Lizzie Thomson

Are you heading to Spain this summer? (Picture: Getty)Anyone travelling to Spain over the coming months may be met with restrictions on the amount of water they can use during their trip.So your holiday showers and pool days might look a little different this summer.With several holiday hotspots on the brink of a drought, holidaymakers have been issued with a warned that bathroom meters for water use may come into play in hotels across the Costa del Sol.It comes as the Andalusia government has s…

Things are getting pricy in this spot (Picture: Getty)For anyone thinking of booking a trip to Spain, France and Portugal this year, you might want to take a closer look at those holiday costs.That’s because certain European hot spots have increased dramatically in price.So your summer holiday might set you back more than you anticipated.The biggest hike seen is for return flights from the UK to Menorca – where average flight prices have shot up from £178 in 2020 to £291 now (a staggering 63% ri…

Desperate to get away? (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)The post-Christmas months are always such a slog for many and the Arctic Blast at the start of 2024 certainly didn’t help things along.Spring (and the warm weather it ushers in) still feels far away on the horizon, so if you’re desperate for some last-minute winter sun before then, you’re in luck.March is a wonderful month to visit many parts of the world, including areas of South-East Asia, North America, Africa and South America.Hey, th…

Our attention spans are dwindling (Picture: Getty)If your brain has been feeling a little bit foggy recently, you’re certainly not alone.Maybe you’ve found yourself struggling to focus on one thing at work, or flitting between various different life admin tasks when you’re at home?You might be suffering from a phenomenon known as ‘popcorn brain’ in the world of psychology – and it’s down to our scrolling habits.’Popcorn brain refers to the tendency for our attention and focus to jump quickly fro…

The rankings have been revealed (Picture: Getty)Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, so things are getting a bit hot and sweaty under the collar.And it seems there’s one accent in particular that has a certain sway over the UK population – and it’s maybe not what you’d typically expect.Fittingly, ahead of V-Day, some research has been carried out on the ‘most desired’ accents in the UK.The one that’s been crowned as the ‘most attractive’ is in fact the Essex accent.Shedding some light on t…

Farewell old friend (Picture: Getty Images)McDonald’s has been forced to remove an item from its breakfast menu – just two days after bringing it back.After re-launching the fan favourite earlier this week, on Wednesday February 7, the fast food chain has since taken Breakfast Wraps off the menu – due to ‘unprecedented demand.’A spokeswoman for McDonald’s said they had to do this to ‘avoid running out’ of all wider breakfast items.On X (formerly Twitter) the McDonald’s account joked: ’Oh wrap! B…

People want shorter trips that are cheaper too (Picture: Nigel Harper)‘Day-cations’ are set to be a top travel trend for 2024, because time-poor Brits deserve a holiday too. These are more than just ‘daytrips’ reimagined, according to research from London Luton Airport (LLA). Instead, they’re a way to fully embrace your wanderlust for a shorter but sweeter respite. According to the data, almost two-thirds (64%) of holidaymakers opt for cheap off-peak travel to minimise time off with a 24-hour ro…

The majority wait months for cancer treatment to start (Picture: Getty Images/Image Source)The news that King Charles has cancer has rocked the UK this week – but it’s not just the diagnosis itself that’s shocked the nation.With a royal representative announcing that King Charles has already began ‘a schedule of regular treatments’, many have pointed out that this simply isn’t an option for the majority of those diagnosed with cancer in the UK – with most waiting months for treatment to start.In…

Warsaw is far less hectic than other spots (Picture: Getty)From the terracotta-topped buildings of Lisbon to the scenic strolling routes down the Seine in Paris, Europe has some outstanding city break destinations on offer – all just hours away.But hype comes hand in hand with large crowds and busy attractions.For example, the popular holiday spot of Dubrovnik has 30 times more tourists than residents.But for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle, the travel experts at Wizz Air have rou…

It’s bad news for this popular US spot (Picture: Getty)The best city destinations outside of Europe have been named – as well as some of the worst.And it’s bad news if you have a certain US location on your travel bucket list.The recent research – carried out by Which? – asked more than 1,800 members of an online panel to rate their experiences of world travel outside of Europe over the last three years, receiving feedback on more than 3,000 trips.To form the comprehensive findings, locations we…

This could be your new neighbourhood (Picture: Getty)A riverside European village is selling houses for just 11p, in a bid to attract people to the area.Legrad, the pint-sized town in question, has seen a gradual decline in inhabitants over the past 100 years.The beauty spot in northern Croatia now has a population of just 2,000 – so has launched various home-buying initiatives over the years to whip up interest in the area.After the success of the first scheme in 2018, the government has just a…

Not spending is a flex (Picture: Getty)Money chat can sometimes feel a bit taboo – or just painfully dull.But a new TikTok trend is turning this stigma on its head by encouraging you to share your money goals loud and proud.The trend in question goes by the name of ‘loud budgeting’ and is centered around helping people save money in 2024 – all by being more open when it comes to our finances.This idea – coined by TikToker Lukas Battle – is about being ‘unapologetically on a budget’ and it’s rack…

The Bastei bridge looks like something out of a fairytale (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)From Berghain to beer festivals, Germany has so much to offer visitors all year round.During the summer months, popular cities like Berlin come alive with riverside swimming spots and canal-side clubbing, while the Christmas markets in Cologne and Düsseldorf usher in a different type of tourist looking for a taste of local life come winter.But step away from the cities and you’ll find a whole other side…

Your own DIY stopover could save you a lot (Picture: Getty)When booking a long-haul trip, it’s only natural to look at flights from your nearest airports.But an underrated travel hack proves that adding your own DIY stopover via an airport on route could save a considerable amount of cash.‘Positioning flights’ is the lesser-known travel tip and it involves taking a flight from your home airport to a bigger international one for your onward journey.Essentially, it gets you ‘positioned’ where you…

They bring the fun (Picture: Getty) Most of us have that one person in the office who is a breath of fresh air when you’re having a crappy work day – maybe they’re super-friendly, always cracking jokes, or just a positive presence to have around. You’ll often find these social butterflies fluttering around from team to team, uniting the business and bringing some fun into mundane work life. TikTok has recently christened this particular type of charismatic employee as ’the personality h…

This sweet spot doesn’t look this quaint anymore (Credits: Getty Images)Castle Combe, in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in Wiltshire, was once an incredibly quaint and picturesque rural spot – so much so, it was hailed as one of the UK’s ‘most beautiful villages’.But since gaining fame for its aesthetically-pleasing streets, the chocolate-box village has been overrun by tourists.TikToker @philc84 recently shared a video exposing how the natural beauty of the location had been c…

Never do these things in a hotel room (Picture: Getty Images)From packing cubes to Air Tags, we all have our own personal tips when it comes to going on holiday.But now a travel expert has revealed his top hacks for any trip, as well as shedding light on a few common mistakes you’re probably making.Frequent flyer Gilbert Ott, and founder of travel site godsavethepoints.com, has shared a few top tips for those heading away over the coming months.From suitcase must-haves to things you should never…

Be careful of one particular thing (Picture: Getty)Sharing how much you earn with family and friends feels very different to talking about it with fellow colleagues.For a long time, it’s a topic that’s felt somewhat taboo – with many employees unsure if it’s allowed, or even legal, to discuss in the workplace.But, if we’re ever going to close the gender and race wage gaps, ‘pay transparency’ has never been more crucial – and according to the 2010 Equality Act, most of the time it’s completely fi…

Save on a Big Mac and more fan favourites (Picture: Getty)For the first few weeks of the year, we’re all feeling the pinch – but McDonald’s has just announced 10 days of deals to get stuck into.To make January a little more purse-friendly, the fast food chain has unveiled a whole host of daily deals – including burgers and nuggets for just 99p.This 10-day super savings extravaganza will kick off from Monday January 15 and run until Wednesday January 24.These daily deals will be available exclusi…

Here’s what to expect this year… (Picture: Getty Images)As we approach the ever-evolving property landscape for 2024, it’s clear – as always – certain trends are shaping the way we buy and rent.So in the spirit of the ‘Ins and Outs’ lists dominating social media right now, we’ve asked property experts to share their own for this year.And it’s safe to say some unexpected styles are surging in popularity (we’re looking at you bungalows). Although, we’re thrilled to finally throw 6% mortgages out t…