Innholdsfortegnelse for 11-Apr-2022 i Woman's Own

Everyone’s feeling the pinch - energy rises, skyrocketing prices for food and, thanks to the petrol hike, even just a quick drive costs a fortune. No doubt, like us, you’ll already be thinking about how to budget more wisely, and this week we have a 21-page money-saving special for you – from the best budget breaks (p44) to Easter for under £5.50 a head (p32). But it’s not all about living more cheaply – in the first two months of this year, more than 400 people fell for a text scam, and we’re not talking pocket change – they lost over £500,000. On p30, find out how to avoid becoming a victim. And, if you’re looking for a pick-me-up, on p12 we meet the woman who went from £30K in…

They’ve tried their hardest to maintain the wholesome image of supportive sisterhood amid constant rumours of furious rows behind the scenes, but is there really no smoke without fire? Now ex-Loose Women anchor Andrea McLean has waded in to reveal that her departure in December 2020 wasn’t perhaps all it seemed. At the time, rumours swirled that Andrea, 52, walked because she was fed up with the constant off-air rows. There were even whispers of a bruised ego and fears of being sidelined thanks to producers’ plans to shake up the format by bringing in new blood. ‘I DIDN’T WANT THE JOB WHEN IT FIRST CAME UP’ At the time, Andrea insisted publicly that she left one of daytime telly’s biggest shows after 13 years to pursue her own ambitions,…

✣ Write down every single bit of your debt. Not hiding it away will make it so much more manageable. ✣ If you make any profit, prioritise using it to pay off your debt. Getting into more debt to pay off existing debt is too risky a move. Try to avoid it.* ✣ You have more know-how than you think. Potential customers would pay for your important knowledge. ✣ If you have children and want to start a business, see if you have any friends in the same situation. Childcare swaps would allow you to have full days to work on your business.…

Steadying myself on the skis, I looked out across the snow-capped mountains, eager to get going. It was December 1993, and just 11 months earlier, I had made the biggest sacrifice to save my life – my legs. Before then, I’d been training to become a ski instructor and despite losing my legs, I was still determined to hit the slopes once again. And here I was, proving I could do anything I set my mind to. Waking up on New Year’s Day 1993, when I was 16, my body was aching and my head felt heavy. I put it down to the late night I’d had and decided a day in bed would help. My mum, Jennifer, then 44, popped her head round the door throughout the day, checking…

1 BETTER POINTS  BEST FOR: Making financial and fitness gains Every time you walk, cycle or run anywhere, this app will reward you with points that can be redeemed for vouchers with amazon.co.uk, Starbucks or John Lewis, among others. (Apple, Google Play) 2 NHS COUCH TO 5K  BEST FOR: Returning to or starting running Take on just three run-walks a week and within just over two months you’ll be able to run the full 5km – or for 30 minutes. Countless couch-to-5k graduates vouch for the fact that this simple app can work wonders. (Apple, Google Play) 3 SIMPLY YOGA  BEST FOR: Getting more flexible The free version of the app comes with six 20-60 minute entry-level workouts and each pose is demonstrated and explained via video. (Apple, Google Play)…

1 TACKLE YOUR DRINK TRIGGERS Is it stress, a treat mentality or peer pressure that makes you reach for a drink? Whatever the trigger, try to deal with that first so you can set healthier limits for yourself. 2 CHANGE YOUR HABITS Drinking too much is often a habit we don’t think about and, like all habits, it can be broken by changing your routine or consciously being mindful of what you are doing. 3 DOWNLOAD THE DRINKAWARE APP Nowadays, there is always an excuse for drinking, which is where this app helps. It comes with trackers and tools so you can review your drinking patterns, set goals and become more aware of how much you drink. Free on iOS and android.…

Sleeping beauty Your skin cells renew quicker when you’re asleep, making it a great time to incorporate some hard-working skincare. Essence Hello, Good Stuff! Sleeping Mask, £4, Wilko, is a cooling gel formula that quenches parched skin. Roll with it Jade rollers help products sink in, and can reduce puffiness and chisel out cheekbones. Glide Barry M Jade Roller, £9.99, barrym.com, over your face after applying night cream – start at the middle and roll outwards. Speedy cleanser A micellar water is a great way to remove make-up quickly and without faff. CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water, £10, is blended with hydrating hyaluronic acid to stop skin drying out. Blemish buster Believe it or not, mushrooms are a big ingredient trend – they’re anti-inflammatory, which makes them ideal for treating acne.…

Lamb saddle with herbed stuffing SERVES 6 This is the centerpiece your Easter table deserves. Serve with our dauphinoise potatoes and some steamed green veg or a crisp salad. YOU WILL NEED 6 garlic cloves Small bunch of rosemary, leaves picked Small bunch of parsley, roughly chopped 6 anchovies Zest and juice of 1 lemon 4tbsp olive oil 1.5kg boned saddle of lamb Equipment: Kitchen twine HOW TO DO IT 1 Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Put the garlic, rosemary leaves, parsley, anchovies, lemon zest and juice, 2tbsp of the olive oil and ½tsp black pepper in a small food processor, and blitz until everything has combined and is finely chopped up. If it seems a little dry you can mix through a little extra oil. Leave to one…

Olio is a free app that encourages the sharing of food and other household goods within local communities throughout the UK. By signing up, you can request or donate items, helping to reduce waste. Supermarkets and local businesses also donate to the scheme, supplying any products that are approaching their ‘best before’ date, but are still suitable for consumption. Volunteers collect from stores, so those who can’t can still have access to free food, and they use their homes as pick-up points. ✣ To find out more, download the app or visit olioex.com…

ARIES 21 Mar – 20 Apr It’s been a time of challenges and limitations, but you’ve discovered your hidden depths, so prepare to take centre stage. LIBRA 23 Sep – 23 Oct You’re naturally optimistic, so plan and strive for success. How about booking an escape room with friends? SCORPIO 24 Oct – 22 Nov Donate unwanted clothes to charity and jump online to update your wardrobe with brighter, cheery outfits. TAURUS 21 Apr – 20 May The new moon in your sign heralds changing relationships. Spend time on creative writing to impress a new friend. GEMINI 21 May – 20 Jun Your work ethic has brought opportunities, and your current project is ahead of schedule. Enjoy time in nature with family. SAGITTARIUS 23 Nov – 22 Dec You love…

AFTERWARDS  by Charlotte Leonard (£14.99, Simon & Schuster, HB) When Emma arrives home from work, everything is seemingly as it should be. There’s the shopping she asked her husband Jay to pick up, tidily popped away in the cupboards, and he’s even bought flowers. But he doesn’t answer when she calls out. When she finds him upstairs, it’s too late – Jay has taken his own life. Reeling from shock, Emma can’t comprehend what has happened. Jay left no note, but the last five photographs in his camera lead her to Cornwall. As Emma reaches breaking point, could an unlikely group of sea swimmers throw her a lifeline? A resonant tale of grief and salvation. THE FAKE UP  by Justin Myers (£16.99, Little, Brown Book Group, HB) Flo and Dylan are desperately…

FLATLEY FOOTED! Celebrating 25 years on stage, Lord of the Dance is back on a UK tour to wow a new generation. ‘I’ll be on stage introducing it – and then you’ll see me dancing in hologram form,’ the legendary Michael Flatley tells me. ‘We wanted to make it extra special. It’s a tribute to everything we’ve been through – so for old and new fans alike.’ A DALE OF A TIME The Emmerdale Village Tour is up and running again – your chance to take a turn of the idyllic setting in Yorkshire. I’ll go to the opening of anything but of all the soaps, this is the one I’d move into – were it not for the high mortality rate in the village: it’s worse than Midsomer! Over…

Roller skating along the promenade, I laced hands with my six-year-old granddaughter Rose and we spun around to face the other direction. ‘Here we come!’ I called out to my grandson George, four, as he waited for his turn. After an hour on our skates, it was time for ice cream with as much sickly sauce and as many chocolatey toppings as their hearts desired. Of course, that always got me in trouble with their mum but, for me, this is what being a granny is all about. It was early evening in December six years ago when the phone rang. My daughter Lucy’s voice sang out with pure joy, ‘Mum. We’ve got a little girl!’ Before then, when friends had become grandparents, I hadn’t really seen what the fuss…

Denise’s ex ‘VILE!’ CHEAT’S OUTBURST The split between Celebrity Gogglebox stars Denise Van Outen, 47, and ex-fiancé Eddie Boxshall has been far from private and now, just weeks after Denise spilled the beans in her tell-all autobiography, the public war has fired up again. Seeming to mock Denise – who claims she found out that her partner of seven years had been cheating after uncovering explicit photos and flirty messages on his phone – Eddie took to Instagram and alongside an image of inept French detective, Inspector Clouseau, wrote, ‘The 2nd worst detective in the world. #2sides #holdinghandsup #butdefending myself #keepprivatelifeprivate #nolongerbeingcontrolled.’ Unimpressed, fans of Denise rallied to her defence. Slamming the former commodities trader, one wrote ‘[how could you] cheat on One of The prettiest/charismatic/successful/ LIKED ladies around’.…

CHECK MATE It’s all about the cardi this spring. Cardigan, £10, sizes xs-xl, Pep&co NEUTRAL STYLE Go rustic with earthenware pottery. Plate, £9.99, H&M SOFTLY SCENTED Keep your hands in tip-top condition. Hand cream, £8.50, Oliver Bonas MINI GEMS Instantly dresses up any outfit. Earrings, £7, Accessorize PITCH PERFECT Add a touch of glamour to picnic dining. Pitcher, £9.99, Dobbies SOFT SHADES Go retro with ribbed coloured glass and pretty pampas grass. Tray, £8, cloche, £6, vase, £8, candle, £3, all B&M FLOWER POWER Pack a punch in pretty florals. Recycled sports top, £5, Primark WHITE STUFF Refresh your summer dresses and skirts with some fresh plimsolls. Trainers, £9.99, Shoe Zone BURNING SAGE This versatile green pairs beautifully with other pastels. Top, £10, sizes xs-xl, Nutmeg at Morrisons HEALTHY GREENS…

LITTLE THINGS Divorced for leaving dirty glasses by the sink. No, really. A fascinating book is out this week by a man whose wife left him just after his 34th birthday for not doing the washing up. Author Matthew Fray admits the endless low-level neglect and taking for granted drove her away. He reckons he was a terrible husband. And he’s convinced he’s not alone. It wasn’t just the dishes, it was the wet towels on the bathroom floor, the clothes draped over the bed when the wardrobe was a foot away. We all know these things. The little things. When his wife left, Matthew was horrified at the ‘shallowness’ of her reasoning but now, 12 years on, says she was right. ‘My wife wasn’t an insufferable nag,’ he says.…

DOCTOR WON’T HELP  MY FLUSHES Q You mentioned in a previous issue that an old-fashioned blood pressure drug called clonidine could be used for menopausal flushes. I am 78 and struggle with flushes. I don’t leave the house without a cold flannel. The sweat literally runs off me all the time, but my doctor doesn’t think clonidine will help. A Clonidine is licensed for the treatment of high blood pressure and menopausal sweats. Your doctor is probably reluctant to prescribe for you because, at 78, your sweats are not menopausal. Doctors do prescribe ‘off licence’ but only if they have experience in the field or it’s recommended by specialists. Ask for a referral. Am I too late for jab? QI have resisted having the COVID-19 vaccine because I was worried…

Have you tried your hardest to stick to a diet, but are still struggling to shift those extra pounds? This effective eating plan will help the weight fall off so that you’re no longer at battle with the bathroom scales. ‘Trying to lose weight and making diet changes all in one go can be overwhelming,’ explains nutrition coach Rovenia M. Brock –aka Dr Ro, author of Lose Your Final 15 (£25, Rodale Books). ‘But if you break it up, you’re more likely to succeed.’ On the 15:15:15 plan you’ll eat 15 servings of nutritious, metabolism-boosting foods a day, exercise in 15-minute chunks and meditate for 15 minutes. ‘If you’ve only 5-7lb to lose, do the plan for a week. Or, you can repeat it over 15 days to lose 15lb,’…

Film FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE Out on 8 April The third instalment in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter spin-off sees dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) growing in power just as WW2 looms, forcing Dumbledore (Jude Law) to take a stand. Music CAMILA CABELLO Familia (Epic Records) Released 8 April Camila Cabello is back - and we’re in for a treat. Featuring a collaboration with Ed Sheeran, Familia is inspired by Camila’s Cuban roots, family, friends and food. The singer says it’s all about who you want to ‘get wine-drunk with, and dance in the living room with’. The perfect weekend party album. Event THE MASKED SINGER LIVE TOUR 2-18 April, multiple venues ‘Who’s that behind the mask?’ Joel Dommet hosts The Masked Singer live on stage at an…

Lee Mack ‘I LIKE QUIZZES THAT ARE TOUGH!’ The comedian hosts a new prime-time quiz show… He’s best known for starring in the BBC1 sitcom Not Going Out and comedy panel shows such as Would I Lie To You?, but this week, Lee Mack turns quiz show host… ‘THE QUESTIONS ARE ABOUT LOGIC’ New to ITV, The 1% Club starts off with 100 contestants at the beginning of every show, but to make it to the end and win the top prize of up to £100,000, contestants must correctly answer a question only 1% of the country would get right. ‘I’ve done plenty of panel shows before, but never a quiz,’ says Lee. ‘This is an actual proper quiz show with proper questions and real things to win, rather than…

DAVINA McCALL Telly veteran Davina is in a happy new relationship after calling time on her marriage to Matthew Robertson in 2017. It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Davina, 54, though. She said, ‘Going through a divorce is a traumatic experience and it is something that needs to be navigated as carefully as possible.’ Despite suffering ‘emotional turmoil’ after her marriage breakdown, Davina has come out the other side and found love again with hairdresser Michael Douglas. She’s found self-acceptance, too, saying, ‘When I was younger, I used to look in the mirror and I hated myself. It’s weird because I was so slim and toned, and yet I was so critical. Now I have wrinkly skin on my tummy, I have a little varicose vein down one leg, I…

As the post dropped through my letterbox, I felt sick. It was the end of 2015 and, for the last few months, opening bank statements had filled me with dread. At the start of the year, I’d launched my own wedding-planning business, thinking it looked fun and lucrative. I reasoned I’d be able to choose my own hours and work around being a mum to my twin boys, then aged three. And besides, who doesn’t want to think about wedding cakes and dresses all day? Looking back, I was naive. I’d previously left a job in banking with a reliable salary and stability, and I’d taken a low-paid job as a PA, to do alongside my business. But, back then, I was foolishly confident that I would succeed. I’d been…

He’s always been a cheater QI have known my partner for 20 years and we finally got together a couple of months ago. He’s a fantastic bloke, but the  problem is that he’s always been a real one to cheat. He swears he’s changed, but I feel like he’s going to do it to me too. What should I do? A In any relationship you have to start with a level of trust. What matters is what your partner is doing now and how he behaves, not what he did before you were together. People do change, as long as you allow them to become someone new. Have an open conversation and discuss your concerns. MOTHER’S DEATH HAS DRIVEN A WEDGE BETWEEN US Q I’m a 53-year-old woman struggling with the…