With just over a week of November left, Christmas trees will start popping up in windows everywhere.

If you’re in need of some inspiration, take a look at these amazing creations by mum-of-three Tina Robinson.

Every year, the 40-year-old transforms an artificial tree into a different masterpiece – and she only spends £40.

The designs take up to three weeks to create but it’s included everything from a Minion-themed tree inspired by a family holiday to Florida to an angel-shaped tree in memory of her grandparents.

This year, Tina spent one hour per night for three weeks perfecting a dog-friendly tree hanging from the ceiling where it can’t be reached by newly adopted French Bulldog, Caesar.

She said: ‘Caesar can’t be trusted yet, so I’ve attached hooks in the ceiling and hung each branch up and put his kennel underneath so he can’t reach it.

‘I make all sorts of stuff. I’ve always been quite crafty and I love Christmas.

‘I got the idea when I went to Florida, I came back and made a Minion tree. Nobody wants the same Christmas decorations every year.

‘I usually spend £40 on the decorations, I always get new baubles to match the theme but it’s the same tree under the decorations.

‘It’s good to be different – our old tree was just so ordinary, it came out of the loft every year and it was just boring.

‘Now, it looks different each year.’

Tina said her children, Leah, 22, Dean, 21, and Jay, 11, look forward to seeing their mum’s festive creations every year but partner, Craig Wardley, 40, thinks she’s ‘crazy.’

Tina gets most of her decorations from eBay and the garden centre and has been using the same £40 Christmas tree as a base for her quirky designs since 2015.

Tina said: ‘Jay loves it. He gets excited to see what I’m going to make and he helps me.

‘I start planning about one month before, I’ll draw a picture and then start collecting the decorations.

‘It gets me in the Christmas spirit. I love that Christmassy feeling, it’s brilliant.

‘One year, we made our own minion baubles with yellow paint and stuck some googly eyes on them.

‘It’s a nice thing for us to do together as well.

‘But Craig does wonder where on earth I get all these crazy ideas from.’

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Stacey Jones wanted to create an incredible bedroom for her three-year-old – but she was on a tight budget.

With a little imagination, she managed to turn his plain, boring room into a creative dinosaur-themed zone for Huey.

The mum-of-three painted her own designs instead of using wallpaper and upcycled furniture to create the look.

The 39-year-old visual stylist from Manchester told money-saving website LatestDeals.co.uk: ‘I really wanted to create a unique and fun room for my dinosaur-mad little boy, but my budget was small for this makeover so I had to get creative and think outside of the box.

‘His bedroom is only small so painting mountains on the wall instead of using wallpaper kept the cost low and the room feeling light even though I’ve used green tones which could easily have made the room feel smaller.

‘I wanted a lot of natural tones and fabrics to compliment so the use of jute and wicker and the natural pine bed really stands out against the green. Foliage and lights were added to the teepee bed and the dino feet stickers on the floor add to the dino jungle theme.

‘All the DIY was done by myself including the upcycle of the Ikea chest of drawers; I painted those in the same shades as the mountains on the wall and added plastic toy dinosaurs as the handles: in total that cost around £35.

‘It roughly cost £280 in total to do the makeover.’

Stacey, who is also mum to Honey, 13, Harmoni, 11, sought out decorations from budget stores, finding a large T-Rex head for the wall for £6.99, themed bedding from Primark for £9 and a dinosaur cuddly toy from Argos for £2.25.

She added: ‘My tips would be to use the same paint used on the walls to upcycle the drawers to keep costs low, and also to keep everything matching.

‘Don’t buy expensive drawer handles – I’d seen dinosaur ones for around £30 to £40 and I managed to make my own for £6. Source cheap artificial plants that you can cut up and use as the foliage on the bed frame as it works out much cheaper than buying the longs strands of faux ivy and so on.’

‘I feel so proud of what I managed to achieve on a small budget and best of all I got the seal of approval from Huey who tells me he loves his dinosaur bedroom every day.’

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Primark is selling a vintage style bar cart for £30 and it will be perfect for all your Christmas cocktail parties.

You can use it to hold all your spirits and cocktail making kit.

It’s a circular shape which gives serious vintage vibes and comes in a gold colour.

It’s on wheels so you move it to wherever the celebrations are.

There are two shelves, giving you l store everything in one place.

Posting the cart on Instagram, Primark said that it is now on sale but they warned that they are expecting this one to sell out fast.

The post said: ‘Make yourself the talk of party season when you wheel one of these bad boys in.

‘And all for just £30/€35!! Swipe right to see where you can get your hands on the bar cart that everyone’s been talking about.

‘Due to popularity of product, we recommend calling your local store ahead of your visit for updates on stock availability.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5A6T12nASs/

The cart is being stocked at just a few stores including Birmingham, Belfast Donegal Place, Bristol, Bromley, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London Oxford Street (East and West), Manchester Market Street, Manchester Trafford Centre and Newcastle.

In the Republic of Ireland, you can get it at Dublin Mary Street, Blanchardstown, Swords, Liffey Valley.

Shoppers were excited to get their hands on one.

Shannon said: ‘I need this for all my gin and Baileys.’

Sofie tagged a friend and said: ‘Can see this in your living room.’

The cart looks a lot like one from Oliver Bonas but their version costs £395.

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When Kourtney Young married Tanner Krietemeir, she had a beautiful day – but one person was missing.

Her dad Donnie was shot and killed in 2005, while working as a police officer.

But her mum Kelly had arranged a special surprise.

She knew that the father-daughter dance was going to be particularly poignant for Kourtney – so she got seven of Donnie’s colleagues to dance to Paul Simon’s Father And Daughter, with her.

Kourtney, from Colorado, U.S., said: ‘It was a surprise my mom had planned.

‘That song was something my dad played for me when I was little and he gave me a necklace with his badge number on it. So that song was special.

‘All those officers were friends of my dad’s and our family, so they were invited to the wedding already.

‘I was caught off guard, but it was such a cool thing and a special moment. A lot of those guys are really important to me so it was special to share that moment with them.’

Two of the officers, Jeff Barron and Chris Shotts also walked down the aisle, behind Kourtney and her mum.

One of the dancers, Danny Veith told FoxNews: ‘It was very emotional. I felt despair, like Donnie’s being robbed of this moment.

‘Then I took stock of all that has happened in the last 14 years and looking at Kelly and all she has accomplished in the last 14 years since Donnie’s murder and then seeing Kelsey and Kourtney are these beautiful young women. Little girls no more.

‘I just told her how Donnie was and is proud of her.

‘Being the first to dance with her, I got to see every other officer walk out, very proud, happy fathers.

‘And then as they turned their back to Kourtney to return to our group, every single one of them was crying.’

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You can get free fries at McDonald’s on 22 November so it’s perfect if you’re saving your pennies for Black Friday next week.

The fast-food restaurant regularly offers deals through their app and this time, it’s fries.

There’s no purchase necessary but you do need to order through the app to get the deal.

How to get the McDonald’s app

You can download it from the app store and sign up online, before completing registration.

You then complete your order and go to the store to collect. You can now even order directly to your table through your phone.

Table Markers are being rolled out, which means you can find somewhere to sit, put the number on the table into the app and then someone will bring the food to you.

Can you get free McDonald’s fries at all restaurants?

The only catch is that 26 stores won’t be included in the offer.

These include Croydon, Walworth Rd, Bham Dale End, Lincoln, Ashton-Under-Lyne, Lowestoft, Tonbridge – High Street, Rugby, Birkenhead, Falkirk, 291 Oxford St, Praed Street, Llandudno, Highway Shadwell, Charlton. Beccles, Whitehall, Croydon Valley Park, Livingston Mall, Eastbourne 2, Tunbridge Wells 2, Croydon 3 Centrale, West One Shopping Centre, Wimbledon Centre Court, Bracknell – The Keep and Chelmsford 2 Riverside.

While you are there, you might want to try out the festive menu, which launched this week.

It includes the Big Tasty burger, the Chicken Deluxe burger, camembert cheese dippers and a mint Matchmakers McFlurry.

You can also pick up Reindeer Treats – aka a bag of carrots for Rudolph and his friends on Christmas Eve.

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Shed a tear for the fallen angels, as Victoria’s Secret has confirmed they won’t be putting on their fashion show this year.

So say farewell to the experience of watching models strut down runways with giant wings and bedazzled bras.

In case you somehow missed out on this cultural behemoth, a quick recap.

Since 2001, Victoria’s Secret has put on a televised runway show to display all its fanciest products, getting in top models to head down the catwalk. The show involves selected models being dedicated ‘angels’ (a high honour) and usually has a major pop star performing, too.

Now, after years of declining views – just 3.3 million watched the 2018 show, which is dismal compared to the 12 million who watched the first show in 2001 – the show won’t be taking place.

Stuart Burgdoerfer, the chief financial officer of the company, was asked if the show would be held and responded: ‘We’ll be communicating to customers, but nothing that I would say is similar in magnitude to the fashion show.

‘We’re figuring out how to advance the positioning of the brand.’

This is months after model Shanina Shaik mentioned that this year the show wouldn’t be going ahead.

The ditching of the show isn’t a massive surprise.

The news comes after chief marketing officer Ed Razek stepped down, following much-criticised comments about the brand not casting transgender or plus-size models.

There’s been further controversy surrounding L Brands, which owns Victoria’s Secret, as the founder Les Wexner reportedly had a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Meanwhile, Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty show stepped up to give the VS show some competition, attracting a bunch of praise for its diverse model roundup and an incredible performance from Normani, who’s just been named the label’s first brand ambassador.

No news yet on whether the Victoria’s Secret show will return next year with a new format, but let us send all our good vibes to the poor, sweet, incredibly beautiful models now lacking the joy of wearing something sparkly and underwired.

Victoria's Secret 2018 fashion show

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Victoria's Secret 2018 fashion show

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Growing up, my parents were strict. Like other immigrant families, they moved to Australia to give me a better life, one with opportunities.

This included a non-negotiable agreement that I would complete a law degree, so my final year of high school was filled with charts, acronyms and studying rather than the teenage rite of passage of a part-time job.

By the time I got my first job at 18, I had no idea how to handle money. The trouble began with my first parking fine.

While working at a supermarket, my only option was to station my car in customer parking, which had a limit of two hours. It was perfect for anyone doing their weekly shop, but impossible for a part-time worker with a six-hour shift.

Every two hours, I pleaded with my supervisor to let me move my car but they insisted it would be fine. I walked out that day $90 richer, only to find a pink slip taped to the windshield of my car – $80 for overtime parking.

I felt sick but I blamed my supervisors and stubbornly refused to pay the fine on principle. I imagined writing a letter to contest it. But it felt like an insurmountable task so I kept putting it on the back burner until I eventually forgot.

Instead, I continued to work there and proceeded to get routinely fined. At one point I couldn’t open my glove compartment without pink slips spilling over the passenger seat. 

I compartmentalised these tickets, both literally and figuratively. Pieces of paper didn’t feel real. As soon as I put them away they disappeared from my consciousness. Sweeping things under the rug is how my family has always dealt with issues and applying this methodology to parking fines seemed to work until it didn’t. 

Looking back, I want to shake myself but being in the deep throes of denial makes you feel untouchable – and anyway, I was due for a rude awakening.  

Notices began arriving at the house I lived in with my parents. One day, I came home to 15 opened letters sitting on the dining table. 

My parents scolded me and organised a payment plan on my behalf. My problems were fixed without me having to lift a finger, but nothing was done to fix my toxic patterns of behaviour. 

Looking back, I want to shake myself but being in the deep throes of denial makes you feel untouchable.

Over the next five years, I used the city as my own parking playground. As long as I wasn’t at risk of getting towed, any parking spot was a safe space. I racked up parking violations, failed to pay tolls, shrugged my shoulders when I didn’t have change for a parking meter and went on my merry way.

On an average week, I was receiving 20 overdue notices in the post. And like anyone harbouring a dark secret, I learned how to keep this paper trail hidden. Some people stuff their mattresses with money; I was shoving thousands of dollars of unpaid tickets in mine. 

I was simultaneously too afraid to know how bad things had become while also telling myself that if it was so bad someone would have stopped me by now.

And if they did, I was sure my parents wouldn’t let anything bad happen to me. I was wrapped in a youthful, haphazard security blanket of my own imagination. 

Then in 2015, I heard a knock at the door. I was already flustered, running late for a date and answered the door to what I assumed would be a delivery. It was the police. 

As one officer confirmed my identity, another clamped the wheel of my car in the driveway. Within seconds they asked to come inside, where they told me I was being arrested for $12,000 worth of unpaid parking fines. My legs went numb. 

I asked if there was something I could do – surely a payment plan would save the day again? Stoic and unmoved by my tears, the officer told me payment plans were only offered to offenders with a debt of $10,000 or less. They asked me to show them around the house to note down any valuable items that could be seized.

My mother lent me $3,000 then and there, which allowed me to go on a payment plan and avoid jail. But things were about to get worse. 

When I called to set up a plan I found out the officers had given me the wrong information. Even with the $3,000, I still owed a tremendous $30,000. I had to go to court.

I hung up. Completely in shock, I sat down on the floor in silence and didn’t move for the next two hours. 

I could no longer pretend my debt didn’t exist. I had a $30,000 impetus to get my life together. There was no way out.

In the weeks leading up to my court date, I sought out free legal advice. Unless the judge took the unlikely decision to wipe my debt clean from my record, I was facing jail time or a garnering of my meagre wages. 

My day in court was a blur of long lines and nervous visits to the bathroom. I was called to the stand just after midday. 

The judge asked why I hadn’t paid my fines. I rattled off pitiful excuses about how school was all-consuming, as though that kept me from the 30 seconds it took to pay a fine.

He was unmoved. ‘Why do you think you’re special?’ I didn’t have an answer. 

Looking through my records – a letter from one of my lecturers, another from my therapist, and one from me begging for forgiveness – the judge looked up from his glasses perched on the bridge of his nose and said the unfathomable. He was letting it go. My debt was wiped clean.

Driving home, I felt good albeit incredibly guilty for my unfathomable luck. The judge had pardoned my debt due to my good standing in the community, my lack of significant assets, and crucially because my lecturer and therapist had vouched for me.

Since then, I haven’t procured a single fine. Every day I’ve spent debt-free is a blessing, but I keep that day in court at the top of my mind.

Living in denial may feel good, but your day of judgement is always just around the corner. 

My punishment may have only been a slap on the wrist but the lesson wasn’t lost on me. I’m very lucky to have parents that stepped in when I needed them and I’ve since paid them back. 

Facing jail for my debts instilled the fear of God in me, and I now check my bank account every day, and live within my means.

It’s a privilege to move forward with a clean slate so I don’t have a credit card and keep a budget of all the money I make, spend, and save. 

I’m terrified of slipping up but the only thing I can control is how I prevent that happening again.

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Tawny MacVay, 34, and her husband Michael, 31, had a family gym business, a three-storey house, and a nice car. But they weren’t happy.

They decided to make a change, selling everything they owned so they could buy a bus and travel the world.

But overhauling your life isn’t so simple.

While the couple found buyers for their home and business, both fell through after they had bought their bus, meaning they were near bankruptcy and had to live with family for six month.

They didn’t let that roadblock stop them from pursuing their dreams of a new lifestyle. In December 2018 they managed to sort out their finances and get to work on turning an old school bus into a home.

The bus, which Tawny and Michael call Oliver, was originally a 2004 school bus they bought for $5,000 (£3,900). Renovations – including creating a kitchen and adding a cosy bed, set them back $15,000 (£11,700).

In May 2018, they moved aboard full-time. They haven’t looked back since.

‘We owned a business, a three-storey home and all the usual means of measuring success,’ said Tawny. ‘We were classed as successful and should have been wildly happy, but we weren’t.

‘In early spring of 2018 we saw a documentary about a couple who converted a school bus into a tiny home. We did some research and put our house on the market a few weeks later.

‘Within two months, we had sold most of our belongings, and had the house and our business under contract. We searched and searched for the perfect bus, finally found it, and with everything tied up, we bought the bus and jumped in.’

The couple’s bus now has a living area with a Murphy bed, a full kitchen with jobs and a fridge, a bathroom with a composting toilet, a shower, a washer/dryer, and a bedroom.

It’s powered not just by petrol but with solar panels stuck on top.

So far Tawny, Michael, and Oliver, have journeyed more than 5,000 miles, travelling through the Pacific Northwest, Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, and plan to head south to avoid the cold through winter.

The pair sleep and relax on the bus, jumping off to take their Great Dane, Apollo, for walks and stopping in cities to fill up on water. They now both work as writers, too.

As we said, it’s not an easy ride, but the couple are so glad they packed up things and joined the bus life.

‘We’ve been very fortunate to not have too many problems while on the road,’ says Tawny.

‘When we told our family and friends what we were going to do they laughed. Mike and I are pretty impulsive people and also don’t stay inside the societal norm box. They nodded and went along with it I suppose they are used to our ‘oddball’ choices.

‘We have two kids who also travel with us part-time when they’re not with their biological dad. We like that we can teach them to follow their dreams even if they aren’t ‘normal’.

‘Every lifestyle comes with pros and cons. Having a home on wheels isn’t always an easy choice, it takes determination as you have breakdowns and travel issues to deal with.

‘To be honest, as the saying goes, we would rather die on an adventure like this than live standing still. If you understand that, if you feel something when we say that, bus life could be for you.

‘People who say ‘I wish I could do that’ guess what? You can! We don’t have special skills, we had no experience before we got started, we learnt as we went on and with help from others with experience.

‘All it takes is the determination and the desire to push through no matter what.’

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Christmas ads have started landing and the weather outside is becoming frightful, which can only mean that Black Friday is coming up.

Sure, the holidays are drawing near too, but this infamous day of discounts is a whole event in itself.

As we wait to hear of more offers in store for us in 2019, here’s what you need to know about what time Black Friday starts and when it will be this year.

What time does Black Friday 2019 begin?

Many retailers have already started offering Black Friday sales, with the likes of Sky, NOW TV, Amazon, Currys, Carphone Warehouse and more cutting prices on products in the run-up to the notorious shopping day.

Brick and mortar stores will often open early on Black Friday, with some shops opening for business before dawn at 6am in 2018.

Some deals will also begin to be offered online from the second the clock strikes midnight on Friday morning.

The tradition of offering discounts on Black Friday originated in America, and it always falls on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

With the United States’ Thanksgiving always being on the fourth Thursday in November, Black Friday 2019 will be on 29 November.

Another day of deals coming soon is Cyber Monday, which falls the Monday after Black Friday and will be on 2 December this year.

Cyber Monday does what it says on the tin in that the deals offered that day are only available online rather than the high street, so you won’t have to wade through crowds of people to bag a bargain.

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Business influencers are nothing new. From motivational speakers like Gary Vaynerchuk to general #RiseAndGrind entrepreneurs on your timelines, people trying to show off their hustle are everywhere.

Adam Deering is one of these.

A glance at his pinned Instagram stories will show the silver-haired 38-year-old asking his followers whether they’re ‘focused on their missions’, and advising them that they’re ‘going to f***ing die one day’ so they should ‘run at [their dreams] like [they’re] on f***ing fire’.

It’s the standard motivational schtick you’ll find on every hustle porn account, and Deering’s backstory makes it all the more touching.

Brought up in Urmston, Greater Manchester, he was looked after by his grandparents from the age of ten, and was expelled from school aged 14.

After a three-year stint in the RAF, Deering returned home and struggled to find a career, instead ‘bumming around in rubbish jobs and getting fired.’

He later managed to find a sales job for a debt management firm, where he climbed up the ladder, and by 21 he left to start his own business in the same field. He’s also battled with alcohol and drug addiction, and has now been sober for a number of years, after attending a Thai rehab clinic alongside Pete Doherty.

Adam now has a number of business interests, including property development and tech. The one many people know him for, however, is Hanover Insolvency.

Adam’s net worth is reported to be £50 million, with Hanover’s annual turnover reported to be at £8 million in 2017.

Insolvency companies offer products such as IVAs, which are agreements between you and your creditors where some of your debt is written off and some is paid back in installments that are manageable for you.

While IVAs can be a valuable thing for people who are in serious amounts of debt, companies that manage them have proven controversial due to charging fees from people who are already in debt.

According to Citizen’s Advice, ‘there are no professional or legal guidelines on what IPs should charge but fees are in the region of £5,000 on average’. This can be paid upfront or over the course of the usually-five-year repayment plan.

Martyn James, Head of Media and Marketing at financial complaints service Resolver says: ‘The fact remains that there are lots of options available to people struggling financially – and for free. From StepChange to debt management plans, people should pursue the free options first.’

Because an IVA can affect your credit rating for a number of years after it’s opened, it’s considered to be a last-ditch option when someone doesn’t see themselves getting out of debt.

Debt in itself is a topic that is shrouded in confusion and distress – particularly for young people.

The Money Advice Service found last year that around half of 18 to 24-year-olds (51%) say they regularly worry about money, but only 27% know what their credit rating is and how it affects them, and 37% of those in debt say they do not have a plan in place to repay the money that they currently owe.

The Sun reported last month that Adam Deering’s social media accounts – in particular, competitions he funded where people could win money and designer goods – had the possibility, according to debt experts, to ‘easily confuse vulnerable people into taking out an IVA unnecessarily.’

There’s no data to suggest this is the case, but a glance at Adam’s Instagram shows he does tend to talk at length about how he’s helped people (although with no specific allusion to IVAs or bankruptcy).

In one picture, a comment is edited into a photo of Adam staring out to sea. The comment says: ‘Hi Adam, just wanted to say a huge huge thank you to your team for helping me get back on track and live a nice family life again with the kids! Means the world to me, wish I had done it sooner and highly recommend’.

Another similar picture shows a comment that says, ‘I honestly was thinking everyone would be better off without me. You’ve changed my life and my kids’ lives for the better by sorting all this out for me. I’ve started watching your motivational videos now as well, it’s made me believe in myself again’.

Couple these stories with his own rags to riches backstory, and personal endorsements from the likes of Wes Nelson, Katie Price, and Georgia Steele, and it inspires a sense of trust in Adam.

A spokesman for Deering is keen to state that the link between Hanover and Deering doesn’t apply to his social media presence. They told Metro.co.uk: ‘No celebrities have ever endorsed (or mentioned) any of Adam’s companies in the competitions they have run on their accounts or ever targeted people who are in debt.

‘Whilst he is CEO of Hanover Insolvency, a company which helps people who have unmanageable debt, it is only one of many businesses Adam runs.​’

Instead, the spokesperson claims that he ‘uses his personal Instagram profile to inspire others to work hard and follow their dreams.’

Regardless of whether you personally believe that Adam’s profile would make people feel that IVAs and bankruptcy are a viable solution for most, there aren’t any warnings among the motivational words, messages of gratitude, and aspirational pictures of Adam on holidays around the world.

In an interview Adam did with Blue’s Simon Webbe about the singer’s bankruptcy, there is no mention of how financially ruinous bankruptcy can be (although there is money advice in the piece to avoid that situation in the first place).

In the interview, Simon says: ‘Still live in a great house. Still drive an amazing car.’ Nowhere does it state how bankruptcy means your assets will be seized by your creditors to pay back what you owe (including your home).

Resolver’s Martyn James says: ‘Insolvency is a huge decision with long-lasting impacts. It’s not something that should ever be incentivised or ‘rewarded’.

‘It’s a last-ditch deal to sort out your finances. Morally and ethically, it’s totally unacceptable to push these services proactively.

‘Fine, I understand that some firms offer these services and need to compete. But anything that normalises or worse, suggests that insolvency is a lifestyle choice, is unacceptable and completely irresponsible.’

There’s also the issue that Adam regularly DMs people with financial advice. On his AdamDeeringIVA Facebook page, the advice reads, ‘In Debt over £5K? Need Help? DM me!’

The question remains whether this advice will be impartial, or whether there are ethical issues to an influencer in this business being able to chat to people on such a personal level (many of whom may be vulnerable) without there being a slant toward insolvency as the best option.

His spokesperson says: ‘Adam is a debt help expert and having worked in the industry for twenty years, he has helped countless individuals take back control of their finances – and their lives…

‘Whilst Hanover do arrange IVAs for people, each person is assessed on a case by case basis. The industry is heavily regulated and creditors have to agree that an IVA is the most suitable method of dealing with an individual’s debt for it to go ahead.​

‘For some, IVAs can be a lifeline to help them get their finances back on track, but when an individual is not suitable for an IVA – or there are other options – Hanover always refers to organisations who can help.’

Without seeing the details of the DMs sent between Adam and those in debt, it’s impossible to know whether these referrals taking place.

According to Martyn James, ‘DM me for debt advice’ is great – if you’re highlighting the free help there is out there. But if you’re flogging a life-changing process that could wreck your credit rating for years, then it’s totally irresponsible.

Martyn says: ‘Social media is a communications tool but debt advice – real, balanced and responsible debt advice – should only be given in person or after an in-depth consultation.’

Business means profit in every industry, whether it’s influencers selling you tooth whitening kits or offering discount codes for their new clothing line.

When influencing is mixed with serious financial business, though, and your audience isn’t just risking £20 on a new pair of shoes – but instead their entire credit record – the waters can become very muddy indeed.

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If you’re in the market for a job that will allow you to cuddle up to two golden retrievers every day, the perfect role has just opened up.

A high-flying couple who travel a lot are looking for someone to become a live-in dogs/”>dog carer and look after for their pets full-time.

Not only will you get a decent salary of between £30,000 to £32,000 per year, but you’ll also get to live in their plush, six-storey townhouse in Kensington.

You’ll be responsible for taking care of golden retrievers Milo and Oscar, taking them for morning and evening walks, managing all dog appointments, insurances and provisioning, as well as liaising with the regular dog walker.

There’s just one teeny, tiny catch: you also have to do housekeeping.

The job is part dog nanny, part cleaner with daily housekeeping, laundry as required, food shopping and errands also included in the job description.

Additionally, you need to maintain the ‘general management of the property’, welcome guests and take calls, and occasionally cook light evening meals for a vegan.

You might also get roped into ‘assisting in other areas of the household when needed’, though it’s not specified what this entails, and teamwork is key to ‘ensure everything is done to the highest possible standard’.

To be in with a chance to get the gig, you must not only have a passion for pooches but prior experience in looking after dogs is ‘essential’, and the ideal candidate will also have good housekeeping experience.

The couple ask that all applicants be ‘fit and active’ and ‘hard-working and trustworthy’.

Cooking experience isn’t required, but could give you an edge, and the working days are Monday to Friday, with occasional weekends.

We’re going to go out on a limb here and say this job isn’t just about cosy dog cuddles.

Then again, Milo and Oscar are part of the package and you do get to live in a luxury mansion, so if you don’t mind a bit of cleaning on the side, go for it.

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If you haven’t heard of Camille Walala, you’ll definitely have spotted her work and said something along the lines of ‘ooh, pretty colours’.

She’s a London-based graphic designer and artist who’s known for her graphic lines and bright colours, having created jazzy street crossings, murals, and a mirrored labyrinth in the middle of the city.

Not to devalue her work, but her art also works wonderfully as a backdrop for an Instagram pic. You’ve definitely spotted some influencers posing against one of her dotted or striped designs.

Her latest project is an Instagrammer’s dream like the rest.

Camille teamed up with creative house JustKids to transform an abandoned 1950s petrol station in Arkansas into a piece of public art, plastering it with the bright colours she’s known for.

What used to be a rundown grey building that faded into the background is now covered with stark black and white lines, massive yellow spots on pink, and a sign declaring the location ‘Walala Pump & Go’.

That’s quite a lot of painting to be done by one person, so thankfully Camille had the support and collaboration of local artist Nate Myers and a bunch of volunteers – all committed to getting the transformation complete in the space of one week.

It’s all part of The Unexpected, a project by Justkids to give unexpected (hence the name) public spaces an arty makeover and make them part of the community again.

In this case we reckon it’s mission accomplished. We doubt many people were stopping by an old petrol station before, but thanks to a lot of paint there’ll be Instagrammers lining up the block.

‘I love this canvas — it was exciting to do something really bold, that stands out on a bigger scale,’ said Camille. ‘We had a great team of people working with us for a few days, most of them were locals from fort smith who came to help and it has been an amazing execution of the project.’

Can she come back to London and give our petrol stations a lick of paint next?

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Whether it’s chocolate, gin or pork scratchings hiding behind the doors, advent calendars are known for being indulgent – but one supermarket has really pushed the boat out, this year.

M&S has launched a product which is perfect for the festive season – a cheese advent calendar.

The Collection Cheese Advent Calendar features 24 mini bars of the retailer’s best cheddar.

Cheese enthusiasts will be thrilled to know that a chunk of the award-winning M&S Cornish Cruncher Cheddar – a product which previously won gold at the World Cheese Awards (yes, that really is a thing) 0 makes an appearance in the calendar.

There’s also a cheese Santa hiding behind door number 25, for you to tuck into on Christmas Day.

The savoury advent calendar costs £15 – which is a pretty decent price considering good-quality cheeses usually come with a slight price tag.

The only catch is that cheese lovers will have to head in-store to pick up the product, as the brand will not be stocking it online.

M&S announced the arrival of the calendar on its Instagram yesterday.

The post read: ‘We don’t want to sound cheesy but you’re going to LOVE this NEW Advent Calendar.

‘With 24 M&S bite-size cheddars and a special Santa cheese for Christmas Day, what’s not to love? Get it in store for £15 today!’

https://www.instagram.com/p/B5IOUndigVb/

Naturally, the news was greeted with a lot of excitement in the comments section.

One Instagram user said: ‘Never mind a chocolate one I need this.’

Another commented: ‘Is it greedy to have two!!?’

While another joked: ‘They need to do a nine-month version for pregnant ladies.’

But the brand’s advent calendar offering doesn’t stop there.

M&S also has a Gins of Christmas calendar, with nine different gin varieties including clementine, sloe and Edinburgh seaside.

What’s more, the retailer launched a 12 days of Christmas jewellery advent calendar earlier this year, with interchangeable earrings and necklaces.

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Forget the annual office Christmas bash – the party of the season has been announced and it’s all dogs, everywhere.

The creators of Pug Cafe, which have also given us the Pomeranian café and the sausage dog café have revealed their latest pop-up and it might be their best one yet.

Please welcome the doggy Christmas soiree, a one-off event on 8 December that will feature festive activities galore, with plenty of fabulous four-legged animals.

Pugs, Pomeranians and dachshunds are encouraged to come along and snack on complimentary puppacinos, pawsecco and champaws, while sniffing butts and making friends.

As for the snacks, there will be dog-friendly mince pies, canapés, festive pupcakes and more.

There will be be a seasonal menu with cocktails and spritzes for humans, too.

Here’s the best part: you don’t need to own a pooch to join in on the fun. The event is open to everyone (though you might want to check in with owners before you start cuddling up to their pets).

The day is split into six sessions, with each lasting 80 minutes and targeted at a different breed:

• Pomeranians: 10am and 12.40pm
• Dachshunds: 11.20am and 3.20pm
• Pugs: 2pm and 4.40pm

Pug Cafe are hosting the event together with Pet Teezer, who will be giving away a dog brush (worth £12) to the first 350 dog owners to book a ticket.

The brand’s grooming expert, Daniela Forshaw, will also be on hand to spruce-up shaggy coats and get pups ready for their photo ops.

Tickets cost £12 for dog owners, but dog lovers will need to fork out a few extra pounds at £15. Children aged 16 or under pay slightly less at £6 and £8, for dog owners and dog lovers respectively.

The pooches however, get free entry (which is completely understandable – they are pretty amazing after all).

Apparently, there will also be Instagram dog stars in attendance, though names have not been revealed.

Count us in.

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In Scotland, minimum unit pricing means that a standard bottle of wine (10 units) cannot cost less than £5 (50p per unit).

Us down in England have no such rule – yet – and can therefore take advantage of deals and offers that bring the cost of booze down.

We’re not complaining when we get to the till, but it does make it easier to stockpile alcohol in the house, that then goes on to get drunk a lot quicker than we expected.

This week’s Spill It sees a diarist who loves a bargain on his favourite wines, and never wants them to be lonely in the fridge.

Find out what Chris*, a 49-year-old environmental services officer drinks in a week.

Friday

It’s almost Friday night and, as a man of a certain age, my excitement for Friday is because I’m NOT going out – woohoo!

My evening will consist of a trip to Tesco (though other retailers are available). On my way, I stifle a laugh when I receive a whatsapp from my wife asking me to pick up some loo roll if I am going to Tesco. We’ve been married nearly 20 years… I forget the loo roll!

Friday night consists of a large glass of Sauvignon from a nearly dead soldier in the fridge followed by a full bottle from my Tesco trip.

Units: 13

Saturday

Spent the day food shopping (yes, Tesco again), being an unlicensed ‘dad cab’ – they really should make becoming one of these more difficult – and ordering a pizza for family movie night.

The pizza was good, the movie rubbish, but the company was great – my sister-in-law brought over a bottle of Prosecco, which is always welcome. A third of a bottle of bubbles, followed by the second bottle I bought on Friday (I always buy two bottles as they get lonely in the fridge).

Units: 12.8

Sunday

A day spent sorting out old paperwork (not many laughs to be had here except some old payslips from the mid-nineties, which prompted me to ask myself how I afforded to drink back then) and a bottle and a half of Sauvignon shared with my wife over and after dinner.

Units: 15

Monday

A saintly dry night, nothing but fresh orange juice (cue heavenly choirs).

Units: 0

Tuesday

After a very busy day decided to pop into Tesco again for a bottle of Sauvignon to have with sausage, mash and onion gravy – darn it Tesco are doing the two for £9 again…….it’s a deal! Half a bottle and a (large) glass goes down a treat.

Units: 8

Wednesday

My son is to be evacuated due to the Blitz (he’s in year 6), which is very stressful so I share the last of Tuesday’s deal with my wife – one large glass.

Units: 3

Thursday

My car has a mind of its own and takes me to, yep you guessed it, Tesco! I resist the 2 for £9 deal (just) and feel good about myself when I get a single one for £6.

Half a bottle of a lovely Aussie Sauvignon shared, almost a dry night! And, it’s almost Friday again…

Units: 5

Total units for the week: 56.8

Total units in a week recommended by the NHS: 14 units (for anybody regardless of gender). Obviously, if you’re able to get lower than this, even better!

Spill It is a weekly series out every Friday. To get involved email jessica.lindsay@metro.co.uk.

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If you like to intersperse your re-watching of Harry Potter films with Netflix marathons of Tiny House nation, this is your perfect getaway.

Seriously, it’s an exact combination of those niche interests. It’s almost magical.

In Malboro, New York (an hour or so outside the city) sits a 300-square-foot house that’s available to rent through Airbnb.

It’s your classic tiny house in that it’s pretty small, but it makes the most of its space with a lofted bed and smart design.

Oh, and as we mentioned, it’s Harry Potter themed. There are Hogwarts pillows and house flags, floating candles, a Snape doll, and copies of The Quibbler and The Daily Prophet.

If you take a nose around you’ll also spot a golden snitch, a spell book (that’s actually a guest book), wands, and copies of the books stacked on the shelves, in case you want to use your mini-break to do a big re-reading.

The home and its location are pretty special too, even for people who aren’t massive Harry Potter fans.

It’s sat in the back of a farm with plenty of wildlife – guests may spot families of deer, coyotes, and loads of butterflies – so is the perfect escape from a bustling city.

Despite its size the house feels pretty luxurious, too, able to host four guests. There’s a King-sized bed with a memory foam mattress, an extendable dining table, and a fancy kitchen with all the stuff you need to make a feast.

Outdoors there’s a fire pit for grilling and cosy furniture so you can swap magical stories as night falls.

And yes, there is wifi. We know that’s important.

Dogs, cats, owls, and other animal companions aren’t allowed, though, as there’s a farm dog who isn’t great at being around other animals.

The tiny house is also a limited popup, so do book soon-ish if you’re desperate for a stay.

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A special kitty with a drooping ear and facial tics is looking for a new home.

Three-year-old Toby is likely to have suffered an injury or infection in the past, leaving him with facial twitching and an unusual sagging ear.

He was taken in by Cats Protection’s National Cat Adoption Centre, and staff at the centre in Chelwood Gate, say the lovable tabby seems otherwise happy and healthy, but needs an owner who will closely monitor his condition.

‘Toby came to us after his previous owner died suddenly, so we do not know much about his history other than he was a much-loved pet,’ says Danielle Draper, Manager of Cats Protection’s National Cat Adoption Centre.

‘It’s most likely he’s had some kind of injury – perhaps when he was a kitten or in a road accident – but he may also have had an infection which has affected him neurologically.

‘He has frequent facial twitches and one of his ears hangs down the side of his face. Neither seems to bother him, and he is a very happy and friendly little chap.’

Danielle says that they don’t know much at all about his background, so it will be important for his new owner to closely monitor him for any sign of change in his condition.

‘But from what we can tell, he should be able to lead a happy and normal life.’

Danielle added that the centre frequently takes in cats with disabilities or health conditions which they mean they may need particular types of home.

‘We often have cats for re-homing who may be blind or deaf, or have medical conditions like diabetes,’ she says. ‘Often these cats can lead normal lives but may need a specific type of home, like an indoor-only environment.’

‘It can be hard to find owners to take on cats with disabilities, so we’d love to hear from anyone who would consider giving a very special cat a second chance in life.’

During his time with Cats Protection, Toby has been looked after by Cat Care Assistants, whose roles this year have been funded by the People’s Postcode Lottery.

To find out more about offering a home to any of the cats currently available for re-homing at the centre, you can email cattery.reception@cats.org.uk

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Let’s all take Holly Manges’ lead when it comes to the spirit of giving this festive season.

Holly, eight, has decided to help children less fortunate than herself this Christmas – by collecting more than 200 advent calendars to donate to a food bank.

Holly loves Christmas – and the chocolate tucked away inside those advent calendars – and wanted to make sure that other kids could enjoy the season as much as she does.

Holly, of Cotford St Luke, said: ‘I decided on advent calendars because not all families can afford one at Christmas, and every child should look forward to it.

‘It makes me happy thinking of all the children who will now receive a calendar.’

Holly came up with the idea when she was tasked with earning her Charity badge at Brownies, and quickly asked her deputy headteacher at Cotford St Luke Primary School in Taunton, Somerset, for help.

She put up a poster at school asking classmates to donate calendars and within three weeks had collected 215.

She then donated all of these to the Trussell Trust Food Bank in Taunton so they could be handed out to kids whose parents can’t afford festive treats.

Holly’s dad Jamie, 46, said: ‘It just went manic. We were constantly tallying up these advent calendars.

‘Holly would come home from school and there’d be another five or ten left on the front doorstep.

‘We shared the appeal on Facebook and after that we had donations from Swindon, Worcester, and even as far as Scotland.

‘Local businesses and even complete strangers got involved and made donations. Holly was getting really excited.’

Eventually the family had to set a cut-off point for donations as they were receiving so many calendars. Holly had aimed for 50 at first, then 75, then just kept going until she had 215.

‘I think the food bank were a bit overwhelmed when we went down there with all 215 calendars,’ said Jamie.

‘We are really proud of her achievements, and I am sure the foodbank and the families will be very grateful at this time of year.’

Sue Weightman, manager of Taunton food bank, said: ‘We’re very grateful to Holly, and all the other children and groups across Taunton that have generously given vital donations to our food bank.

‘As the colder months close in, like many other food banks we’re approaching our busiest time of the year, so your donations make a huge difference.

‘We’d really encourage anyone considering following Holly’s lead to check what their local food bank is most in need of and donate as soon as possible, so volunteers have enough time to get what you’ve given out to local people in crisis.’

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A gran is lucky to be alive after her quick-thinking dog woke her up from a potentially fatal diabetic coma.

69-year-old Pam Mansfield bought her German Shepherd Gypsy in 2013, when the dog was six weeks old.

Pam, who runs a rescue centre for exotic pets, has Type 1 diabetes, which causes her to have sudden hypoglycaemic attacks if her blood sugar levels reach dangerously high or low levels.

If not treated with insulin quickly enough, the lack of oxygen to the brain can cause her to fall into a coma.

Scarily, she almost slipped into a coma in the early hours of Monday morning.

Gypsy has never been trained to detect the signs, however she brought Pam around by licking her face and barking.

Pam, a widow who has two children and two grandchildren, was in bed asleep at her home in Spalding, but at 4am she became aware of Gypsy trying to wake her.

A vet told Pam that Gypsy would have smelt ketones, a substance created if the body does not get enough glucose, on her breath.

She said: ‘I woke up with the dog standing over, trying to lick my face and crying and pushing up me and pushing me trying to get me to wake up. I thought, what the hell’s going on.

‘She would not give up she just kept going on and on and pushing and licking and everything and I realised then, as I woke up, that I was not feeling right.

‘It’s one of the worse ones I have ever had. I have not had one that caused me to wake up in the middle of the night.

‘I don’t even know why because I didn’t think I should have been hungry or didn’t have enough food inside me.

‘I don’t know what caused it but she woke me up and then she sat next to me on the bed. I wanted to go to the toilet but she didn’t let me leave the bed.

‘She is so responsive and protective of me, I have never had a dog like her. I love her to bits.

‘She means the world to me and that moment put the icing on the cake.

‘If Gypsy had not woken me I would have died.’

Pam keeps a bar of chocolate by her bed after suffering from a night-time hypoglycaemic attack on a previous occasion.

After eating some of the chocolate she felt much better but says if Gypsy had not been there she may never have woken up.

She added: ‘She got on the bed and would not leave me. I went downstairs for a drink and she followed me.

‘It took me four hours to get over it. I was really wobbly and Gypsy would not leave me alone.

‘I have never had such a perceptive dog. She seems to know me very well.

‘She has had a lot of fuss. Everyone has been loving her since and think she’s a real celebrity.’

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The festive season just got sweeter – thanks to the return of one particular cereal.

Nestle’s Coco Orange Shreddies are back on the shelves – for a limited time only.

They’re available to buy in Morrisons stores now and are priced at £2 (reduced from £2.75) for a 500g box.

There’s just one catch – the moreish cereal will only be available until 4 December.

So you have just under two weeks to grab yourself a box… or five.

Nestle announced the comeback on the official Shreddies UK Facebook page.

The post said: ‘You asked for it, so it’s here! LIMITED EDITION Coco Orange Shreddies is back! Get them in Morrisons stores while you can!’

Cereal lovers were quick to comment on the news of the relaunch.

One Facebook user commented: ‘What a time to be alive, they’re back’

Another cereal fan said: ‘Got my 15 boxes this morning. That’s me sorted. Early bird always catches the worm’

While others were keen to stress that the move should be long-lasting, posting: ‘YESSSSSS! Thank you, please keep it a permanent thing!’

https://www.instagram.com/p/B4y-P0egqV8/

But the confectionery brand has stressed that the Coco Orange Shreddies will not be heading to the shelves permanently – well, not yet anyway.

Nestle said: We have brought it back as Shreddies fans tell us that they love our flavour experimenting.

‘It is again available for a limited time only though, so that our flavour development team can continue to experiment and constantly bring new and exciting flavours to the breakfast tables of Shreddies fans.’

The festive flavour was last available back in 2012.

Let’s hope it won’t be another seven years until it comes around again.

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