A student was recently left embarrassed after she sent a photo of her university room to her mum – only to forget her handcuffs were attached to the bed railings.
Oops.
Ella Martine recently tweeted to share the text messages between her and her mother.
She explained: ‘Moms been asking for pics of my new room… finally sent one… i’m so stupid.’
Her mum seemingly bought it – though was still a little suspicious and told her she needed to get rid of them immediately. So maybe she was more clued up than Ella thought.
The tweet ended up going viral, receiving more than 24,000 retweets and 113,000 likes – and loads of responses from people on Twitter.
We’ve got to give it to Ella for her quick excuse – and we just hope she’ll remember to remove any other suspicious items out of her bedroom next time she decides to send her mum a picture.
He also has very sad eyes (Picture: Twitter/@morrisanimal)
Beejay is the ultimate chonky boi.
He’s 26lb of fluff and we’ve all fallen in love.
The brown tabby and white domestic shorthair is looking a new home so roll out the extra-large litter tray.
Beejay, or Mr B as he’s also known, currently lives at Morris Animal Refuge in Philadelphia.
The two-year-old weighs as much as the average 18 month old toddler but that’s just because of his big heart, right?
We’re actually not 100% he’s not a small child who got lost on his way home from a fancy dress party.
The animal shelter tweeted some pictures with a staff member trying (and struggling) to hold him.
They said: ‘OMG, big boi Mr. B is a CHONK. He’s a chonk of a chonk. He redefines the term. Can you guess how much he weighs?
OMG, big boi Mr. B is a CHONK. He’s a chonk of a chonk. He redefines the term. Can you guess how much he weighs? More importantly, can you give him a home? Adopt this jumbo-sized package of fluff & love: https://t.co/v8aB6PzBbL. Please RT to help this sad-eyed guy find happiness! pic.twitter.com/tquRuvRaws
Lush is launching their first advent calendar (Picture: Lush)
Rejoice and ditch your plans of cheap chocolate. Lush is finally making our dreams come true by bringing out their very own advent calendar.
Lush fans will know that this is the first time Lush has created an advent calendar, making this a Very Big Deal™.
Their first foray into the Christmas calendar game is limited edition, with only 500 available, and will be released on Thursday 29 August. We’d recommend adding that to your calendar and getting online early if you have your heart set on opening up Lush products every day of December.
And don’t worry, this is a proper advent calendar – not one of those 12 days of Christmas malarkeys. Each one contains 24 full-sized Lush products, including five retro products you can’t pick up on their own and limited edition bath, body, and shower products to discover.
The packaging is pretty snazzy too, as you get a reusable chest (use it for storing all your Lush products, we say) made out of recycled materials.
Naturally that all comes at quite a cost – The Lush Advent Calendar costs £195. Whew.
The packaging is entirely reusable and made from recycled materials (Picture: Lush)
Perhaps it’s worth asking your loved ones for your Christmas present early.
Here come the spoilers, so if you like to maintain the element of surprise, look away for a moment. Each Lush Advent Calendar contains:
Polar Bear Plunge Bath Bomb
Happy Shower Gel
Fairytale Sugar Scrub
Night Bloom Soap
Snowflake Body Lotion
Golden Pear Glow stick
Midnight Massage Bar
Candy Cane Tooth Jelly
Sleepy Dust Dusting Powder
Jingle Spells Bath Bomb
Galaxy Lip Scrub
Ponche Shower Gel
Red Lipstick & Sundry
Pop Art bath bomb
Warm Sock Bath Melt
Butterbear Soap
Yog Nog Shower Gel
Snowman Dreaming Bath Bomb
Rudolph’s Nose Shower Bomb
Christmas Eve Bubble Bar
Retro Tree Bath Melt
Santa’s Grotto Bath Bomb
Holly Fun
Santa’s Bubble Wand.
Once you’re done enjoying all the products, you can discover stories and interesting tidbits about the creation of the calendar by using the new Lush Lens feature on the #LushLabs app. You just scan the unpackaged products inside the calendar to get all the information, including an ingredients list and a ‘how to use’ demo, or scan the box to learn more.
Yes, it’s all very snazzy and complex, which is why we reckon this is an advent calendar only for the most diehard Lush fans. If you’re dipping your toe into the store, just pick up a bath bomb to get started.
Suzie Hackney, Lush Creative Direction, said: ‘We always want to produce packaging that is beautiful and long lasting. When we approached designing an advent calendar, we knew it had to be something special that would have a life after Christmas too.
‘The drawers make this design really functional but you still have the traditional way of opening an advent – hunting for the number and having the excitement of revealing a new product every day.’
Sounds fun. Anyone else counting down the days until December?
Get a sweat on while watching Bake Off. (Picture: Onyx)
The hardest thing about exercising has to be leaving your house.
Sure, we all want to get fit – but the idea of leaving our warm, comfortable homes where the food and the Netflix lives, fills us with fear.
But what if you could workout from your living room? The likelihood of you actually going to the gym after work declines sharply as the nights draw in, but having the option to get fit in front of the TV might keep you on track.
Home spinning could be the perfect fitness option to see you through the colder months. We took a look at the best stationary bikes on the market to help you decide which one to invest in.
Firstly, we love this one for the price. Less than £100? Yes please. Also it folds up, so if you’re short on space you can hide it under your bed when you’re not using it.
It may be a cheaper option, but it still has eight levels of manually-controlled magnetic resistance and it’s friction-free for a smoother ride.
It’s mega-bucks. But it’s mega-good. (Picture: Pro-Form)
Yeah, this one is not cheap and likely out of budget for most people.
But if you are ballin’, this could be a great investment. It has a touch-screen digital display, tracks your distances and inclines and basically helps you train like a pro cyclist.
You’re gonna be so grateful for the extra padding on the seat. (Picture: JTX)
This is a serious bike with loads of features. You need a bit of space to house it, but it has an extra comfortable padded seat – which is very important.
It also has a 17kg flywheel with 16 levels of electromagnetic resistance – so there are loads of training options.
The Peloton is fast becoming a cult must-have for fitness fans. Not only is the bike fully immersive and complete with bespoke tracking, you can also live stream spin classes directly into your living room.
Turn your home into a spin studio might be the best motivation to get you fitter than ever.
I am Team GB
Toyota has teamed up with Team GB to re-launch the hugely successful participation campaign ‘I am Team GB’.
Inspired by the achievements of Team GB athletes and the amazing efforts of local community heroes, Team GB has created ‘The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day’, which will take place on the 24thAugust.
Over the weekend, there will be hundreds of free and fun activities across the country, put on by an army of volunteers; the ‘I am Team GB Games Makers’.
To Join the Team and be part of The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day sign up at: www.IAmTeamGB.com
This one is horrible. There’s no denying it. Burpees… with an added tuck jump? Ouch.
Work your entire body with an added blast of cardio with this explosive move. See if you can do 10 in just 30 seconds.
Throughout this Staying Active summer series, fitness experts Elia and Amanda – both qualified instructors at Flykick – have been hand to show you how to do each challenge and give you their top tips.
Our daily challenges are perfect to try at home, at the gym or in the park. They are designed to get you moving every day.
The aim is to be active every day for six weeks over summer. Today’s challenge will test different muscle groups and help to improve your muscle performance.
These daily challenges can be done on their own, or you can include them in larger workout – it’s totally up to you. As long as you’re moving, that’s what matters.
Explode up into a tuck jump and then get your chest all the way down to the floor. (Picture: Getty)
We know doing the same fitness routine every week can get really tedious, trying a new challenge every day will keep your fitness fresh and fun – and you might even learn some new moves.
How to do burpee tuck jumps
Start standing with your feet hip-width apart.
Bend and put your hands on the floor and jump your legs back into a high plank. Bend your elbows and lower yourself until your chest and stomach touches the floor.
From here, press into your hands like you’re doing a push-up, extending your arms and bringing your hips off the ground.
Jump your feet back under your hips into a squat position, then immediately explode upwards in a tuck jump, driving your knees towards your chest.
Jump as high as you can, raising your knees up, and then try to land softly with bent knees. That’s one rep.
I am Team GB
Toyota has teamed up with Team GB to re-launch the hugely successful participation campaign ‘I am Team GB’.
Inspired by the achievements of Team GB athletes and the amazing efforts of local community heroes, Team GB has created ‘The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day’, which will take place on the 24thAugust.
Over the weekend, there will be hundreds of free and fun activities across the country, put on by an army of volunteers; the ‘I am Team GB Games Makers’.
To Join the Team and be part of The Nation’s Biggest Sports Day sign up at: www.IAmTeamGB.com
Lesley Maxwell began working out at 48. Now 63, she’s more confident than ever (Picture: @lesleymaxwell.fitness/Jam Press)
Lesley Maxwell may be a 63-year-old grandma, but she’s also absolutely ripped.
She works out five times a week, has won almost 30 titles at fitness competitions, and says her super toned body also helps her land much younger men.
Lesley, now a personal trainer and fitness professional, only began working out when she hit 48, winning her first figure competition just one year later.
After working in promotions and as a makeup artist, the grandma was inspired to begin her fitness journey after seeing a promotion for a body competition on TV. She hit the gym for the first time the next day.
Lesley said: ‘I had always had a keen interest in fitness and health and I was determined to find a way to nourish my body to look and feel younger.
‘I used to love being strong and winning bets with boys that I could lift more than them.
‘My mum used to tell me “boys don’t like girls with muscles” – but I know they did!’
Lesley has won nearly 60 titles at fitness competitions (Picture: @lesleymaxwell.fitness/ Jam Press)
She says her toned physique means she’s regularly approached by much younger men (Picture: @lesleymaxwell.fitness/ Jam Press)
Lesley is currently single after splitting with her husband who was 13 years younger than her.
She now says she regularly gets interest from much younger men.
‘I’m always approached by younger men, I feel ageless so it works,’ Lesley said.
‘All of my partners have been younger than me, including my ex-husband, whom I had a 13-year age gap with.
‘I’m much happier and confident in myself now than when I was younger, especially since I have made many friends through the gym and competing.’
Diet-wise, Lesley just avoids junk food (Picture: @lesleymaxwell.fitness/ Jam Press)
Lesley sticks to a fairly intense workout routine, dedicating an hour to fitness five times a week.
Her workouts include plenty of deadlifts, squats, chest presses, and ab exercises. Food-wise, Lesley’s diet isn’t complex – she just avoids refined food and junk options and chooses meals that are nutrient-dense.
She hopes to inspire other older women to get into fitness (Picture: @lesleymaxwell.fitness/ Jam Press)
To anyone else wanting a body like hers, Lesley’s advice is simple: ‘Train with weights to create a younger-looking body, as it can really lift and tone bums and arms better.’
The grandmother hopes to inspire other women to get into weightlifting and fitness.
She said: ‘I don’t feel judged as I train just as hard as anyone else – it’s a fantastic community and I don’t think age comes into it.
‘All I’d say is – don’t wait! I think every woman would like to bring their sexy back.’
The ‘crazy cat lady’ isn’t a thing (Picture: Getty)
Oi, you.
Next time you dismiss a woman as a ‘crazy cat lady’ just because they bought their kitty an iPad, have adopted more than six cats, or their camera roll is filled with cat pics, just know that your rudeness isn’t backed up with science.
So there.
There’s no evidence to support the classic crazy cat lady stereotype, suggests new research.
Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, found that people who own cats are no more likely to experience mental or social problems than those with dogs or no pets at all.
Female cat owners weren’t found to be disproportionately depressed or anxious. They also weren’t more likely to be alone, so you can cross ‘you’re going to die alone with 11 cats’ off your go-to insult list.
In total 561 people took part in the study, with researchers asking about their pet ownership, mental wellbeing, and social lives.
The study says: ‘We found no evidence to support the “cat lady” stereotype: cat owners did not differ from others on self-reported symptoms of depression, anxiety, or their experiences in close relationships.
Did… did a cat write this? (Picture: Getty)
‘Our findings, therefore, do not fit with the notion of cat owners as more depressed, anxious and alone.’
This is backed up by similar research in 2017, which found no link between owning a cat and experiencing a mental disorder or symptoms of psychosis.
Sally, 29, previously told Metro.co.uk that her cat, Wizard, helped her through a tough breakup.
‘When I went through a difficult breakup a couple of years ago, my life fell to pieces,’ said Sally. ‘I ended up moving around a lot and everything was very turbulent.
‘It sounds mad but my cat felt like the only stable thing in my life at that point.
‘Even at my lowest, he loved me. And it occurred to me that he wasn’t aware of what kind of mess my life was in; he just wanted to be with me.
‘He was the only one who I didn’t have to feel guilty for not being ‘on form’ around. If I wanted to lie in bed all day, he would just lean his little head on my hand and nap with me.
‘He needed me, and that gave me a reason to stick around.
‘Although my life has completely turned around since then, when he trots to the front door after work it still brightens my day. And if I get anxious, the sound of his breathing is the only thing that really calms me down.’
In short: cat lovers aren’t crazy and anyone who isn’t a cat fan is missing out.
When was the last time you cleaned your jewellery? (Picture: Facebook)
Look, everything you own is secretly gross and you should probably give it a good wash.
Your tea towels, your bra, your bedsheets, the mug you use at the office – they’re all filled with dirt and grime.
And so are your rings, according to a discovery from one Australian mum who took to a Facebook group to share her findings.
The woman also shared her technique for cleaning her rings without having to scrub them.
She said she had previously cleaned her rings each week using dishwashing detergent and a baby’s toothbrush, but while the results were good, they were nothing compared to her new technique.
We’ll just pause there to say that yes, she cleans her rings every week. When was the last time you cleaned your wedding ring? Anyone else struggling to remember?
So in this woman’s case, we’re talking about one week’s buildup of dirt. Just imagine how much grime could be lurking on your rings if you’re not such a regularly scheduled cleaning machine.
The dirt left behind after soaking a wedding ring for 12 hours (Picture: Facebook)
The mum soaked her rings in an Australian product called Koh Universal Surface Cleaner, a multi-purpose cleaning product that works by lifting, suspending and binding with dirt, grease and grime, for 12 hours, and returned to find specks of black dirt left behind.
After the treatment her rings were sparkling clean with no need to scrub.
Another commenter tried the same trick but without having to soak her jewellery overnight, instead popping them in a jar with the multipurpose cleaner, soaking them for ten minutes, then giving the jar a shake. Again, that resulted in beautifully clean jewellery.
Both she and the other people commenting on the post in a Facebook group were astounded by all the dirt that came out when cleaning rings.
It’s a handy reminder that yes, you probably should give jewellery you wear day in, day out a good wash.
But if you’re not in Australia with access to this specific product, don’t fear – there are plenty of other techniques you can use to clean your wedding rings.
The easiest we’ve found is making a solution with warm water and washing up liquid (avoid anything that’s advertised as being ‘moisturising’ as this can leave a film on your jewellery) and soaking your ring in there for an hour or so.
Whatever you do, don’t scrub at jewellery with a scourer or the rough side of a sponge, as you don’t want to cover your fancy ring with scratches.
Be gentle and use a soft cloth if needed to get rid of any residue.
Aim to clean your rings once a week if you can remember, or prepare to be presented with leftover water so dirty that you feel deep shame.
New research suggests getting your marigolds on to clean can help you live longer
A new study suggests that doing light physical activity such as cooking or simply washing the dishes can significantly reduce your risk of an early death.
Researchers at the University of Leicester who conducted the study say people who want to live longer can raise their chances by being that little more active on a daily basis.
In the study, led by the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, the results showed that death rates steeply fell as levels of light-intensity activity increased – that means doing everything from taking the trash out to ditching the television and taking a walk around the block when you’re in the office can help you live longer.
The report published in the BMJ by Ulf Ekelund and Thomas Yates, shows that when the intensity of physical activity increased to a moderate level (think breaking a sweat on a brisk walk or hoovering the entire house) a similarly steep decrease in deaths occurred with just 24 minutes of physical activity carried out everyday.
On the other side of the spectrum, those who did nothing all day, or sat for 9.5 hours or more were seen to have a more significant increase of dying earlier and developing other medical conditions, such as heart disease.
Current physical recommendations, in the UK and US, suggest that at least 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity physical activity is needed to keep healthy, and that any prolonged period of sitting should be avoided.
Eight previous studies involving 36,383 adults aged 40 or over who wore trackers were reviewed by a team at the University of Leicester.
Their health was monitored on average of 5.8 years, during which time 2,149 of the people observed had died.
Speaking of the results, Professor Thomas Yates of the University of Leicester said the findings were ‘fantastic’.
‘It has previously been widely assumed that more is better in terms of physical activity for health,’ he said.
‘However, this study suggests health may be optimized with just 24 minutes per day of brisk walking or other forms of moderate-intensity physical activity.’
Conclusion? Sit less, move more and more often, because the elixir of life was in your feather duster all along.
Brits are waiting longer to have sex with their dates (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
Dating etiquette is hard to get your head around at the best of times, but a new study has put the nation’s courting habits under the microscope – with some surprising results.
The research, conducted by dating app Happn, revealed singletons aren’t so eager to hit the sheets as might be expected, with most waiting until date number 12 to have sex.
According to the poll, singles in East Anglia will wait five dates before sleeping with their partner, whereas Londoners are waiting almost twice as long to go all the way.
It also showed that men were quicker to say those all important three words, waiting an average of 11 dates to say ‘I love you’, while women tend to utter them on date number 12.
The study, which looked at 1,000 singletons across the UK, also revealed some interesting findings in regards to chivalry. Around 46% of men believed in opening car doors for their dates and 47% said they would insist on paying the bill on a date night.
Interestingly, 37% of women said the bill should be split, versus 19 percent of men, but a significant number of both sexes said they felt indifferent.
In terms of making the first move, the study also found around two thirds of men (64%) prefer to initiate the pursuit, compared to 29% of women.
Findings also showed that men and women felt the same about ‘ghosting’, with around half of both sexes saying it’s never acceptable to ‘ghost’ someone.
A dating expert at Happn said: ‘The world of dating has completely changed but it’s interesting that some traditions still remain.
‘This research dispels quite a few myths! The third date rule doesn’t exist for men or women and chivalry isn’t dead after all!
‘It’s positive to see that so singles invest a lot of time in getting to know each other before taking the next step and also that both sexes are equally against the terrible ghosting trend.’
57 per cent of people think women are more likely to go along with sex to keep their partner happy (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
In January 2019 after a string of sub-par encounters, I announced in an article that I would not be having bad sex for the rest of the year. I hoped a public post would hold me to account.
Technically, I haven’t broken my manifesto commitment yet. I nearly had an orgasm from sex this year, which means I’m in better stead to beat last year’s score of once, in December 2018. Special thanks to OKCupid! for the hook up.
In a bid to level up on empowerment and sexual fulfillment, I got subscriptions to OMG YES, a website built to inform women about their sexual pleasure and Erika Lust, porn designed for women. But taking a lean-in approach to my sex life – attempting to be more assertive and vocal about my own needs – has only gotten me so far.
I am still, at heart, a socially-conditioned chronic people pleaser that tends to meet men that want to move things as quickly as possible to their favourite section of sex: penetration. Structural problems are structural problems, even when it comes to sex.
Their survey of nearly 4000 people found 57 per cent of people think women are more likely to go along with sex to keep their partner happy. But this went up to 63 per cent when you asked women and down to 50 per cent for men, suggesting men might be underestimating how often this is happening.
We need to challenge the idea that sex is centred on men and penetration (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
This also rang true in the focus groups they ran, where women spoke of feeling ‘duty bound’ once a man had an erection for him to reach climax.
Men – their needs and their pleasure – is still seen as the priority. Monica Karpinski, founder of Women’s Health resource, The Femedic, agrees this is a common belief. She told me: ‘Men are still seen as the subjects and women the object [that sex happens to].’
If sex is going to be more equitable, then we need to challenge the idea that it’s centred on men and penetration. But even after the strides we’ve made with sex positivity and feminism, EVAW’s research found archaic beliefs are still pervasive, like: men need and want sex more than women do, men are more likely to initiate sex and decide when sex is finished than women.
No wonder a survey by Public Health England of over 7,000 women found that half of respondents aged between 25 and 34 did not enjoy their sex life.
Cabby Laffy, director of the Centre for Psychosexual Health, thinks we need to shift how we talk and conceptualise what sex is. ‘We have a very goal oriented view of sex, that one activity leads to another, that then leads to penetration,’ she tells me. ‘Instead, we should promote a circular model of sex, any one part of it that is of interest counts as sex.’
This would help to close the orgasm gap, which means women are much less likely to reach orgasm than men during sex. We’re sold that this is just because orgasms are ‘harder to reach for women’. But this gap closes considerably for lesbian sex. We’re taught that the male orgasm is the centrepiece of sex while women’s orgasm is secondary. This needs to change.
I can’t overturn a lifetime of patriarchy overnight with some magazine articles and subscriptions. We need to rethink how sex is conceptualised and conceived and shift the conversation. But how many of us feel confident, in private and in public, sharing our sexual woes and needs in a time of sexual positivity and empowerment?
We’re sold that this is just because orgasms are ‘harder to reach for women’. But this gap closes considerably for lesbian sex (Picture: Ella Byworth for Metro.co.uk)
‘Everyone’s supposed to be really good at sex and know about it all already. You’re meant to be an expert but most people feel unsure,’ says Dr Carole Solomons, specialist in Psychosexual Medicine at the Fleet Street Clinic. ‘The stigma is changing – it used to be taboo to speak about sex. Now what’s taboo is not being able to ‘deliver’. It’s partly due to images of people with apparently perfect lives. If you don’t feel perfect – how do you manage that?’
When we’re at, arguably, our most vulnerable – literally naked but also nakedly in need of praise – how can we say its not working for us? Particularly with men, whose masculinity might be tied up with ‘performance’.
That requires teaching from an earlier age than mine. Yet the draft Sex and Relationships guidance for schools does not use the word pleasure even once.
EVAW are advocating for the inclusion of female and male masturbation, and the clitoris to be added to the guidance to sit alongside much needed knowledge of menstruation and reproduction. This would have been a welcome compliment to the awkward video of childbirth and condom demonstrations I had in school.
Sex is great! But it could be better. The conversations we have in private and in public need to be honest and free from shame but also from sexism. Hopefully the new conversation starts here.
A missing dog was reunited with her owner after escaping on to a busy motorway where she was rescued by a delivery driver and taken on a 110 mile road trip.
Maisie, a nine-year-old Jack Russell terrier, got scared during a thunderstorm and ran from her home in Birmingham on 26 June.
Delivery driver Chris Wilkins had been driving along the M42 and was shocked to spot the pup darting along the carriageway at around 2.30am.
He pulled over on the hard shoulder and risked his life to scoop up Maisie before she could be run over.
As he was in the middle of his shift and it was so late, Chris had no choice but to keep Maisie and continued on with his journey to Yorkshire.
The following day Chris took Maisie to his local vets where a microchip revealed her owners lived in Birmingham.
Maisie’s owners made the five-hour round trip later that day to bring their pet safely home.
Chris Wilkins and Maisie (Picture: SWNS)
Chris, from Brighouse, West Yorkshire, said: ‘I just saw this little white bottom in the middle of the road, holding up the traffic.
‘I actually thought it was a rabbit but then realised it was a little dog running for its life.
‘I have a terrier myself and I couldn’t bear the thought of this little one being hurt so I just acted without really thinking about it.
‘Looking back on it now, running onto the motorway in the dark to rescue a dog isn’t the most sensible thing I have ever done, but I’m glad I did it.
‘As I was on a delivery run, and it was the early hours of the morning, I thought the only thing I could do was take her with me.
‘She was an absolutely adorable dog, even trying to sneak up onto my lap at one point.
‘She was terrified by the storm which was taking place but she eventually managed to bed down in the truck.
Maisie with animal care assistant Matt (Picture: SWNS)
‘I am just thrilled to know she is back home in Birmingham where she belongs with her owner. I am so glad she was microchipped.’
Animal care assistant Matt Wright, of Calder Vets, said: ‘Thankfully Maisie’s owner had kept her microchip details up-to-date so I had a number to call.
‘This really proves how vital it is to have your pet microchipped.
‘I was expecting her to live nearby so I was absolutely stunned when I realised she had come from Birmingham, travelling a whopping 110 miles
‘Her owner had been frantic trying to find her, phoning around all his local vets to see if she had been taken in.
‘I think he was stunned when he found out where Maisie’s adventure had taken her.
‘Chris took a big risk stopping on a motorway to save Maisie but her owner will never forget what he did.
If you’re looking for bank holiday deals, we’ve got you.
Ahead of the August bank holiday we’re already seeing top retailers dropping prices across thousands of products, from Lovehoney to ASOS and Game. Not forgetting Amazon, who are currently offering up to 30% off of their own-label products, including their Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet, the Fire TV Stick, as well as the insanely popular and all-new Echo Dot.
But with so many deals and discounts on offer, it’s difficult to compare prices and not get caught up in the hype. So we’ve saved you time searching for the perfect deal and put together a comprehensive list of ALL your favourite retailers (in alphabetical order) and what they’re offering.
So here are all the best August bank holiday deals we’ve found today. And there will be more to come, so keep checking back to find a true bargain.
Notting Hill Carnival is the most sacred of weekends. The highlight of the summer. The party of the year. And it is finally almost upon us.
A celebration of all things Caribbean, Notting Hill Carnival is the only time you can eat curry goat, drink Red Stripe and catch a whine in the middle of the street in West London. The very definition of good vibes.
The carnival gods have blessed us with a late August heatwave and our outfits are planned – all that’s left to do is master the moves. Because how exactly does one catch a whine? It may look simple, but it doesn’t come naturally to everyone.
We asked the Caribbean dance instructors from At Your Beat to break down a few steps of an authentic Jamaican Dancehall routine – so when your tune comes on this weekend you’ll know exactly what to do.
Now of course, dancing to Soca, Dancehall or Calypso is often a really instinctual thing. You feel the rhythm and go with it.
But if you’ve never been to carnival before, or if the thought of dancing on the street, surrounded by strangers in broad daylight brings you out in a cold sweat – it might be an idea to have a few moves up your sleeve.
The first move that the instructors teach in the video is the whine. The staple move that you’re basically going to be doing all day long until your abs start to hurt. So even if you don’t know how to do anything else, if you can whine – you’re golden.
The professionals say you should start with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees. Keep your core nice and tight and then swing your hips round in a circle. That’s literally it. Waist, hips and bum.
Top tips for dancing to Dancehall
Bring the confidence
Easier said than done, but feeling confident with your moves is half the battle. Uncertainty will show on your face and in how you move, so own ever step.
Don’t be scared to take it low
This kind of dance is all about levels, so take it the floor and don’t be afraid to stay there. Just watch your knees on the way back up.
‘Whine’ up your waistline
Whine means wind – and when your dancing Dancehall it’s all about the waist, the hips and the bum.
Bend your knees
Nothing screams stiffness like rigid, straight legs – bend those knees to get some bounce and wiggle in your movements.
Don’t forget to have fun Dancehall really isn’t about precision or getting it ‘right’ – it’s about freedom or expression, so feel free to improvise and enjoy what you’re doing. There’s no one right way to dance at carnival.
At Your Beat dance studio
Carnival takes place from the 25-26 August this year. It kicks off early Sunday morning and keeps going until Monday night. Sunday is the family-friendly day if you want to take the kids.
Monday is traditionally the livelier day when the main parade takes place. There will also be 38 static sound systems in the area for you to show off your newly-learned moves.
He loves a good wine does our Adrian (Picture: Metro.co.uk)
We live in a drinking culture, no two ways about it. Most social engagements mean the pub, and when you go for dinner you’ll be goaded into looking at the wine list or buying an expensive cocktail.
It’s still something of a taboo topic though, so when the masks slips and your drinking’s no longer fun, there’s an element of shame.
Our weekly series, Spill It, aims to lift the lid on what we’re drinking, switching the conversation from a set of guidelines to how we actually live (and whether that’s a healthy outlet or not) with no judgement.
This week, we spoke to Adrian, a 26-year-old software developer, who likes decent booze and has had some trouble with transport.
Friday
We usually have a couple of drinks in the office on a Friday evening, so I had two bottles of Stella Artois while I finished up my work. (Not my preferred beer but it’s all we had.) Then there were some after-work drinks at a nearby pub (these happen maybe once or twice a month) with a bar tab, so I went to that and drank two pints of IPA and one G&T. When I got home I had a glass of red wine (Italian, not sure of the grape) from a bottle I’d opened previously.
Units: 3.4
Saturday
In the evening I went out for dinner to a tapas restaurant, where I shared a large jug of (red wine) sangria between two – I probably had about three large glasses. Back home I had another glass of the red wine.
Units: 12
Sunday
It was a quiet day at home, so with dinner I had one more glass of red wine to finish the bottle. Later while watching TV I had a glass of whisky – a double measure of Monkey Shoulder.
Units: 5
Monday
I wasn’t doing anything this evening so just went home after work. No alcohol drunk.
Units: 0
Tuesday
I had a glass of whisky (one double measure, Monkey Shoulder again) while reading a book. Not a very exciting evening.
Units: 2
Wednesday
I went to meet some friends for drinks in south London, during which I had three pints: a Punk IPA (which inexplicably cost a whopping £5.80) and two pints of Toast Pale Ale (not much cheaper to be honest). I might have had another except I was spending a small fortune, and then we decided to call it a night anyway.
Units: 9
Thursday
I worked late in the office and then for most of the evening at home; no drinking.
Units: 0
Friday
I had two bottles of Corona in the office at the end of the day as part of the usual Friday-at-5 drinks. Then I left for the railway station for what I thought would be an uneventful two-hour trip up north. Unfortunately the National Grid failed, Kings Cross shut down, and I had to divert via Euston instead to get out of London.
Three hours later than planned I managed to get on a northbound train where mercifully I was able to track down two glasses of red wine (a Merlot-Cabernet blend, I think). Eventually got to my destination at 03:22 in the morning after missing a connection.
You’re at the pub, but what are you going to order? (Picture: Mmuffin for Metro.co.uk)
You’ve made it through the week, made it to the pub, and are just standing at the bar ready to get your round in.
But – horror of horrors – you now realise you have no clue what you fancy to drink.
Do you just go for a pint of whatever’s cheapest? Is it a night to stay sober? Wine? Is a rum and coke too much?
Never fear, panicked pub goers, for we have made a handy quiz to help you decide while you’re in the queue (or sitting at your desk, if you like to plan your drink orders in advance).
There are just two rules you must follow.
Number one: Answer honestly. Never lie to the quiz.
Number two: Respect the results.
The quiz knows what’s right and when it recommends you a drink, you should heed its warnings. Don’t you dare say ‘ugh, what does this quiz know?’ and order a cider. That’s extremely rude.
Society is based on respecting sources of wisdom, and that includes taking internet quizzes extremely seriously and doing what they tell you to do.
The only exceptions to this rule is if you’re allergic to whatever is recommended or you’re not drinking alcohol for whatever reason. We’re not going to pry.
When it feels like your laptop is the only thing holding you back, it might be time to consider a faster and more intuitive device
Is your laptop making you wait around? Constantly letting you down and failing to keep up?
It might be time to upgrade to a machine that makes life easier, like one of the sleek, intuitive and speedy devices now available on the market.
Thanks to significant improvements in processors and internal memory, frustrating problems like battery life and achingly slow processing have become a thing of the past.
But letting go needn’t feel overwhelming, you might be surprised at how easy it is to trade-in an old device at Currys PC World, making an upgrade surprisingly affordable.
So if your relationship with your laptop has become strained, consider the following seven signs as a hint that it’s time to make your upgrade.
Find a laptop that makes life’s everyday tasks seem like light work
1 It’s moving too slow
When it feels like your laptop can no longer keep up, it could be the processor that is failing you. Since the processor is the brain of your PC, controlling everything your PC does, it should be a key consideration when choosing your next laptop. Upgrading to an 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processor-based laptop will turn your PC brain into quite the genius, giving you exceptional performance to get things done faster and more easily.
2 It lets you down
Permanently chained to a plug socket? At a certain age, older laptops can barely last two hours without needing a power-up, which can make portable use practically impossible. How are you supposed to get through a whole film, uninterrupted? And don’t even think about tackling that presentation without straying too far from a power outlet. However, modern laptops with an improved CPU are more energy-efficient, meaning you can finally cut free of the clunky power cord because the computer’s independent battery life can last for hours longer.
3 You’ve stopped communicating well
An intuitive device doesn’t need to be told what you’re thinking – it’s already two steps ahead. While old machines never seem to be on our wavelengths, new designs make communication easier than ever using things like intuitive touch screen design that helps you to write, swipe, navigate and draw with a stylus as instinctively as you would with a pen and paper. And if you feel like going hands-free, you can now dictate with programs like Windows Cortana voice command that enable you to search and ask questions out loud.
If your laptop multi-tasks as hard as you do, you need a modern device that can keep up (Photographer: Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Don’t let poor performance stand in the way of your own output (Picture: Nattakorn Maneerat/Getty Images/iStockphoto)
4 You need some space
If your laptop takes a long time to start up and moves infuriatingly slow when it gets there, you could benefit from better SSD storage (solid-state drive). Compared to outdated laptops that rely on HDD storage (hard disk drive), newer devices with SSD make your PC more responsive by getting data to the processor quicker. This leads to faster launching and loading of programs.
5 It’s a little embarrassing
Bulky laptops belong in the dark ages. Drawing an old fashioned, cumbersome machine out on a commuter train is not only a little embarrassing but often virtually impossible, considering all the heavy-lifting it took to get it there. For many of us, significant improvements in the aesthetic of these devices will have passed us by until you compare them side-by-side but the latest sleek designs make carrying your all-in-one office, diary and streaming device look like light work, especially with HD screens and audio that could rival your home entertainment system.
Find a laptop that’s on your wavelength with intuitive voice command and touch screens that make communicating with device seem simple
6 It’s struggling to keep up
One other important consideration for a computer that regularly performs many tasks at one time is sufficient RAM (Random Access Memory). Think of it like the short-term memory that temporarily stores recently used data so it can be accessed quickly by the processor. If there is not enough RAM, the processor may not be able to complete the tasks as fast as you want it to. Therefore the more RAM a device has – measured in gigabytes (GB) – the more tasks the machine can handle. Which is perfect if you plan to juggle Excel spreadsheets with a PowerPoint presentation and your Spotify playlist.
7 Things aren’t looking good
No-one should have to squint their way through Game of Thrones – it deserves full high definition screens not small, poorly pixelated displays that barely do your spreadsheets justice. If your laptop often doubles as your entertainment streaming device, you won’t believe the improvement full HD screens will make to your viewing enjoyment. With unparalleled picture quality, crispness and clarity, an upgraded device could help you see things in a whole new light.
We depend on our laptops for practically everything these days, don’t let it be the thing to let you down
Save With Instant Trade-In
If you needed any more excuses to wave goodbye to your old machine, Currys PC World will now give you the chance to save money on a shiny new one when you trade in your laptop.
Using Currys PC World’s genius instant trade-in service, your slow and out-dated device could be replaced with a rapid, powerful laptop the same day.
Like an HP Envy with 8th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor, that’s speedy and intuitive enough to keep up with your lifestyle.
You can get anything up to £200 for an eligible machine to offset against your next purchase, and even more if you spread the cost with an outstanding flexible credit plan.
Simply pop into store with your old machine or get an instant online valuation at currys.co.uk and see for yourself just how much it could be worth!
The 89-year old from Texas celebrated her first day of senior day care with a photoshoot (Picture: Facebook/Monique Flores)
One adorable grandma has proved you’re never too old to get excited about a fresh start.
Antonia Villarreal, a 89-year old from Texas, celebrated starting senior day care by posing for pictures – in a first-day-of-school style photoshoot.
The senior, who suffers from dementia, used a whiteboard to announce her first day at the Frisco Senior Center, listing her name, age, and favourite food — milkshakes.
She even picked her own special outfit for the occasion, complete with a colourful backpack.
Her grown-up granddaughter Monique Flores organised Antonia’s photoshoot and took the photos on her driveway.
Antonia posing with her whiteboard (Picture: Facebook/Monique Flores)
Antonia’s move to the day care centre came following concerns surrounding her health and inability to look after herself full-time.
‘Rather than choosing to feel sad about losing a sense of independence, she chose to be excited and enthusiastic about this new beginning,’ Monique told FOX 4.
Monique posted the photos of her grandma on her personal Facebook page, with the caption: ‘Last night, she picked out her whole outfit, woke up extra early to get ready, and was ready to go with her backpack and packed lunch 30 minutes early.
‘No matter what age you are, you can always find a reason to celebrate.’
The post was met with praise from family and friends and several strangers showed their admiration for Antonia.
One user commented: ‘It is by far the sweetest “1st day” post I’ve seen yet. Oh and senior center…Love it!! May she have a wonderful time everyday.’
The lovable pensioner is set to turn 90 this December.
If you’re planning on having a BBQ this bank holiday, Morrisons has got your back with a £10 mega meat pack that’s got enough meat to feed the family.
Temperatures are set to soar this weekend, so it’s the perfect opportunity to grill up some burgers.
The 2kg pack includes four British pork loins steaks, six The Best British pork sausages, six British beef burgers and two British chicken fillets.
The offer is only around until 28 August, so you might want to pop into your local Morrisons ASAP to get your hands on the lot.
The meat costs £10 (Picture: Morrisons)
This isn’t the first time Morrisons has launched a huge meat offer.
Back in March, the supermarket released a £10 box of meat that can feed a family for up to two weeks.
The 2.3kg meat box contained a range of different products, and was so big that Morrisons claimed there was enough in there to last an average UK family two weeks.
The British Meat Pack included a pork loin joint, steak mince, lean diced beef and pork sausages.
It’s made of steel and features a fire bowl and log grate, and measures 56cm by 39cm.
As mentioned, it was originally priced at £39.99, so this is a bargain.
The fire pit, which will be a great addition to the garden this autumn when you fancy sitting out in cosy blankets roasting marshmallows, went on sale yesterday, 22 August.
It’s currently available in Lidl stores nationwide.
