Chandigarh, March 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday gave a call to people to become active partners in the campaign against drugs so that this scourge can be completely wiped out from...
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Jaipur, March 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani, said on Thursday that the role of the younger generation is important in promoting cultural heritage. “If we keep our cultural...
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According to a new update, the explosion at Odumase, near Konongo in the Asante Akyem Central Municipality of the Ashanti Region, has claimed three lives, with two more victims succumbing to their injuries. The blast, which occurred on Wednesday night, also left several others injured, including firefighters who responded to the scene. While most of […]
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Renowned Nigerian gospel singer Mercy Chinwo has filed a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit against social media commentator Martins Vincent Otse,…
Read More: Mercy Chinwo Fights Back: Sues VeryDarkMan for ₦1 Billion Over ‘Malicious Lies’
MY family-of-five loves a holiday so we go away somewhere in the UK every month – yet still only spend around £2,000 a year.
Working out at around £166 on average a month, in the last year we’ve been to Wales, Northumberland, Lincolnshire, London and to Norfolk multiple times, even during school holidays.
There are few golden rules I like to stick to so I don’t blow our budget on one big family trip and then end up stuck at home for the rest of the year.
Avoiding expensive international travel and focusing on shorter staycays is the best way to keep costs down, especially if you already have a mode of transport to get you around.
We mostly stayed in UK holiday parks or hostels and our accommodation cost less than £1,500 altogether.
When it comes to getting to the place, our petrol was about £500 for the entire year.
We also make the most of unusual inset days for planning our breaks as fewer families will be holidaying then, so we won’t be paying peak prices.
My sons’ school scheduled two inset days together at the end of June, so we used that to enjoy a long weekend in Wales, which cost us just £168.
This is compared to going a month later, when all the children would be off on holiday and it would have cost three times as much for the same accommodation.
We also took a cheeky overnight Christmas break to Butlin’s when the school set a Thursday in December as a teacher training day.
That only cost us £50 which included a trip to see Santa and all the usual entertainment and activities you’d expect.
Whenever I’m booking any breaks, I always like to shop around using different membership schemes or cashback sites to see how much I can get off the listed price.
This is great if you’re going to a big chain like Haven, which offers discounts through schemes like the Blue Light Card or Kids Pass.
Last year we visited four holiday parks near Great Yarmouth and saved about £60 using discount codes.
But the best saving was booking through the Sun Holidays: Club £9.50 for a term-time midweek at Parkdean Resorts Cherry Tree, which cost about £40 for a caravan for four nights.
Another way we really kept our holiday budget low last year was by offering to pet-sit for family and friends in return for staying in their house while they were away.
We enjoyed a little city break to Norwich over the August bank holiday, looking after a dog for a couple of nights.
My boys enjoyed having a pet to fuss, as we don’t have one at home, and it was lovely to be surrounded by homely touches instead of staying in a holiday let that only has the bare basics when it comes to kitchen utensils, towels and the like.
We got to explore the city and were also near enough to the coast to spend time at the beach in the sunshine.
My final tip to keep costs low would be to look at swapping hotels for hostels.
We had some cheap-as-chips stays at hostels across the UK last year, including three nights at Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland at Easter for less than £50 a night for a family room.
The beauty of choosing a hostel rather than a hotel is that you’ll probably have access to a self-catering kitchen and communal areas, so you can save money on feeding the family rather than eating out.
And there’s often people hanging out who are up for a chat, so you can make new friends and get travel trips from other guests.
If you want to mix it up, you could take a big foreign holiday one year and then lots of shorter UK breaks the next.
That way you get the best of both worlds on a budget that works for you.
Here’s another way I’ve saved money when visiting National Trust properties.
LOVE Island’s Ronnie Vint has revealed the ‘exact moment’ he knew Harriett Blackmore was heading into the All Stars villa – despite her blocking him.
Ronnie, 28, and Harriett, 24, recently rekindled their romance on ITV2‘s Love Island: All Stars when they decided to give things another go after splitting in 2024.
Narrowly missing out on making it to the final, the couple were axed just days before Casey O’Gorman and Gabby Allen won the show.
But the pair have remained strong since returning home.
In a joint appearance on the So Wrong It’s Right with Olivia Attwood podcast, Ronnie shared the exact moment he had a feeling something was about to unfold.
Reflecting on the show’s kissing challenge, which saw the pair come face-to-face once more, he said: “I had a little bit of a feeling that something was going on.
“And then do you know what it was? I was counting all the girls. So like one, I think it was like, yeah, to six, so buzzing.”
But as the count continued, something seemed off.
“Get to seven, I was like, oh no. But yeah, obviously I was last. And then they were like, we’re going to do one more song just for like the whatever, the clips or whatever. And then it lasted forever.”
It wasn’t until a shadow appeared beneath him that the penny dropped.
Ronnie continued: “And then I like half see a shadow underneath. And then I was like, oh no, someone else.
“And then, yeah, the minute we kissed, I was like, that’s Harriet.”
And when asked if he knew for sure it was Harriett, Ronnie was certain.
“I knew straight away,” he confirmed.
Before the couple jetted back to England following the All Stars final, fans worried that they might have been heading for splitsville.
One fan thought Harriett looked a little sad during the grand finale.
Taking to Reddit the fan wrote: “Harriett looks so upset [during the All Stars final] and I think it’s because she’d made a deal with herself to get back with Ronnie just to win because she was SO adamant she wasn’t coming in for that and I think now she’s thinking ‘it was all for nothing.’
“I expect a split soon because she wouldn’t close herself off for ages.
“[She] was still saying she’d entertain new people AFTER he said he loved her, and it was always Ronnie saying, ‘Oh well we got each other, I come in and got what I wanted.’
“But Harriett never said the same…..”
Gabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman scored 33.37% of the votes, while Grace Jackson and Luca Bish came in just behind them with 30.38%.
Ekin-Su Cülcüloglu and Curtis Pritchard got 21.74%, Catherine Agbaje and Omar Nyame landed 8.14% and Elma Pazar and Sammy Root ended up with 6.36%.
PRECOCIOUS six-year-old Freddie Osborne is the youngest ever entrant in the history of the world’s most prestigious dog show.
The record-breaker and his best friend Penny will be hoping to take home Best in Show at Crufts 2025.
Freddie Osborne, a youngster from Bobbington, Staffordshire, has captured the spotlight as the youngest entrant in Crufts 2025 — and in the competition’s entire history.
He’s been given time off school to compete at the competition held at Birmingham’s NEC.
Freddie was just five when he and Penny qualified for Crufts at the first time of asking.
His mum Kimberley said: “He was only two weeks old when he first came to Crufts with us and he has been going ever since.
“He’s always helped us with our dogs but this will be the first time he has competed there.”
Freddie and Penny are tipped to be a stars of terrier and hound day.
Freddie added: “I love dog shows and I love Penny because she’s not just my dog, she’s my best friend.
“I am really looking forward to being with her in the arena.
“At home she likes to lick you, sit on your lap and cuddles. I like going for walks with her as they are fun and gets you fresh air.
“But I like doing the dog shows and getting prizes and rosettes.”
Freddie was two weeks old when he first went to Crufts with his parents, who breed smooth fox terriers.
Freddie’s journey to Crufts is a testament to his hard work and the special bond he shares with Penny.
Smooth fox terriers are famed for their intelligence, energy and affectionate nature.
Freddie’s story has already drawn significant attention.
His mother, Kimberley Osborne, shared that Channel 4 producers have expressed interest in featuring him during their Crufts coverage.
As Crufts 2025 unfolds from between March 6 to 9 at the NEC Birmingham, Freddie and Penny are already one of its standout stories.
Their journey reminds us that passion knows no age limit and that even the youngest competitors can inspire others to pursue their dreams.
Clare Balding and co-presenter Radzi Chinyanganya will keep us up to date with how Freddie and Penny progress in the competition.
Paralympic champion Ellie Simmonds and former professional rugby player Ed Jackson will also be reporting on the inspirational duo.
TAKE a look at the bargain townhouse on the Irish market for just €125,000 – and it has “fantastic potential”.
The “fine” home on Main Street, Daingean, Offaly is looking for a new owner.
It comes with a kitchen, two sitting rooms, four bedrooms and a bathroom.
The pad needs to be refurbished, allowing the buyer to “put their own stamp” on it.
The listing on MyHome.ie reads: “Attention, first-time buyers, property investors, and developers.”
“Situated in the town of Daingean, County Offaly, this residential investment opportunity offers fantastic potential to anyone looking to get on the property ladder and develop a very nice townhouse for themselves.”
“Large garden with very good access to another road.
“It may qualify for the vacant house grant, subject to the usual planning application and conditions.
“This spacious house needs refurbishment and gives the new owner the opportunity of putting their own stamp on their new home.”
The property is exempt from a BER certificate.
Meanwhile, another home ideal for first-time buyers is on sale for €225k.
This stunning property is located in Navan town, Co Meath.
This mid-terrace home is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house that has been maintained in fantastic condition by its current owners.
It is currently available for viewings.
The house listing reads: “Quillsen is delighted to present to the market this extended three-bedroom residential property located on Mellows Terrace with rear access for vehicles.”
“An early inspection of this property is highly recommended by the selling agent.”
It includes a substantial modern kitchen with access to the rear garden and is perfect for first-time buyers.
This stunning kitchen has mosaic tiled flooring and is fully fitted with grey cabinets, an oven, and a dishwasher.
Double-glazed windows located around the kitchen and dining area allow plenty of natural light to enter the house.
The family home is in an excellent location, with cafes, restaurants, public transport and a host of other amenities nearby.
Along with being a short walk from Navan town centre, Dublin and Dundalk are each within an hour’s drive of this fabulous property.
