Life Style

Anyone who reguarly shops on ASOS has been urged to take note of a change to its refunds policy. The online fashion and beauty retailer, which stocks brands like Topshop, Charlotte Tilbury and Nike - as well as own-brand clothing - ships all over the world, with its headquarters in London. Buying clothes online isn't always straightforward, so you'll often find yourself sending things back if they aren't suitable. ASOS has announced that from today, January 6, a change has been made to the policy to prevent unsustainable volumes of returns. And shoppers could face losing money if they don't follow the rules. Returns to ASOS used to be free for everyone, but in 2024, a £3.95 fee was introduced for people who had high return rates and kept less than £40 worth of their order.Now, customers...

A mum combating loneliness across the UK, thanks to her 750 'Chatty Cafés', is aiming to open her 1,000th in 2026 - after already helping 30,000 isolated Brits. Alex Hoskyn, 42, of Oldham, Greater Manchester, felt desolate herself in 2017 after the birth of her first child, Henry, being alone on maternity leave during the day with her husband out working and was desperate for company. She realised the simple act of "20 minutes of conversation" could boost everyone’s day, and some had the brainwave to put a sign on tables inviting people to sit and chat - sparking The Chatty Café Scheme. Now the non-profit social enterprise has 750 ‘Chatter and Natter’ tables across Britain in cafes, pubs, community centres, care homes and Costa Coffee stores and has helped over 30,000 lonely people. But...

With temperatures continuing to plummet this January, it's likely that you'll be utilising your central heating and radiators as much as you can. Of course with that comes an increase in energy usage and greater bills. Indeed, Ofgem’s new price cap, which took effect in October 2025, pushed the average dual-fuel bill from £1,720 to around £1,755 a year.However, experts from Which? have a trick you can apply to the valves of your radiators that can help cut costs. Taking to TikTok, they recommended in a video that thermostat valves and dials should never be turned to more than three - unless it's the room where your thermostat is.They elaborated: "Whacking your valve up to five opens the valve to the max, letting loads of hot water into the radiator when your central is heating on." Whil...

Whether commuting to work or walking the dog, with the temperature dropping and snow falling in many areas of the UK, a warm and cosy coat is an essential this time of year. And right now, as part of the January sales, shoppers can get 57% off a toasty padded coat from Mountain Warehouse, as it has dropped from £149.99 to £64.99. It's been described as "incredibly warm". Stylish and practical, the discount covers both chic colours (burgundy and grey) and sizes six to 20. However,  sizes 22 and 24 have already sold out.The coat is made from a waterproof outer material, and one shopper said: "I absolutely love this jacket! It's incredibly warm, genuinely waterproof, and fits perfectly. Plus, all of this comes at a very reasonable price – great value for the quality!"Made from a breathable...

If you are someone who struggles to reach food or utensils stored on high kitchen shelves, a home expert may have just the solution to make your life easier when it comes to cooking.Andrea Wolf took to TikTok to share her "high shelf hack" that she believes will transform your culinary experience. "High shelves don't have to be a black hole," she insisted in a video. "The best way to utilise high shelves in the kitchen is to make them into drawers," Andrea continued. "One of the biggest mistakes people make is to put a category (of items) that they think is not used often up top and it just gets shoved back."However, Andrea says that even commonly used kitchen staples such as tea and coffee can go on the top shelf if you follow her advice. "For items like this that we do use often, as l...

One in three adults celebrating their birthday in January have scrapped their own party plans. Research involving 2,000 adults, including 250 January-born individuals, revealed man are convinced their friends won't show up and decide to move their celebrations to a different month entirely.A third (32%) of those who postponed or cancelled January birthday festivities did so fearing their nearest and dearest would pull out last minute, compounded by the fact that 35% of all respondents admitted to socialising less during January.The study was commissioned by Madrí Excepcional 0.0% to herald the launch of its January Birthday Bar Tab, providing anyone born in January with complimentary 0.0% or 4.6% beers for themselves and a companion.January-born actor and comedian Henry Rowley, who part...

Uggs have had a bit of a resurgence over the last couple of years, and right now the Tasman slip-ons seem to be everywhere. Versatile enough to wear as slippers or quickly pop on for a run to the shops, they’re a great everyday shoe for keeping feet toasty through winter. That said, they do come with a price tag not everyone wants to commit to – they’re currently £115 on Ugg’s own website and at Schuh.However, we’ve spotted an aesthetically similar pair on Amazon for a mere slice of the price – and they’re on sale. The Sole London slippers from Amazon are just £12.74, making them more than £100 cheaper than their high-end counterparts. They usually retail for around £15 on Amazon, but are currently discounted, with prices as low as £11 in some shades. There are over 10 colours to choose...

A woman has advised people to turn the heating temperature down on their boilers rather than increase it, despite the bitter weather - and experts agree. Keeping homes warm while managing concerns about escalating energy costs is a priority for many, with people turning to social media for guidance and recommendations. One woman shared a "public service announcement" on Reddit after carefully studying her boiler's instruction manual.Boilers heat water which then flows around the property via central heating to warm it, while also providing hot water for taps, baths and showers. The process involves burning fuel to heat water in a heat exchanger, which is subsequently pumped to where it's needed.The method of heat storage differs depending on whether you have a conventional or combi boil...

No matter how often you may feel like you're cleaning your home, there's always a new task that needs doing in order to keep your home nice and clean.Most people might already have their prefered ways of cleaning, using the cleaning products that works the best for them. But one cleaner has now come out to claim that most people are actually not cleaning the surfaces around their homes efficiently, as she claimed most people forget about one crucial task.Taking to TikTok, self-proclaimed cleaning queen, Harriet, who is best known under her username 'cleanslateleics' to her thousands of followers, often shares her top tips and tricks for how to keep your home sparkling clean.In one of her most popular videos, which has been viewed over 1.9 million times, Harriet went on to claim that mos...

Who among us hasn't told a little white lie to spare a loved one's feelings? Occasionally, it's kinder to shield someone from the truth rather than risk causing them distress or disappointment - but sometimes these innocent deceptions can spiral beyond our control.One Reddit user revealed how a harmless lie they told their mother more than three decades ago continues to haunt them today - albeit for the most touching of reasons, reports the Mirror. Posting on the social media site's r/confession forum, they explained: "I grew up really poor. When I was about five, my mom was visibly upset because she couldn't afford to get cake mix for my birthday cake."All she had was the ingredients to make a German chocolate cake. I instantly told her that was my favourite cake ever. It definitely wa...