was not going to be able to do anything with my ‘core’ fact I even wrote an article for the Daily Mail saying that no woman who had carried children could ever expect not to have a belly of sorts.

I was kind of right, there is an inevitability to having more stretchy skin if you have carried a small human inside of you, but I’m also kind of wrong.

Sooo I had a 28 inch waist three years ago, and it’s now 26 inches but, I’ve not lost weight. It’s been a slow process but its because I do Pilates about 3/4 times a week.

Not for hours, just 20 minutes here, 30 minutes if I get the time, or a 10 minute class

Everyone should do Pilates, men, women, children, dogs, cats, rabbits (okay the last three might not need to).

However, you DO need to commit to it, at least 20 minutes every other day, and incorporating those core muscles into other things which I’ll go into in a bit more detail later

Learning to use them when you go out for a walk or get up from a chair. This little kit in Argos is perfect and it’s been reduced to £11. I’ve gone through four of these in the last few years (mainly because my dog like playing with the Pilates ball).

New year resolution three - if you are not doing any aerobic activity start with yoga

Yoga can be aerobic and is good way to start feeling around your body. The breathwork that is involved means you can start nurturing that inner you at the same time.

Once you’ve got the hand of it you can also start with small weights or ankle and wrist weights.

I would recommend mastering the basic yoga poses first going to a few classes, or even sighning up to an app. I can only recommend Peloton’s one because that’s the one I use, you can sign up for free to start and then its £12.99 a month. There are loads of classes (you don’t need to buy the bike) including barre, strength ones (which you can use to use weights in the gym) plus Pilates and yoga.

New year resolution four - you don’t have to go running or go to the gym!

Running is cheap and easy to fit in a busy lifestyel but don’t start running if you think you may have dodgy knees or hips, or anything that twinges a bit. No matter how young or old you are.

I do Pilates to counterbalance a narrow hip joint that can make itself felt if I don’t stretch it;. I’ve also had physio and have regular sports massages. Don’t risk injury.

Instead maybe think abou a gym trial - so don’t fork out for a gym before you join up

And if you’ve been paying for a gym and haven’t used it, cancel your direct debit (check you haven’t got a clause in your contract) now. You may go back for a bit in January but if you are not using it just be honest with yourself.

New year resolution five - drink more water and try and eat your veg and.. just eat

Drinking more water is free and cheap. Someone mentioned to me that they drank a glass of water every morning before anything else. I started doing this in the summer and yeah, it makes a big difference. I go for warm water with lemon in if I want to push the boat out.

I get people commenting on my skin, well I know if I don’t eat enough vegetables, or drink enough water I start to look a lot greyer. If you can’t always get your veg try these clean greens from Rheal I buy mine in Holland & Barrett and get the sachets to take into work too.

Another thing I’ve started doing is taking Quaker oats so-simple protein into work on my office days. I use the natural non flavoured version and add salt and an egg and stick it in the microwave.

New year resolution six - be kind, be happy and take your dog for a walk

I don’t want to get too hippy dippy here but yeah you need to accept yourself first before making any changes. You will never be better, happier, wealthier, more accomplished, fitter than you are in the present moment. Sometimes we have to just be thankful we are alive and healthy. There will be people in your life who love and care about you, and that is what matters (even if you don’t think there are!)

Happy new year.

(I do not earn commission on any of the products mentioned - they have been bought and paid for by me!)

What habits have you found you’ve adopted and stuck to after new year - message me at samanthasoames@gmail.com and I can feature them here.