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Borrowing money isn’t always a bad thing – debt can be a sensible way to build wealth

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577">Bomikazi Zeka</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em></p> <p>Debt, in some form or another, is part of our financial profiles whether we like it or not. And it can be a useful way to build wealth if it is managed carefully and wisely.</p> <p>For example, you may borrow money from the bank to buy an asset – a resource of economic value that generates income from its productive use. Investment property is an example.</p> <p>So investing in an income-producing property can be a good idea.</p> <p>If you are already in the property market, the home equity you’ve accumulated – the share of the property value that’s yours – can help you buy a second property. This time, you may not need a deposit as big as the initial investment.</p> <p>In the event that the rental market is booming and your tenants pay you more than what you repay on the loan, municipal rates and property manager fees, then the wealth-building machine will start to run itself.</p> <p>But debt makes many people uncomfortable.</p> <p>In South Africa, a person earning R20,000 a month commits on average <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/finance/585372/south-africas-middle-class-is-in-serious-trouble-right-now/">63% of their salary to repaying unsecured debt</a> – such as credit cards, personal loans, overdrafts or “buy now, pay later” facilities. As a general guideline, it’s suggested that <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/dti.asp">no more than 40%</a> of your income should be used to service debt.</p> <p>Financial anxiety has its roots in some misconceptions. The main one is that all debt is bad. This isn’t true. Prudent borrowing to buy an asset can help build wealth in the medium to long term. So fears about debt need to be weighed against a broader understanding of wealth accumulation. Well-managed debt can play a role in that process.</p> <p>Here are the four biggest misconceptions about debt. Recognising them will help you develop a more nuanced approach to debt.</p> <h2>The misconceptions</h2> <p><strong>All debt is bad debt.</strong></p> <p>Indeed, debt is a problem when you can no longer manage it and it starts to manage you. One of the simplest ways to tell whether debt is working for you or against you is through “leveraging”. This refers to the use of debt to acquire an asset that is worth more than the value of the debt. It’s also known as positive or favourable leveraging.</p> <p>People who take out unsecured loans are leveraging unfavourably when the debt is driven by consumption. Often there’s nothing to show for what you’ve spent. Unsecured loans also tend to charge higher interest rates to compensate for the lack of collateral.</p> <p><strong>Only financially reckless people are in debt.</strong></p> <p>This is the next misconception. Second to unsecured loans, most South African consumer debt portfolios are taken up by <a href="https://businesstech.co.za/news/wealth/617685/these-income-levels-in-south-africa-owe-the-most-debt/">home loans</a>. The most realistic way to gain entry into the housing market is through a mortgage. You’re doing the right thing if your mortgage is paid off within a reasonable time. This will mean that, in the long term, the value of the property will surpass the home loan amount that was taken out to buy the property in the first place.</p> <p>But there are two misconceptions related specifically to mortgages.</p> <p><strong>After you’ve paid the mortgage deposit, you won’t have other fees to pay.</strong></p> <p>This isn’t correct. Banks charge a fee to open and close a home loan account. There can also be a penalty when a home loan is repaid prematurely. So be sure to read the fine print about discharge fees or closing costs.</p> <p><strong>If you stick to the repayment amount for your mortgage, you’ll be able to repay the loan quickly.</strong></p> <p>This isn’t true – even if interest rates fall and your mortgage repayments decline, your home loan is most likely tied to a loan term of 20 to 30 years. Many banks will quote a monthly mortgage repayment amount that seems affordable at face value but is in fact based on a 20-year term period.</p> <p>Banks are businesses and it works in their favour if you take longer to repay your mortgage because that translates into more interest repayments. The longer the duration of the home loan, the more interest you pay, the more profit they make.</p> <p>If it takes over 20 years to repay a bond, it’s often the case that the value of the interest repayments exceeds the initial loan amount.</p> <p>Home loan calculators are a useful tool that can help you assess how much you could afford to repay on a home loan depending on the deposit saved, if interest rates change and how long it will take you to repay the mortgage with topped-up contributions.</p> <p>It is essential to have a goal for when you’d like to finish paying off your mortgage and a plan in place to achieve this goal. If you don’t do this you could become a mortgage prisoner.</p> <h2>Keeping your eye on the prize</h2> <p>As we’re about to conclude the year and enter the festive season, it’s a good time to remember your financial goals and not let your guard down by unconsciously swiping or tapping that credit card.</p> <p>“Janu-worry” is around the corner, and so is the financial anxiety that comes with it. But it need not be the case. Debt can either be the cure or the cause of your financial position. Reconsider spending patterns that prompt you to use your credit card. Too much debt over short periods is an irregular spending pattern that is a warning sign.</p> <p>There’s no harm in buying what you can afford or staying in your financial lane if the alternative forces you to sacrifice your hard-earned income on servicing consumption-driven debt.</p> <p>For better or worse, debt is a part of our financial portfolios. But the road to financial empowerment is not always easy – financial planning can help you keep your eye on the prize.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/192630/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bomikazi-zeka-680577"><em>Bomikazi Zeka</em></a><em>, Assistant Professor in Finance and Financial Planning, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-canberra-865">University of Canberra</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/borrowing-money-isnt-always-a-bad-thing-debt-can-be-a-sensible-way-to-build-wealth-192630">original article</a>.</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Readers response: What airline will you always prefer to travel with?

<p>When it comes to travelling, many people have their preferences of their favourite airline after past good experiences.</p> <p>Many seasoned travellers always opt to fly with their preferred airline (when it's possible), instead of running the risk of an uncomfortable experience. </p> <p>We asked our readers which airline they will always prefer to travel with, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Irene Hood</strong> - Singapore Airlines. Lovely cabin crew, smooth flights every time.</p> <p><strong>David Slattery</strong> - Had quite a few nice flights with Turkish, both short and long haul.</p> <p><strong>Sue Packer</strong> - Just came back from Europe with Emirates, great service, great food and the plane left on time!</p> <p><strong>Rick Kehoe</strong> - Qantas if available. I have never had a bad flight experience after many flights both domestic and international.</p> <p><strong>Anita Thornton</strong> - Finnair is a great airline!</p> <p><strong>Diane Green</strong> - For overseas travel, Japan airlines gave the best service. For domestic, Virgin.</p> <p><strong>George Jan Cafcakis</strong> - Qatar! It’s definitely the best.</p> <p><strong>Russell Campbell</strong> - Singapore, but I just travelled on Vietnam Airlines and they were also good.</p> <p><strong>Goldie Kilford</strong> - Air New Zealand for sure. </p> <p><strong>Peter King</strong> - Safety: Qantas. Service: Qatar. On time: Lufthansa &amp; Swiss. Friendly Crews: Fiji Air and Air New Zealand. Best Cattle Class Seat Pitches: All Nippon, Korean, Japan. Worst Airline: Jetstar!</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Tips

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Cruise worker shares what you should always take into a lifeboat

<p dir="ltr">A cruise ship worker has shared the six essentials you should always take if you ever need to get into the lifeboat on a cruise. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lucy Southerton, who has worked on cruise ships for nine years, regularly shares cruising advice on social media to help travellers get the most out of their voyage. </p> <p dir="ltr">In her most recent video, Lucy shared invaluable advice on what items you should take on a lifeboat in the event of an emergency. </p> <p dir="ltr">While many people would instinctively leave all their belongings behind in an emergency, Lucy said there are six things you should always take. </p> <p dir="ltr">The first thing to bring in the event of an emergency is your documentation, such as a form of ID, such as a passport, driving licence or even a visa.</p> <p dir="ltr">The second thing may surprise some people, as Southerton recommends always having lip balm in case of emergencies. </p> <p dir="ltr">The cruise worker said, “[In a life-threatening situation] the body prioritises the distribution of water to essential organs such as the liver and the brain.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“Because of this, the lips receive no water so they are going to dehydrate faster, meaning they could crack. If you are in a lifeboat for a long period of time, your lips are going to be one of the first things that suffer so you should protect them at all costs.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thirdly, Lucy recommends you should always have sunscreen, as you never know how long you will be exposed to the elements for. </p> <p dir="ltr">She said, “If you are sitting directly under the hatch or where they take the roof off to let the breeze in, you're going to want a hat or sun cream to protect yourself from the beating sun.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is not as much of a priority as lip balm, but if you can get hold of some sun cream before entering a lifeboat then you should.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Next up, the veteran cruise-ship worker said you should always take layers of clothes that you can easily take on and off in changing weather.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lucy's penultimate item that passengers should always take on a lifeboat might seem obvious but she warned that it is essential for those who take medication on a regular basis to bring it with them. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, she added, “What they don't tell you to take is stuff like paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin, Sudocrem and ointments.” </p> <p dir="ltr">“'While you may not need these types of medication, somebody else on your lifeboat might - it's better to have it and not need it than the reverse scenario. Just shove them in your pocket just in case.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Last but not least, Lucy said you should - as obvious and essential as it may seem - never forget to take water on board a lifeboat. </p> <p dir="ltr">She stressed that “there is only so much water you can fit in a lifeboat, so the water is going to be rationed out”. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lucy continued, “If you can take extra water on board with you, do it, even if it's just in the form of an extra water bottle. [Humans] cannot last long without water so make sure you grab some if you are able to.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Finishing up the video, Lucy reassured passengers that “getting into a lifeboat is the absolute last resort”, adding that it is more likely that anyone on board the ship is taken to an assembly station while emergency services on board attempt to fix any issues that could arise. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / Shutterstock </em></p>

Cruising

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Readers response: What is one holy grail item you always pack on a holiday?

<p>When it comes to packing for a holiday, everyone has that one special item that they make sure they have packed safely. </p> <p>Sometimes that one must-have thing can mean the difference between a good and bad holiday. </p> <p>We asked our readers what their holy grail travel item is, and the responses were overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Wendy Parsons</strong> - Small fold-up umbrella.</p> <p><strong><span dir="auto">Antoinet</span></strong><span dir="auto"><strong>te Devlin</strong> - </span><span dir="auto">Definitely my phone and kindle.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Lorraine Lenthall </strong>- Gym shoes.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>June Debono</strong> - My bunny called Dude. I'm a Grandma and he goes everywhere with me. A well travelled </span><span dir="auto">rabbit!</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Anita Thornton</strong> - My down pillow!</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Gail Morgan</strong> - Champagne sealer.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Helen Holt</strong> - My crafts! Sewing, crocheting and knitting.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Sue Perryman</strong> - Vegemite.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Kathie Kirsop</strong> - Ear plugs because you never know who’s going to be your neighbour.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Meg Hallissy</strong> - A sarong. Very versatile!</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Felicity Jill Murphy</strong> - A torch. I always pack a torch that has fresh batteries in it.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Sue Bailey</strong> - Lots! Phone, charger, knee pillow, head pillow (chiro approved), folding foot stool.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Chris Ballard</strong> - Comfy shoes.</span></p> <p><span dir="auto"><strong>Carol Hanson</strong> - Lots of b</span>ooks.</p> <p><strong>Juliet Vance</strong> - Everything I can think of.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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10 dumb hiding spots burglars always find

<p><strong>Under the mattress</strong></p> <p>Burglars will make a beeline to the room with the most valuables. “The good stop is always going to be in the master bedroom,” says Chris McGoey, CPP, CSP, CAM, president of <a href="http://www.crimedoctor.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McGoey Security Consulting.</a></p> <p>“That’s where you have your clothes, your jewellery, your extra cash, your prescriptions – anything of value.” Hiding things under the mattress is one of the oldest tricks in the book, so a thief will likely check there for hidden treasures, he says.</p> <p><strong>Bedroom closet</strong></p> <p>A thief might rummage through your entire closet – pockets and all – looking for cash or other valuables. If you do decide to store valuables in your closet, leave them in a box purposely mislabelled with a boring name (think: “uni textbooks 1980” or “baby clothes”) to keep sticky fingers out, suggests McGoey.</p> <p><strong>Dresser drawers</strong></p> <p>While burglars are in your bedroom, a jewellery box on top of the dresser is a hot commodity. Even if you don’t store your jewellery in plain sight, a thief will probably hunt around in dresser drawers for a shoebox or other unique box that could be filled with watches, jewels, and other valuables, says Robert Siciliano, CSP, security analyst with <a href="https://www.hotspotshield.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotspot Shield</a>. </p> <p>Instead of putting your high-value belongings in an obvious box, ball them up in a sock, he suggests. Pick a pair with a bright pattern that will stand out to you but won’t look fishy to a crook.</p> <p><strong>Portable safe</strong></p> <p>You probably want to keep your precious items locked away, but it won’t do much good if the safe isn’t attached to the floor or a wall. “If it’s closed and locked, it implies there are things of value in there,” says McGoey. “If it’s small and portable, they’ll take the whole thing.” On the other hand, burglars are generally trying to get in and out as quickly as possible. They won’t bother using a stethoscope to crack the combination, so a heavy safe they can’t lift is your best bet, he says.</p> <p><strong>Medicine cabinet</strong></p> <p>Robbers want to make quick cash off your belongings, so they’ll be sure to browse your medicine cabinet for prescription pills they can sell. The pills might not be a concern because you can get a refill easily, but be careful what you store nearby. </p> <p>“You want to avoid putting anything of significant value around medication of any kind,” says Siciliano. For instance, using an old pill container as a hiding spot for jewels could actually make them a target.</p> <p><strong>Freezer</strong></p> <p>If you’ve thought of the freezer as a sneaky hiding spot, chances are a robber has, too. A burglar won’t rummage through your entire stack of frozen peas and fish sticks, but if you leave your treasures in something out-of-place, such as a sock, the thief will be onto you. </p> <p>“If you’re going to put something in the freezer, you want to put it in with something that looks legit, like wrapping it in a bag that used to have blueberries in it,” says Siciliano. Use the same rule of thumb if hiding anything in a pantry. Just give a loved one a heads up so that if anything happens, your valuables won’t be trashed with the rest of your food.</p> <p><strong>Office drawers</strong></p> <p>Think twice before stashing important papers like birth certificates or passports in your office drawers. “People want to be convenient. They have a file labelled,” says McGoey. Unfortunately, that also means you’re leading burglars straight to everything they need to steal your identity. Use a locked drawer to keep sensitive data safe, recommends Siciliano.</p> <p><strong>Vase</strong></p> <p>An empty vase could act as a hiding place for valuables, but swindlers are onto your tricks. They’ll likely tip the vase over or even break it, hoping to find goods inside. “Have something additional in it, like flowers, that would obscure somebody looking in it,” he says. They’ll also be less likely to empty your vase if it means dropping flowers all over the floor.</p> <p><strong>Liquor cabinet</strong></p> <p>A liquor cabinet might not seem like an obvious spot for thieves to hunt for valuables, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. “It’s a target for kids looking for [alcohol],” says Siciliano. You might not be devastated if your whiskey goes missing, but you don’t want to lose an heirloom along with it.</p> <p><strong>Suitcase</strong></p> <p>Your luggage might seem like a waste of valuable storage space when you’re not travelling, but don’t keep anything irreplaceable inside. “Suitcases are common things people use as a safe even though it’s not a safe,” says McGoey. Criminals will open a suitcase up if they find one in your closet, he says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/home-tips/10-hiding-spots-burglars-always-look-first" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Home & Garden

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No, antibiotics aren’t always needed. Here’s how GPs can avoid overprescribing

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-bakhit-826292">Mina Bakhit</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p>The growth in antibiotic resistance threatens to return the world to the pre-antibiotic era – with deaths from now-treatable infections, and some elective surgery being restricted because of the risks of infection.</p> <p>Antibiotic resistance is a major problem worldwide and should be the concern of everyone, including you.</p> <p>We need to develop new antibiotics that can fight the resistant bacteria or antibiotics that bacteria would not be quickly resistant to. This is like finding new weapons to help the immune system fight the bacteria.</p> <p>More importantly, we need to use our current antibiotics – our existing weapons against the bacteria – more wisely.</p> <h2>Giving GPs the tools to say no</h2> <p>In 2022, more than <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/aura-2023-fifth-australian-report-antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-human-health">one-third of Australians</a> had least one antibiotic prescription, with <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/publications-and-resources/resource-library/analysis-2015-2022-pbs-and-rpbs-antimicrobial-dispensing-data">88%</a> of antibiotics prescribed by GPs.</p> <p>Many people <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28289114/">mistakenly think</a> antibiotics are necessary for treating any infection and that infections won’t improve unless treated with antibiotics. This misconception is found in studies involving patients with various conditions, including respiratory infections and conjunctivitis.</p> <p>In reality, not all infections require antibiotics, and this belief drives patients requesting antibiotics from GPs.</p> <p>Other times, GPs give antibiotics because they think patients want them, even when they might not be necessary. Although, in reality they are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17148626/">after symptom relief</a>.</p> <p>For GPs, there are ways to target antibiotics for only when they are clearly needed, even with short appointments with patients perceived to want antibiotics. This includes:</p> <ul> <li> <p>using <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32357226/">decision guides</a> or tests to decide if antibiotics are really necessary</p> </li> <li> <p>giving <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/partnering-consumers/shared-decision-making/decision-support-tools-specific-conditions">patients information sheets</a> when antibiotics aren’t needed</p> </li> <li> <p>giving a “<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33910882/">delayed prescription</a>” – only to be used after the patient waits to see if they get better on their own.</p> </li> </ul> <p>All these strategies need some <a href="https://www.nps.org.au/assets/NPS/pdf/NPS-MedicineWise-Economic-evaluation-report-Reducing-Antibiotic-Resistance-2012-17.pdf">training</a> and practice, but they can help GPs prescribe antibiotics more responsibly. GPs can also learn from each other and use tools like <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24474434/">posters</a> as reminders.</p> <p>To help with patients’ expectations, public campaigns have been run periodically to educate people about antibiotics. These campaigns <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35098267/">explain why</a> using antibiotics too much can be harmful and when it’s essential to take them.</p> <h2>Giving doctors feedback on their prescribing</h2> <p>National programs and interventions can help GPs use antibiotics more wisely</p> <p>One successful way they do this is by <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34356788/">giving GPs feedback</a> about how they prescribe antibiotics. This works better when it’s provided by organisations that GPs trust, it happens more than once and clear goals are set for improvement.</p> <p>The NPS (formerly National Prescribing Service) MedicineWise program, for example, had been giving feedback to GPs on how their antibiotic prescriptions compared to others. This reduced the number of antibiotics prescribed.</p> <p>However, <a href="https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/the-end-of-nps-medicinewise.html">NPS no longer exists</a>.</p> <p>In 2017, the Australian health department did something similar by sending <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/projects/nudge-vs-superbugs-behavioural-economics-trial-reduce-overprescribing-antibiotics">feedback letters</a>, randomly using different formats, to the GPs who prescribed the most antibiotics, showing them how they were prescribing compared to others.</p> <p>The most effective letter, which used pictures to show this comparison, reduced the number of antibiotics GPs prescribed by <a href="https://behaviouraleconomics.pmc.gov.au/sites/default/files/projects/nudge-vs-superbugs-12-months-on-report.pdf">9% in a year</a>.</p> <h2>Clearer rules and regulations</h2> <p>Rules and regulations are crucial in the fight against antibiotic resistance.</p> <p>Before April 2020, many GPs’ computer systems made it easy to get multiple repeat prescriptions for the same condition, which could encourage their overuse.</p> <p>However, in April 2020, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) <a href="https://www.pbs.gov.au/pbs/industry/listing/elements/pbac-meetings/psd/2019-08/antibiotic-repeats-on-the-pharmaceutical-benefits-scheme">changed the rules</a> to ensure GPs had to think more carefully about whether patients actually needed repeat antibiotics. This meant the amount of medicine prescribed better matched the days it was needed for.</p> <p>Other regulations or policy targets could include:</p> <ul> <li> <p>ensuring all GPs have access to antibiotic prescribing guidelines, such as <a href="https://www.tg.org.au/">Therapeutic Guidelines</a>, which is well accepted and widely available in Australia</p> </li> <li> <p>ensuring GPs are only prescribing antibiotics when needed. Many of the conditions antibiotics are currently prescribed for (such as sore throat, cough and middle ear infections) are self-limiting, meaning they will get better without antibiotics</p> </li> <li> <p>encouraging GP working with antibiotics manufacturers to align pack sizes to the recommended treatment duration. The recommended first-line treatments for uncomplicated urinary tract infections in non-pregnant women, for example, are either three days of trimethoprim 300 mg per night or five days of nitrofurantoin 100 mg every six hours. However, the packs contain enough for seven days. This can mean patients take it for longer or use leftovers later.</p> </li> </ul> <h2>Australia lags behind Sweden</h2> <p>Australia has some good strategies for antibiotic prescribing, but we have not had a sustained long-term plan to ensure wise use.</p> <p>Although Australian GPs have been doing well in <a href="https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/our-work/antimicrobial-resistance/antimicrobial-use-and-resistance-australia-surveillance-system/aura-2021">reducing antibiotic prescribing</a> since 2015, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35098269/">more</a> could be done.</p> <p>In the 1990s, Sweden’s antibiotic use was similar to Australia’s, but is now less than half. For more than two decades, Sweden has had a national strategy that reduces antibiotic use by about <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5677604/">7% annually</a>.</p> <p>It is vital Australia invests in a similar long-term national strategy – to have a centrally funded program, but with regional groups working on the implementation. This could be funded directly by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing, or with earmarked funds via another body such as the Australian Centre for Disease Control.</p> <p>In the meantime, individual GPs can do their part to prescribe antibiotics better, and patients can join the national effort to combat antibiotic resistance by asking their GP: “what would happen if I don’t take an antibiotic?”.</p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-bakhit-826292">Mina Bakhit</a>, Assistant Professor of Public Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/paul-glasziou-13533">Paul Glasziou</a>, Professor of Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/no-antibiotics-arent-always-needed-heres-how-gps-can-avoid-overprescribing-213981">original article</a>.</em></p>

Caring

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Homeowners often feel better about life than renters, but not always – whether you are mortgaged matters

<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482">Rachel Ong ViforJ</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, <em><a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p>Homeownership has long been thought of as the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-23/why-australians-are-obsessed-with-owning-property/8830976">great Australian dream</a>. For individuals, it’s seen as the path to adulthood and prosperity. For the nation, it’s seen as a cornerstone of economic and social policy.</p> <p>Implicit in this is the assumption that owning a home rather than renting one makes people better off.</p> <p>It’s an assumption we are now able to examine using data from the government-funded <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/hilda">Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia</a> (HILDA) survey, which for two decades has asked questions both about homeownership and satisfaction with life.</p> <p>The <a href="https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/4694137/ContinuingPersonQuestionnaireW23M.pdf">overarching question</a> asks "all things considered, how satisfied are you with your life? Pick a number between 0 and 10 to indicate how satisfied you are".</p> <p>We also looked at people’s satisfaction with their financial situation, their home and the neighbourhood in which they live.</p> <p>In a study published in the journal <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980231190479">Urban Studies</a>, we linked those answers to home ownership and characteristics including age and income.</p> <p>As expected, we found homeowners were generally more satisfied with their lives than renters. But we also find the extent to which they were more satisfied depended on whether or not they were still paying off a mortgage.</p> <h2>Mortgaged homeowners about as satisfied as renters</h2> <p>Outright home owners were 1.5 times as likely to report high overall satisfaction as renters. But home owners still paying off a mortgage were only a little more likely to feel high overall satisfaction.</p> <p>Similarly, outright owners were 2.3 times as likely to report high financial satisfaction as renters – but mortgaged owners were only 1.1 times as likely.</p> <p>When it comes to satisfaction with their home and neighbourhood, the differences were less extreme.</p> <p>Outright home owners were 3.1 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their home as renters, while mortgaged owners were 2.8 times as likely.</p> <p>Outright owners were 1.6 times as likely to report high satisfaction with their neighbourhood as renters, and mortgaged owners 1.4 times as likely.</p> <p>The results also varied with age and income.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="hK9Ua" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/hK9Ua/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>As shown in the graph above, outright owners were more likely to report high financial satisfaction than renters across almost the entire age range.</p> <p>But mortgaged owners only showed a demonstrably greater financial satisfaction than renters between the ages of 25 and 50.</p> <p>Beyond age 50, the existence of a mortgage debt burden appeared to cancel out any boost to financial satisfaction from homeownership. This potentially reflects the growing financial stress of making mortgage payments as retirement approaches.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="f2GSl" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/f2GSl/3/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>By income, mortgaged owners reported experiencing more financial satisfaction compared to renters the more they earned between A$80,000 and A$240,000. Outright owners experienced more financial satisfaction than renters up to A$320,000.</p> <p>Beyond these income levels, owners did not have greater financial satisfaction than renters, perhaps because high-earning renters have other sources of financial satisfaction.</p> <h2>How satisfied people feel beyond 60</h2> <p>In other respects, outright owners and mortgaged homeowners showed similar patterns, becoming more satisfied with their homes relative to renters the more they age up – until the age of 60. That’s when their satisfaction relative to renters declined, as illustrated below.</p> <p>This decline might reflect the growing physical burden of maintaining an owned home as people age.</p> <hr /> <p><iframe id="oLrHz" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" style="border: none;" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/oLrHz/2/" width="100%" height="400px" frameborder="0"></iframe></p> <hr /> <p>Our study has important implications. One is that age matters.</p> <p>Although older people consistently express a desire to <a href="https://www.ahuri.edu.au/analysis/brief/whats-needed-make-ageing-place-work-older-australians">age in place</a>, we found satisfaction among those who owned vs rented their home declined beyond age 60. This suggests better integration between housing and care is critical to support people ageing in place.</p> <p>Another implication is that as low-income owners are more reliant on their homes as a source of relative financial satisfaction than high earners, they are <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-social-policy/article/housing-equity-withdrawal-perceptions-of-obstacles-among-older-australian-home-owners-and-associated-service-providers/268F54A8EAA1E9ECA118E243505AA9FD">more exposed</a> in times of crisis. They may face the risk of being forced to sell suddenly with little time to consider the consequences.</p> <p>And another implication is as the relative financial satisfaction of mortgage holders disappears after the age of 50, and as more of us approach retirement with mortgages intact, more of us will either <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/00420980211026578">postpone retirement</a> or become dissatisfied.</p> <p>Our findings suggest the extension of mortgage debt into later life should be discouraged if the benefits of the Australian dream are to be preserved.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/rachel-ong-viforj-113482"><em>Rachel Ong ViforJ</em></a><em>, ARC Future Fellow &amp; Professor of Economics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hiroaki-suenaga-1477343">Hiroaki Suenaga</a>, Senior Lecturer School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-brierty-1477346">Ryan Brierty</a>, PhD candidate, School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/curtin-university-873">Curtin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/homeowners-often-feel-better-about-life-than-renters-but-not-always-whether-you-are-mortgaged-matters-215147">original article</a>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

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The top 11 situations to always haggle for a lower price

<p><strong>Mortgage rates</strong></p> <p>Buying a new home is probably the biggest purchase you will make over the course of your life, so every last penny you can save is worth it. “Borrowers should shop their business around to many banks/lenders to see what rates are available,” says mortgage broker Ade Labinjo. “Then use the rates obtained to pit the banks against each other for the purpose of either matching or driving down the rates they were quoted.” </p> <p>Labinjo says that by getting at least one extra quote rate, the average borrower could save up to $1,500. Never settle for the initial quote rate that the bank offers you – haggle for a better price because chances are, they’re not giving you their absolute best offer upfront.</p> <p><strong>Flea markets, farmers markets, garage sales</strong></p> <p>At flea markets, farmers markets, and garage sales the sellers typically set their own price. If you know how to haggle, this is a great opportunity to get a really good deal. Also, see if buying in bulk or large quantities can get you a price reduction.</p> <p><strong>Hotel rooms</strong></p> <p>Hotels want their rooms filled, so it never hurts to haggle with the people at the front desk for a better price or room upgrades. “Hotels have to pay a commission to booking websites, and pass on some of that as a benefit to the user,” says Saurabh Jindal, founder of Talk Travel. </p> <p>If you find that the price is the same on the booking website and the hotel’s website, ask the hotel for a room with a better view or more amenities. “Hotels have rooms allocated to various booking platforms and may give you a better option which has not yet been sold.”</p> <p><strong>Memberships</strong></p> <p>Memberships always come along with extra fees. It might be a renewal fee, startup fee, or a maintenance fee if it’s your gym membership. Ask if they can waive some of the fees or threaten to cancel and go somewhere else. They want to keep making money off of you and might just give you a discount.</p> <p><strong>Lease renewal </strong></p> <p>If you’re considering re-signing your lease, know that it is most likely more expensive for the landlord to prepare your apartment for a new tenant than to lease to you for another year. If you’ve had a good relationship with your landlord, try to negotiate in a deal before you re-sign. If the landlord is going to increase your rent, ask if you can increase it by less or not at all. If you consistently pay rent on time, are a respectful neighbour, and take good care of your apartment they may keep your rent from increasing.</p> <p>It’s important to remember who your lease is with though, says Julie Ramhold, Consumer Expert at DealNews.com. If your apartment is owned by a management company, they probably won’t offer any wiggle room. But, if you’re renting from a single landlord or owner, try negotiating for a lower price.</p> <p><strong>Online selling platforms </strong></p> <p>People who post items for sale online are typically moving or looking to get rid of unwanted items. Use that to your advantage and ask for a lower price – the worst they can say is no. You could also offer to come and pick it up quickly if they give you a better deal.</p> <p><strong>Internet and phone bill</strong></p> <p>As annoying as your internet and phone provider may be, they don’t want to lose you as a customer. “If you’re signing up or looking to renew, sometimes you can get a lower rate by telling a rep what the competitor is offering and saying it works better with your budget,” says Ramhold. </p> <p>A lot of cable companies give you a promotional price for your first year, make sure to call right before the price goes up for your second year. The competitors will most likely offer better prices for new customers and that can work in your advantage and possibly get you a better deal with your current provider.</p> <p><strong>Insurance rates</strong></p> <p>Just like internet providers, insurance companies don’t want you to switch to a different provider. “Use your customer loyalty to your advantage and try to talk to the right person on the phone,” says Kelan Kline a personal finance expert and co-founder of The Savvy Couple. “Tell them the service you are receiving is not good enough for the price.” They might offer you a discount to keep you.</p> <p><strong>Home services</strong></p> <p>If you’re renovating your kitchen or getting some landscaping done, make sure to shop around and get a few different quotes first. Use those quotes to negotiate with the contractor you want to work with. Also, you may be able to haggle for a better price if you offer to pay upfront in cash or schedule a contractor during the winter months when business is typically slower.</p> <p><strong>Jewellery</strong></p> <p>“You should know that the markup on diamond jewellery is anywhere from 50 to 200 per cent and more,” says Chhavi Agarwal, a personal finance expert. There is always room for haggling. Agarwal suggests politely making a counteroffer. You’d be surprised the changes they are willing to make to the bill. If they refuse to come down in price, try to haggle the labour charges.</p> <p><strong>Returned items </strong></p> <p>Never miss an opportunity to haggle for a better price on items that have been returned to stores. Stores will typically mark returned items that have been slightly used or have a ding with a price reduction, but it doesn’t hurt to ask for more off. They know that items that have already been opened aren’t as appealing to customers and they want to get them sold.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; line-height: 26px;"><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/money/11-times-you-should-always-haggle-for-a-better-price?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Money & Banking

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Why it’s bad to always suck your stomach in

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p>Our <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470334/">abdominal muscles</a> are among the hardest-working muscles in the body. They are involved in nearly every move we make, keeping the body stable and balanced, protecting our spine and even ensuring our internal organs stay where they’re supposed to.</p> <p>But certain health conditions and even unnecessarily tensing the muscles during your daily life can cause the abdominal muscles to become imbalanced. Over time, this can lead to a condition called “hourglass syndrome” – a detrimental change in the structure of the abdominal wall, which may cause a visible crease to form in the mid-abdomen. Not only that, but this change can also have a knock-on effect on the internal organs and other parts of the body if left untreated.</p> <p>There are four main causes of hourglass syndrome. All of them result in an imbalance in the function of the abdominal muscles.</p> <p>The first is due to certain <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fsurg.2022.891896/full">congenital conditions</a> (such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557894/">gastroschisis</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519010/">omphacele</a>) which cause the abdominal muscles to develop incorrectly, leading to muscle imbalances.</p> <p>Poor posture is another cause. This leads the spine to move away from its normal, s-shaped curvature, resulting in <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4793027/">detrimental changes</a> in the tension and function of the abdominal muscles, leading to imbalances. Pain in the abdomen (whether from <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538326/">stomach</a>, <a href="https://jmedicalcasereports.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1752-1947-4-2">liver</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459171/">gallbladder</a> problems) can also cause a person of voluntarily or involuntarily contract their abdominal muscles in order to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459328/">reduce or avoid pain</a>.</p> <p>But another surprising cause of hourglass syndrome may be body image issues, which are an <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2773003">increasing issue</a>. People who may feel insecure in their body or who want a flat stomach may suck their stomach muscles to achieve this look.</p> <h2>Muscle imbalance</h2> <p>When we suck our stomach in it causes our rectus abdominis (commonly referred to as our “six-pack” muscles) to contract. But since we tend to store more fat tissue in our lower abdomen, the muscles at the top of the stomach tend to be more active. This creates a fold or crease in the abdomen over a long period, with the belly button being pulled upwards.</p> <p>Regardless of the cause – whether voluntary or involuntary – sucking the stomach in places greater pressure on the lower back and neck. This is because they now have to compensate for changes in core stability.</p> <p>The compression of the abdomen also reduces the amount of space available for the abdominal organs to reside. If you consider the abdomen like a tube of toothpaste, squeezing it in the middle creates pressure at the top and bottom. The pressure at the top affects breathing by making the <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4933622/">diaphragm</a> (the major muscle involved in drawing air in) unable to pull down as far.</p> <p>The pressure at the bottom places greater force on the pelvic floor muscles as the abdominal cavity reduces in volume when the abdomen is sucked in. Alongside this, there are increased forces placed on the joints of the spine and pelvis because the abdominal muscles are <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3900422/">less able to absorb</a> impact when tensed.</p> <p>Although there’s limited research looking at the effect of hourglass syndrome itself on breathing capacity, research on abdominal strapping (where the whole abdomen or only part of it is strapped to aid recovery from a muscle injury or after surgery), shows a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3781983/">34% decrease</a> in the amount of air that’s exhaled and a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3781983/">27%</a>-<a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7440302/">40%</a> reduction in total lung capacity. It’s uncertain if this leads to long-term changes in breathing capacity. But in the short term, this may it harder to exercise – and you may also feel fatigued earlier due to reduced oxygen coming into the bloodstream.</p> <p>Sucking in the abdomen can place <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8974352/">strain on the pelvic floor</a>, which will affect the function of the bladder, uterus and rectum, potentially causing urine or faecal matter to leak, as well as uterine prolapse. For people who already have issues with <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00375818">pelvic floor</a> dysfunction (such as urinary or faecal incontinence), sucking in the stomach may worsen them.</p> <p>Fortunately, hourglass syndrome is reversible. Treating the muscular imbalance through exercises that strengthen all of the core muscles will help. Exercises such as planks or bridges are just a couple of examples. Similarly, activities such as <a href="https://formative.jmir.org/2022/5/e37876/">yoga</a> or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3666467/">pilates</a> are also likely to be beneficial in relaxing the muscles.</p> <p>Hourglass syndrome is probably something that will develop over a long period – weeks of consistently sucking in the stomach. So occasionally sucking the stomach muscles in is not likely to cause problems.</p> <p>There are also many ways you can avoid it. If you have unexplained or prolonged abdominal pain, it’s worth seeking medical advice – not only to prevent muscle imbalances but also to treat the root cause of the pain. If you tend to suck your stomach in to improve your appearance, exercises that strengthen the muscles and back will be useful for helping maintain good posture and flatten the abdomen.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/209169/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/adam-taylor-283950">Adam Taylor</a>, Professor and Director of the Clinical Anatomy Learning Centre, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/lancaster-university-1176">Lancaster University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-its-bad-to-always-suck-your-stomach-in-209169">original article</a>.</em></p>

Body

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15 things chefs always buy frozen

<p><strong>The best frozen foods you'll want on hand </strong></p> <p>The best frozen foods are just as much a godsend for professional chefs as they are for home cooks. Trust me – I’ve been cooking professionally since 2002, I’ve written multiple cookbooks and my freezer is perpetually packed to the gills with more than just ice cream. (Though there is a lot of ice cream.)</p> <p>And here’s a food fact you may not realise: just because a food is frozen doesn’t mean it’s not as good as one that’s fresh. The method for freezing food industrially is far different from how you freeze food at home, so you don’t have to worry about things like freezer burn. Special flash-freezing technology allows fruits and vegetables to be ‘suspended in time’ at peak freshness in mere minutes, or even seconds. This not only preserves flavour and texture but nutrients as well, making some frozen foods healthier than fresh.</p> <p>There are many reasons for chefs to turn to the best frozen foods, both at home and on the job, from saving time and kitchen space to simply sourcing a better product. (No one wants to use inferior ingredients when making their best recipes!) Here are some chef picks for the best frozen foods you’ll want to stock up on.</p> <p><strong>Berries</strong></p> <p>The season for fresh berries is short, which is why frozen berries are such a good buy. Not only are they preserved at the peak of freshness, but they also can be easier to cook with in their frozen state. “I bake with frozen berries because they are so easy to add to batters without getting mushy,” says chef, Megan Moore. “You do need to fold in the berries directly from the freezer or they get wet, but the flavour and sweetness are peak season. They are also consistently sized, so they are really perfect for things like muffins, quick breads or pancakes.”</p> <p>Just be aware that while freezing preserves the flavour of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries, it deteriorates their structural integrity. When water freezes into jagged ice crystals, it shreds their delicate cellular structures like tissue paper. So if you’re buying berries to use whole, like for decorating cakes or tarts, it’s best to spring for fresh.</p> <p><strong>Prawns</strong></p> <p>When it comes to buying prawns, frozen almost always beats fresh. Unless you live in a coastal prawning community where you’re able to buy your crustaceans directly from the docks, nearly all the prawns you’ve ever encountered have been individually quick-frozen (IQF) directly on the boat shortly after being caught. Fresh raw prawns quickly degrade in quality as they sit, so by running them through a blast chiller almost immediately, their flavour, texture and freshness are preserved.</p> <p>As for the ‘fresh’ prawns you see on ice at fish counter? They’re more than likely previously frozen prawns that have been fully thawed. In some cases, thawed prawns may be treated with chemicals like sodium tripolyphosphate, which causes them to absorb water so they look plumper and fresher – and so they will weigh more when put on the pricing scale. One word of caution: according to chef, Cynthia Valles, you should always check the ingredients list when buying frozen prawns. The only thing that should be listed there is (of course) ‘prawns’.</p> <p><strong>Fish</strong></p> <p>Just like prawns, much of the fish you’ll find at the seafood counter isn’t as ‘fresh’ as you think. “Many popular seafood picks like scallops, Chilean sea bass, tuna and swordfish are all flash-frozen on the boat, so I always buy them frozen instead of thawed out at the fish counter,” says Moore. “Also, you never want to double-freeze fish, because the texture changes and it becomes gluey. Buying frozen fish means you don’t need to cook it immediately. If you’re not planning to prepare your fish the same day you bring it home from the market, you’re better off buying it frozen.”</p> <p>Another major plus: buying frozen is a good way to support sustainable-fishing practices. Many frozen fish products come from fisheries that follow strict sustainability guidelines to maintain the fish population and reduce the impact on marine ecosystems. Look for frozen fish with certification labels, such as the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), so you can be sure they were sourced from sustainable fisheries or responsible aquaculture operations.</p> <p><strong>French fries</strong></p> <p>We all know fast-food chains use frozen French fries, but if you peek into most restaurant kitchens, you’ll find many chefs do too! Making French fries from scratch is a lengthy process. First, potatoes need to be cut and soaked in water to remove excess starch. Next, they’re fried (or blanched) for a few minutes in 177-degree oil, which cooks the potatoes through and leaves them pillowy soft. </p> <p>After that, they’re fried once more in oil that’s 177 degrees, which gives them their crispy, golden-brown exterior. Frozen French fries have already been pre-cooked, so when it’s time to eat, all that needs to be done is that quick final fry.</p> <p><strong>Large cuts of beef, pork and lamb</strong></p> <p>Just like bulk buyers, chefs like purchasing large quantities of meat to save money. When it comes to steaks and chops, they call the butcher, but for cheaper, braise-able cuts of meat like pork shoulder or beef brisket, it’s fine to go frozen. In fact, it can even have some benefits beyond longer storage. As the water in meat freezes, it expands, solidifying into ice crystals with jagged edges that break down muscle and connective tissues. This can help tenderise tough cuts of meat that require low and slow cooking if they’re going to stand a chance of being chewable.</p> <p>Plus, of course, you’ll have these ingredients on hand when you need them. “I prefer to buy certain meats frozen versus fresh because I don’t know if I’ll use it before it expires,” says chef, Ciro Coppola. “I’m also not sure how long food has been sitting in the food company warehouse.”</p> <p><strong>Corn</strong></p> <p>Believe it or not, corn is a food that’s quite often better frozen than fresh. That’s because corn loses flavour and nutrients as it sits at room temperature. So depending on whether it’s in season, by the time it’s gone from the farm to the market to your kitchen, fresh corn might pale in comparison to the frozen kind.</p> <p>“I love frozen corn because it’s always sweet and already cleaned,” says Moore. “It’s frozen so quickly, it isn’t starchy. I make pantry dinners like a canned black bean and frozen corn salad with a fresh lime pimentón vinaigrette. Add some fresh elements like a little red onion and chopped red bell pepper, and it tastes like you spent all day cooking! I always make a big batch – it tastes even better the next day, so it’s great for meal prep and make-ahead lunches.”</p> <p><strong>Dumplings</strong></p> <p>Making dumplings from scratch is something many chefs would rather do at work than at home. Not only that, but air-frying a bag of frozen dumplings is a lot faster than takeout! “I use frozen dumplings to make a chicken soup with bok choy, frozen broccoli and ginger,” says Moore. </p> <p>“Dress the bowls with Sriracha, soy sauce and sesame oil. Everyone loves them! It’s faster than takeout and really delicious if you have a cold.” Having these items on hand will also help you when meal planning – and when you forget to figure out your menu for the week.</p> <p><strong>Peas</strong></p> <p>You’ll rarely, if ever, find fresh peas at the supermarket, nor would you want to. These delicate pulses have a short shelf life once picked, so by flash-freezing peas shortly after harvesting, they can make it to market without losing any quality.</p> <p>“Frozen peas are one of the rare things that generally taste better than fresh,” says Moore. “They are so sweet and plump. I love adding them to pastas, stir fries and pot pies. They are also amazing as a simple salad when thawed, tossed with lemon zest, parmesan and olive oil, and served cold.”</p> <p><strong>Filo pastry</strong></p> <p>It’s rare that you’ll find a chef or baker who makes their own paper-thin filo pastry from scratch. “I love filo, and it’s super easy to use,” says Moore. “Thaw it slowly in the refrigerator or on the counter – the thin sheets will crumble if it’s not thawed correctly and will dry out if you don’t keep the pastry covered while not actively working with it."</p> <p>"But as long as your ingredients and tools are ready to go, building a spanakopita from scratch can be done in about 30 minutes. You can use frozen filo to make all sorts of sweet and savoury dishes, and the thin layers of crispy pastry are always impressive.”</p> <p><strong>Puff pastry</strong></p> <p>Any chef can tell you that making puff pastry by hand is a long, laborious process, which is why many of them prefer buying it frozen. But there is an important caveat: it must be made with real butter, not oils or shortenings. Without butter, frozen puff pastry is nearly flavourless, which can lead to disappointing results when using it in recipes. All-butter puff pastry, however, is often better than homemade, since industrial rolling machines ensure every layer of butter is equal and even.</p> <p>“I love it to make hand pies, like barbecue pulled chicken and cheddar with sautéed onions, or a chicken pot pie,” says Moore. “Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter and cut straight down so it rises high and even.”</p> <p><strong>Stock</strong></p> <p>When considering which frozen foods to buy, think of the foods chefs like to freeze themselves. “We keep our stocks and sauces like birria consommé frozen, because they’re time-consuming to make,” says Valles. Making a large amount of stock from scratch can use up every burner in a small restaurant kitchen, so leaning on freezers is key to having excellent stock to cook with later on instead of relying on canned or powdered stocks and broths. </p> <p>And yes, you can buy frozen stock or condensed frozen stock bases that you can constitute. They’re total game-changers.</p> <p><strong>Chicken breasts</strong></p> <p>Chicken is by far the most popular meat in Australia – and one of the most popular frozen foods too. Frozen chicken breasts thaw quickly and cook quickly, so by keeping them stockpiled in your freezer, you’ll always have an answer when someone in your house asks, “What’s for dinner?” And you won’t have to worry about using them up before they go bad in the fridge.</p> <p>“Frozen chicken is the main thing I buy because so many people love it,” says Moore, who says that frozen chicken cooks and tastes just as good as fresh. With no drop in quality, this is one of the best frozen foods to always keep on hand for quick and easy dinners. “For meal prep, thaw chicken breasts, marinate and grill for fast meals that taste good. With basic pantry or freezer items, you can do tacos, salads or even dice it and add to risotto. There are so many different ways to make a meal.”</p> <p><strong>Chicken nuggets</strong></p> <p>As a culinary professional who’s also the mother of two teenage boys, allow me to share a universal truth: all children prefer frozen chicken nuggets to homemade, which is why most restaurants buy them as such. It doesn’t matter how much work you put into making them from scratch or if you use any secret ingredients. This is not what kids (or most adults) want – which is finely ground chicken moulded into nugget shapes, dipped in batter and deep-fried till golden. </p> <p>And even if you do make outstanding chicken nuggets at home, your kids most certainly will not appreciate them … and they’ll probably complain that they’re “not the same” as their favourite. So just do what the chefs do: buy them frozen, save yourself the headache and have a peaceful meal.</p> <p><strong>Spinach</strong></p> <p>If you’ve ever cooked fresh spinach before, you know just how much it shrinks. To end up with one cup of cooked spinach, you’ll need about 10 cups of fresh leaves! So unless you absolutely need to use it raw, like in a salad, it makes a lot more sense to buy spinach that’s already been cooked down so you can use it immediately.</p> <p>Frozen cooked spinach tastes as good as if you’d done it yourself, which is why chefs reach for it over and over again. Plus, even with their restaurants’ big walk-in refrigerators, they still have only so much space for spinach storage.</p> <p><strong>Bread</strong></p> <p>Everyone loves being greeted at a restaurant with warm, freshly baked bread. But here’s an insider secret: most restaurants – even the ones that claim they bake their bread in-house every day – aren’t actually making their bread from scratch. </p> <p>Instead, they get loaves, rolls and breadsticks that have been partially cooked and rapidly frozen for long-term storage. When it’s time to make ‘fresh’ bread, they put it into a hot oven to bake the rest of the way. By going with frozen over fresh, you’ll never end up with a stale slice of bread.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/food-home-garden/15-things-chefs-always-buy-frozen?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Food & Wine

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Everything you’ve always wanted to know about the inner workings of your cruise ship

<p dir="ltr">When it comes to life on board a cruise ship, travellers will usually look for features like great food options, fun shows, activities to keep busy, and a comfortable bed.</p> <p dir="ltr">What many don’t think about, however, is the thought and precision that goes into building and designing a cruise ship. </p> <p dir="ltr">Charlie, a cruise ship designer from Florida, has worked in the industry for over a decade and had a hand in helping put together the design for two huge cruise ships.</p> <p dir="ltr">Charlie said that the main mission is to make guests feel comfortable and safe by any means necessary. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/cruising/cruise-ship-designer-what-travellers-should-know-exclusive/b1c6f650-cb17-408d-9b91-9c67282c54b5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9Honey Travel</a>, Charlie said, "If you notice things, we're not doing our job correctly."</p> <p dir="ltr">"Our job is to make you feel at ease with the space."</p> <p dir="ltr">A cruise ship takes several years to design, with a lot of planning, care and thought going into the most intricate details. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Cruise ships are so large scale and that even though a lot of the designs are replicated from each room or ship, you have to ensure that the design fits each area and it's not just copy paste."</p> <p dir="ltr">There are four main things Charlie says to keep an eye out for on your next cruising adventure, which make all the difference to your journey.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Safety first</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Above all else on a cruise ship, the safety of the passengers and the crew must come first. </p> <p dir="ltr">Aside from the practical elements such as bullet-proof glass and lounges that have the potential to turn into flotation devices, there are psychological considerations as well.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Everything when it comes to cruise ship design comes from a safety standpoint, and how you make sure guests feel safe at all times," Charlie says.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Like the fact there's handrails almost everywhere you look. Down to whether the height of a table will be at a height where if you need to lean down, it's probably a little bit taller than the average table, just so that you have something to grab onto."</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Nothing moves unless it’s supposed to</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Due to the constant movement on a cruise ship, everything onboard the vessel must be secured, which can make design aspects difficult. </p> <p dir="ltr">"You have to keep in mind how things function within a space. So if you go to a restaurant, you can't join tables, or move tables because they're literally secured to the floor.</p> <p dir="ltr">"And it's one of those things where it actually becomes very difficult in planning. The lighting plan, for example, also has to incorporate that because the lights overhead can't move. So your interior designers and your lighting designers have to be working together probably at least three to four years before you would actually install any of those."</p> <p dir="ltr">So you're less likely to see things like pendant lights, unless they are on a rod fixed to the ceiling.</p> <p dir="ltr">"You don't want to have that ability to see something in motion, because then that gives you the idea that you aren't safe," Charlie adds.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Quick repairs are a rarity </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Charlie shared that longevity needs to be considered when designing a cruise ship, as repairs can often take a long time to complete. </p> <p dir="ltr">"What's the lifespan and what's the duration of time it would take for someone to repair it. And are you able to store that stuff on a ship?</p> <p dir="ltr">"Nothing is off the shelf. Nothing is just 'oh, I can go to the store and get that'. A manufacturer would produce that specifically for them. So if something does break, getting it replaced is going to be a lot more difficult.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Long hallways are a big no</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">"Guest flow and how people move through a space is very key," Charlie points out.</p> <p dir="ltr">"In most modern day ships, you wouldn't directly have a linear path except down your guest room hallway. Nowadays, you'd have little jogs (or alcoves) so that you can't just see all the way to the end of a floor.”</p> <p dir="ltr">And the reasoning for this design choice is two-fold.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Being able to have an end point or something to focus on helps to establish equilibrium. You have something to focus on if the ship starts to move a little bit," he explains.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Cruising

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Everything A-OK? New history shows the way to Sesame Street wasn’t always easy outside US

<p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Associate Professor Helle Strandgaard Jensen based at Denmark’s Aarhus University, says while </span><em style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Sesame Street</em><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> producers presented their content as both diverse and universal, the underpinning US values and assumptions about children often led to cultural clashes in other countries.</span></p> <div class="copy"> <p>With children’s culture again at the centre of debates about <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/feb/26/censorship-or-context-australian-book-industry-wrestles-with-how-to-refresh-outdated-classics" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">banning or re-writing books</a> and what makes for <a href="https://www.news.com.au/national/politics/abc-accused-of-grooming-kids-after-drag-queen-appeared-on-play-school/news-story/efc1dd82aa4fb6b01a4c575e2f40e589" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">appropriate children’s television</a>, Jensen says a historical approach can provide the opportunity for more informed discussions.</p> <p><em>Sesame Street</em> debuted on television in the US in 1969 (it came to Australia in 1971) and according to its US website: “…has made a positive impact in children’s lives ever since.”</p> <p>The show says: “<em>Sesame Street</em> brings critical early education to children in 150+ countries”. </p> <p>While <em>Sesame Street’s</em> universality was marketed to international audiences, Jensen says the show is shaped by US assumptions about children’s role in society, cognitive psychology and the role of media in education.</p> <p>In European countries like the UK, Germany and Scandinavia there was a more progressive view about children, she says.</p> <p>As a result, the program was sometimes met with hostility by foreign television producers and broadcasters.</p> <p>In Jensen’s home of Denmark, Danish broadcasters rejected the show outright. Instead adapting their own children’s program <em>Legestue </em>to <a href="https://www.shcy.org/features/commentaries/helle-strandgaard-jensen-on-kermits-chubby-danish-cousin/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">incorporate a frog</a> named Kaj inspired by Kermit, but one that “loves jazz and talks back to adult authority”, she says.</p> <p>In Germany, where <a href="https://muppet.fandom.com/wiki/Sesamstrasse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘Sesamestraße’</a> is celebrating its 50<sup>th</sup> anniversary, local co-producers made their own content spliced together with US content, and added their own puppets including a piglet Purk, a snail Finchen and Leniemienie the mouse.</p> <p>German produced content portrays the child at the centre, encouraging them to question authority, and often revealing the hypocrisy or flaws of adults, Jensen says. It was an approach that sometimes resulted in pushback from the US based Childrens Television Workshop, she says.</p> <p>For instance, in one local clip, an adult is attending to some flowers in their garden, mowing an area of grass containing different flowers. The children ask, ‘which flowers are the good flowers?’</p> <p>In another, a woman walks past a child having to do an emergency wee in public. ‘That’s disgusting!’ the woman says. But as she walks further, her dog relieves itself on the pavement, and the woman doesn’t pick it up the waste.</p> <p>German Ministry of Education guides to accompany the show rejected traditional gender roles, taught children about the body and emphasised society based on collaboration, including unions.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"> <div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 500px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;" data-spai-bg-prepared="1"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" class="" style="display: block; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 400px; height: 656px; flex-grow: 1;" title="Twitter Tweet" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=cosmosmagazine&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1612139711304273922&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fcosmosmagazine.com%2Fpeople%2Fhistory-sesame-street%2F&amp;sessionId=6d9a2d118b670e8e312cee283ceca4c065b3acf7&amp;siteScreenName=cosmosmagazine&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=aaf4084522e3a%3A1674595607486&amp;width=500px" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" data-spai-bg-prepared="1" data-tweet-id="1612139711304273922"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </div> </figure> <p>In Europe, children’s television was seen as offering something separate to school, a way to empower children and support their own understanding of the world. The European view was more based in sociology and journalism – asking children directly about what they wanted – rather than cognitive psychology, Jensen says.</p> <p>For example in the UK, television producers would survey children about what they were interested in, their views, and make content based on that. </p> <p>Another key difference was the highly commercial landscape of television in the US, Jensen says. This was different to Europe and places like Australia where public broadcasters could afford to produce content for children that was more experimental.</p> <p>She says reflecting on the past is important as children’s viewing is increasingly dominated by streaming platforms, many of which are based in the US and dominated by American programming. </p> <p>The ABC began broadcasting <em>Sesame Street</em> twice-daily in 1971.</p> <p>While Jensen’s book doesn’t specifically address the response to the show in Australia, she says a lot of her archival research included information shared between the public broadcasters the ABC and BBC, which had a strong co-production tradition. </p> <p>“One of the ways the BBC learned about what happened in the Children’s Television Workshop and making <em>Sesame Street</em> was via their Australian friends in the ABC,” she says. </p> <p>Jensen says as early as 1970 an Australian journalist at <em>The Bulletin </em>was questioning whether the show imposed American culture on children in other countries.</p> <p>In the article, ‘Entertaining Australians to be Americans’, <em>Sesame Street</em> founder Joan Ganz Cooney says she had few reservations about imposing US culture on Australian audiences. “For good or ill the whole world is being Americanised,” she says. </p> <p>Children’s Television Workshop describes the sale of <em>Sesame Street</em> to 26 foreign countries, including Australia, as an opportunity to study the universality of the program, according to <em>The Bulletin</em>. </p> <p><em>Sesame Street: A Transnational History </em>is set for <a href="https://academic.oup.com/book/45872/chapter-abstract/400828941?redirectedFrom=fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">release in Australia in May</a>.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-4-3 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> <div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> <div class="embed-wrapper"> <div class="inner"><iframe title="SESAMSTRASSE Folge 1 (Teil 1)" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6-sJKRPuaiM?feature=oembed" width="500" height="375" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> </div> </div> </figure> <p> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=245054&amp;title=Everything+A-OK%3F+New+history+shows+the+way+to+Sesame+Street+wasn%26%238217%3Bt+always+easy+outside+US" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" /></p> <div class="in-content-area more-on"> </div> </div> <div id="contributors"> <p><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/history-sesame-street/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/petra-stock">Petra Stock</a>. Petra Stock has a degree in environmental engineering and a Masters in Journalism from University of Melbourne. She has previously worked as a climate and energy analyst.</p> </div>

TV

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12 things you should always do before you leave your hotel room

<p><strong>Check under the bed and dresser</strong></p> <p>“I always get down on my hands and knees and look under the bed and under the dresser,” says Suzanne Markham-Bagnera, a former general manager at hotels. Young kids especially like to hide things, and then forget about them. </p> <p>“You get the frantic phone call that a child has left their Lovey, their stuffed animal, or their toy and they realised once they get in their car and start driving, but they’re not able to come right back to the hotel,” she adds.</p> <p><strong>Pull the bed linens back</strong></p> <p>Markham-Bagnera typically removes the bedding to both help out the housekeeper and make sure she hasn’t forgotten anything. “That’s my way of securing: I’ve done the clean sweep of the bed. I’m good,” she says. </p> <p>Guest aren’t expected to strip the bed, but should you decide to, make sure to leave the comforter on a chair or in the closet, not on the floor. And don’t ball the bed linens up with the blanket, keep them separate.</p> <p><strong>Leave the used towels in the tub</strong></p> <p>Markham-Bagnera puts all the towels on the bathtub, especially if they’re still wet. That way they’re out of the way and all together in the pile. And the room attendant only has to pick up one pile of dirty linen. “It makes it a lot faster to pick up,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Take the food you want to keep</strong></p> <p>If you’ve used the refrigerator, make sure that you take out the items that you want. “The ones that you don’t want, throw away,” she says. Some guests leave alcohol as a tip for the housekeeper, but policies vary from hotel to hotel on whether they can accept it or not.</p> <p><strong>Stack overflow takeaway boxes next to a waste bin</strong></p> <p>Hotel waste bin are pretty small, and the remnants of last night’s dinner may not fit. If you’ve got overflow, pile the boxes next to the waste bin instead of leaving them scattered all around the room. “The messier you leave the room, the harder it is for the room attendant to clean that room,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Check between the mattress and box spring</strong></p> <p>When a room doesn’t have a safe, hotel guests will sometimes hide items they don’t want to leave around the room between the mattress and the box spring. Housekeepers have recovered weapons and sex toys there, Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Move the furniture back </strong></p> <p>If hotel guests are travelling with children, they sometimes move one of the beds against the wall so there’s less opportunity for a child to fall out of the bed. That’s fine, but the courtesy is to move the furniture back where you found it before you leave.</p> <p><strong>Take your medications and supplies with you</strong></p> <p>Forgetting your medication can be dangerous for you, but leaving supplies like needles in your room could also be hazardous to your housekeeper. Also, if you gashed yourself shaving and used a towel to stop the blood flow, separate the towel out from the rest. </p> <p>“Hotels will have protocols for how to clean it or for how they have to bag it and have a company come and dispose of it. Because they can’t just put that in the regular trash and be done with it in a hotel,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Make sure you have your charger!</strong></p> <p>“If I had a dollar for every charger that I found, I could take my whole family on vacation,” says hotel manager, Adam Sperling. These days, it’s bad news if your phone dies, so take that last look around. “It’s things that get left behind that can often cause you stress at the end of your journey,” he says.</p> <p><strong>Think about a tip</strong></p> <p>Room attendants are typically paid hourly, so their position is different from a bellhop or a server that might make less per hour with the expectation that they will make more in gratuities, Markham-Bagnera says. That said, room attendants work incredibly hard and tipping is appreciated. </p> <p>Things to consider? The quality of the hotel, whether you’re staying one night or multiple nights, and how messy you’re leaving the room. “If you’ve got a lot of people staying in the room and you’ve got a pullout sofa or a cot, and you’ve used a lot more towels, it certainly is nicer to leave a little extra,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Call down to the front desk for transportation </strong></p> <p>Mornings can be hectic at hotels, with out-of-town guests rushing to make meetings and flights in cities they don’t know. You can save yourself some of the hassle by doing a little prep before you leave the hotel room. </p> <p>“Call down and say, ‘hey, I’m leaving at 7.30 tomorrow, can my car be waiting for me?’” Sperling suggests. “That helps everybody. Your car’s waiting for you and we’re not scrambling to go get it at 7.25 when you need it at 7.30.”</p> <p><strong>Book your next stay</strong></p> <p>If you really liked your room and are planning to be back in the area, before you leave your hotel is a great time to rebook, Sperling says. He recommends you ask for the front desk manager for face-to-face treatment that can trump the savings online. “You’re likely to get a great rate, and you’re likely to get upgraded,” he says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/travel/12-things-you-should-always-do-before-you-leave-your-hotel-room?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Travel Tips

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Everything you’ve always wanted to know about Ramadan

<p>Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and is a period of time where Muslims fast for a month and commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad.</p> <p>Muslims can enjoy a very early breakfast just before sunrise, known as “Imsaak”, before fasting for the day. When the sun sets, Muslims get together and share their first meal for the day known as “Iftar”.</p> <p>Following the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, Muslims are encouraged to break their fast with a date before enjoying the rest of the meals prepared.</p> <p>So, when does Ramadan actually begin? Muslims rely on the crescent moon sighting to determine the beginning of the holy month. This year, it is expected that Ramadan will begin on March 23, and will last for 30 days. However, some may begin their fasting on March 24.</p> <p>This year, Australian Muslims will fast longer hours for the first 10 days or so due to daylight savings, but when daylight savings ends on April 2, that will shorten the fasting day.</p> <p>While fasting, Muslims are required to abstain from food, drinks, backbiting, swearing and sexual activities. Sex, for example, is prohibited when fasting. Once the fast is broken, sex is allowed to be performed.</p> <p>Fasting is compulsory for Muslims when they reach puberty, however, some individuals are unable to fast due to disabilities, illness, old age, or pregnancy. Women who are menstruating are also not allowed to fast.</p> <p>Some of the holiest nights of the Islamic year also occur in the month of Ramadan, known as Laylat al-Qadr (night of decree). It is the night when Muslims commemorate the first revelation of the holy Quran that was sent down to Prophet Muhammad, and falls in the last 10 days of Ramadan.</p> <p>Once the 30 days of Ramadan are over, Muslims celebrate Eid with friends and family over three days with a large feast (or two), and children are gifted money and new clothing from older relatives.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Why does Ramadan fall in different seasons around the world? </strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Due to the northern and southern hemisphere, Muslims around the world fast either in winter or summer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Australians and New Zealanders have been fasting during the winter months for the past few years, which counts to about 12 hours a day. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, those in the northern hemisphere have been fasting during the summertime, which means longer fasting hours.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition to that, because Ramadan falls on a different day each year based on the Islamic calendar, those in the northern hemisphere will eventually observe Ramadan in winter and vice versa. </p> <p dir="ltr">An extra fun fact is that from 2023, Ramadan begins 10 days earlier – which means those 10 days will be longer fasting days, thanks to daylight savings. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>What is the most common question fasting Muslims are asked?</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">“Not even water?”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yes. Not even water.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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10 things that are always a waste to pack

<p>All travellers know the hardships of packing the necessities for the trip ahead. And everyone knows how many things you haven’t actually used by the time you get home again – what a waste of precious space in your luggage.</p> <p>Here is a list of 10 things to not bother packing in your suitcase.</p> <p><strong>1. Shampoo and conditioner</strong></p> <p>You can purchase these items at the places you travel. If the locals have easy access to hair products then so will you. Hotels should provide little travel-sized minis which will last a few days. Travelling with liquids can also lead to delays at security check points.</p> <p><strong>2. Shoes</strong></p> <p>Don’t pack more than two pairs of shoes – they take up unnecessary weight and space. Ensure you have a comfortable pair of walking shoes and some shoes that are nice enough to go out in at restaurants and other events.</p> <p><strong>3. Jewellery</strong></p> <p>Don’t bring your favourite expensive jewellery, you are only human and can accidentally leave items behind in hotels or apartments. You could also increase your risk of becoming a target for pickpockets. Try swapping out your diamond earrings for some cheaper substitute studs while you’re away.</p> <p><strong>4. Laptop</strong></p> <p>Don’t bring your laptop. Unless you’re travelling for work, you probably don’t need to bring a computer on your holiday. You could also become a target for thieves while travelling if they notice you have an expensive technological device with you.</p> <p><strong>5. Swimming costume</strong></p> <p>Don’t bring more than two swimming costumes. They are easy to wash and having two on hand always ensures you have a dry one to wear for the next day. Just put the swimmers in the sink filled with cool water and add some mild detergent before rinsing and wringing out to dry.</p> <p><strong>6. Hair dryer </strong></p> <p>Hair dryers are heavy and bulky, so they aren’t the easiest thing to try and squeeze into your suitcase. Hairdryers are usually provided by hotels and although yours may be nicer, they both do the same job in the end.</p> <p><strong>7. Out of season clothing </strong></p> <p>Avoid packing out of season clothing – if you’re going on a summer holiday in Europe, you probably don’t need that heavy winter coat. The excuse for packing these unnecessary items is always “just in case,” but if the situation does arise where there is an uncharacteristic change in weather, you can always buy what you need to face the day.</p> <p><strong>8. Books </strong></p> <p>Turn to paperback books or electronic tablets instead of hardcover novels. The electronic tablets are most helpful as they can contain a whole library of book options without adding the weight of a library in your suitcase. Paperback books are good when you don’t have an electronic tablet, but maybe avoid packing seven books!</p> <p><strong>9. Traveller’s checks </strong></p> <p>Traveller’s checks aren’t used anymore. Although they were once the safeguard of money while on holidays, the traveller’s checks have gone out of style. It’s unlikely you will come across a place that will accept the checks, as these have been replaced by the use of ATMs for cash and the ability to use your debit and credit cards that don’t charge an international transaction fee.</p> <p><strong>10. Double-ups </strong></p> <p>Finally, don’t bring anything your travel partner is also packing. For instance, don’t pack more than one thing that can be shared. You don’t need two tubes of toothpaste, for instance!</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

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Why real books will always be best

<p>With a world full of computers, iPads and Kindles, for some, real, physical books have been thrown to the wayside. But for the rest of us literature-lovers, nothing beats the feel of turning the paper page. Here’s why real books will always be better than their electronic counterparts.</p> <p><strong>1. You can display them</strong> – Other than reading them, the most fun part of owning books is displaying them on your book cases. They can become décor in and of themselves.</p> <p><strong>2. They won’t break in the bath</strong> – You can bring them with you in the bath and, worst case scenario, you can just dry them out and read them again later. Try that with an e-reader.</p> <p><strong>3. Book covers are art</strong> – When you read on a device, the book cover gets all but lost. When you read a physical book, the beautiful covers are constantly on display to be fully appreciated.</p> <p><strong>4. The feel of the pages beneath your fingers</strong> – There’s nothing like the feeling of anticipation you get during a suspenseful scene, and physically turning the page to get to the next part just amplifies that feeling. And while you read, you can physically see the progress you’ve made as the read pages increase in number.</p> <p><strong>5. They grow with you</strong> – You can tell when a book is well-loved, because it ages with you. From stains to creases to tears, a well-read book tells its own story.</p> <p><strong>6. You can doggy-ear them or book mark them</strong> – You’re either a doggy-eared or a book-marker, and you feel very passionately about your choice. You can’t explain that to a Kindle lover.</p> <p><strong>7. That book smell</strong> – If you love books, you probably love the comforting old page-scent that fills bookstores and libraries.</p> <p><strong>8. They make personal gifts</strong> – Sure, you could buy someone a digital copy of a book for less, but it’s so much more personal to give a loved one a physical book as a gift.</p> <p><strong>9. You can read them in the sun</strong> – While some e-readers, such as Kindle, are adaptable in bright lighting, many, including iPads, are not. You can take your book outside in the sun without worrying about starring at a black screen.</p> <p><strong>10. They’re battery free</strong> – You can take your book anywhere, any time, and you never have to worry about it running out of batteries. What a luxury.</p> <p><strong>11. You can get them signed by the author</strong> – Imagine asking an author to sign your Kindle? Good luck with that.</p> <p><strong>12. That satisfying feeling of closing a finished book</strong> – When you finally get to the last sentence on the last page of a long book, closing it shut can feel satisfying, cleansing, and even heartbreaking. It’s all about the physical, measurable act of finishing something.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

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Pilot shares why nervous flyers should always book the first flight of the day

<p dir="ltr">A pilot has shared her ultimate travel hack for nervous flyers, revealing why anxious travellers should aim to get the first early morning flight. </p> <p dir="ltr">Morgan Smith, a Boeing 737 pilot, claims that flying in the morning can greatly reduce the amount of turbulence you feel in the air. </p> <p dir="ltr">In an interview with the New York Times, Ms Smith said that morning flights are less likely to be turbulent because of the effects of rising heat.</p> <p dir="ltr">She said, “As the day warms into the afternoon, heat rising off the land increases the chance for turbulence near the ground and turbulence caused by storms.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Morgan also had a couple of other suggestions for those worried about shaky plane journeys, offering some reassurance on the minimal danger of turbulence. </p> <p dir="ltr">She added, “The only thing people should fear from turbulence is possibly spilling their drink on a flight.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Most injuries from turbulence come from people being out of their seats or not having their seatbelts on when it gets bumpy. So keep your seatbelt fastened, and don’t set your drink on your laptop.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Others have also shared that sitting towards the front of the plane can reduce the effects of turbulence, no matter what time of day you fly. </p> <p dir="ltr">A flight attendant told Sun Online Travel, “For anyone who is really scared of turbulence, my advice would be to sit as close to the front of the plane as possible because it acts like a wave.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What starts as a slight bump at the front of the aircraft can feel much worse by the time it reaches the rear.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Sometimes passengers at the front won’t even be aware of anything, while those at the back get really badly shaken up.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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“I was always going to be back”: Ash Barty shares career news

<p dir="ltr">Tennis champion Ash Barty has announced that she will be returning to the sport at next year’s Australian Open - but she won’t be returning as a player.</p> <p dir="ltr">After she caused a stir when she hung up her racket earlier this year, the 26-year-old has rejected suggestions that she would be returning to her professional sport in the future.</p> <p dir="ltr">Instead, Barty will be attending the Australian Open as an ambassador for the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was never going to run away, I promise. I was always going to be back,” she told the <em>Today Show</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It wasn't something that it was close the door and never come return.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While she won’t be making an appearance on the centre court again, Barty said she will be “doing my thing” in the background.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I certainly will be enjoying it, like everyone else,” she told the program.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I can't wait, it's scary to think it's so close, it feels like a couple of sleeps and it will be here.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But I am certainly excited for a big summer ... It's an incredible way to bring people to the Australian Open to help them experience it in just the most incredible fashion.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Barty shared her excitement at attending the championship, saying it “will be a great way to bring people together”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Obviously Melbourne during the Australian Open is crazy for the players and now I am excited to actually see what it is like on the other side,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Experience the culture, the different way the city buzzes.”</p> <p dir="ltr">This year has been a busy one for the former World No.1, who married her long-term partner Garry Kissick, and released several books, including her memoir <em>My Dream Time</em> and <em>Little Ash</em> children’s book series with Jasmin McGaughey and Jade Goodwin.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm not bored, I think this year obviously was very busy with all my book stuff and the memoir release, the Little Ash books which has been great,” Barty said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's been a lot to take in. I think there was a part of me that was a little bit scared and fearful of how it would be received.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But so far, so good.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's the first time that really my life, my thoughts, my biggest fears were on the page for people to read and judge and to take in.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So many people cheered for me when I won, cried with me when I lost and now it was time to let them in and really enjoy the journey for what it was in all of its truths, some of it ugly, some brilliant, but for all that it was.”</p> <p dir="ltr">When asked whether she missed tennis, Barty had a mixed answer.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Yes and no. There are certainly parts of it that I miss,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I miss testing myself against the world's best, I miss seeing my mates that I met from all corners of the globe.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I'm certainly happy and I know that it was the right time for me, it was the right decision and certainly no regrets.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-8d5a855f-7fff-bfe8-bbec-c188124b90bc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @ashbarty (Instagram)</em></p>

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Readers Respond: What have you always considered a deal breaker on the first date?

<p dir="ltr">Dating in itself is a bit of a scary concept, whether you’re meeting someone for the first time or not.</p> <p dir="ltr">The thing is, we never know how the date will turn out, especially when it’s a person you met online.</p> <p dir="ltr">But what about when they do or say something and you immediately know that you need to get out of there?</p> <p dir="ltr">Known as the “ick”, the deal breaker is not taken lightly and many people stick to their rules. </p> <p dir="ltr">Check out what some of you have said about the deal breakers on dates. </p> <p dir="ltr">Kaylene Roberts - Having 2 phones and constantly texting during the date.</p> <p dir="ltr">Geoff Reason - My female date getting drunk.</p> <p dir="ltr">Fern Beth - Men who ask you out for coffee and refuse to let you pay but then say, next time, it's on you. I wouldn't say it, but I'm thinking, here, take the $4, there's not going to be a next time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Heather Bourne - He asked, "Well am I getting any, or am I wasting my time?” during a meal...I paid my share and walked out.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lisa Anne - Chewing food like a cow chews cud.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jennie Heggie - Him buying one meal and asking for a second empty plate to share.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sue Robson - Spending the whole time talking about their ex.</p> <p dir="ltr">Jamille Kim - Hygiene and bad manners.</p> <p dir="ltr">Carol Wright - Dinner and movies. You end up at KFC then come home to watch a movie on TV. Are you for real???</p> <p dir="ltr">Trevor Goodchild - Lies and excess consumption of alcohol. </p> <p dir="ltr">Share your deal breakers <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oversixtyNZ/posts/pfbid0y2sQPoF2K9Td2nbYHTMTgQ7SfE9PLny8bhBF3v2FEztBEcXeYua15UMCwioEb7PCl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

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Mortuary worker reveals secrets of the job you've always wanted to know

<p>A woman who works in a mortuary has shared some little known facts about her morbid job. </p> <p>Emma Yates, an anatomical pathology technician from London, also debunked some of the myths about death on her TikTok page, which has left many people amazed. </p> <p>According to Emma, one of the most common myths about death is that dead bodies are always stiff, however she revealed that this only occurs for around 36 hours after death before bodies return to being limp. </p> <p>Another common myth about death suggests that a body's nails and hair can still grow after death. </p> <p>Emma says this is not true but more of an optical illusion, as the skin tends to shrink from dehydration, giving the impression these parts are still growing. </p> <p>Her video titled "Mr Dibbs (Emma's cat) and I bust your myths about dead bodies" racked up nearly 15,000 views and thousands of comments from curious viewers wanting to know more. </p> <p>She also revealed that people tend to think there is no blood in the body because it's dead, but that isn't the case. </p> <p>She explained, "When you do post-mortems, the blood will pull to the base of the body so if you're lying on your back it will pull to the back of your body."</p> <p>Another common misconception is that dead bodies can randomly sit up but Emma assured that "dead bodies do not sit up on the post-mortem table."</p> <p>She said, "Sometimes there is gas left in the body so the muscles will twitch a little bit but you'll need a lot of muscle to sit up and dead bodies don't have that."</p> <p>One person commented, "I work in a hospital and I always hope the dead are treated with respect, but humour must be essential in a mortuary."</p> <p>Emma replied to the healthcare worker, "We always treat them with respect just as you would a living patient. Humour helps you get through the worst days."</p> <p><em>Image credits: TikTok / Getty Images</em></p>

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