Top Ten Useless Gadgets
They may sound fun, or even amazing time-saving products, but consumers have been warned not to waste their money on "dud" gadgets by the leading consumer watchdog.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 29 July 2010:
Top ten useless gadgets
Obama Signs a Bill that Lets Banks Have US Over a Barrel Once More
Last week, President Obama signed into law the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform bill – hailed as the most sweeping overhaul of US financial regulation since the 1930s.
Liam Halligan, Telegraph 26 July 2010:
Obama signs a bill that lets banks have US over a barrel once more
Britain's Best Family Days Out
Great family days out around the British Isles, from beachcombing in Suffolk to sheepshearing in Yorkshire.
Telegraph 20 July 2010:
Britain's best family days out
UK House Prices not Set to Recover for Another Ten Years, says PWC
Property prices will not recover for another decade and should be viewed as "risky assets", according to PricewaterhouseCooper's Economic Outlook report.
Helia Ebrahimi, Telegraph 13 July 2010:
UK house prices not set to recover for another ten years, says PWC
With the US Trapped in Depression, this Really is Starting to Feel Like 1932
The US workforce shrank by 652,000 in June, one of the sharpest contractions ever. The rate of hourly earnings fell 0.1pc. Wages are flirting with deflation.
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Telegraph 5 July 2010:
With the US trapped in depression, this really is starting to feel like 1932
Transport Policy: Red for Danger
The problem is that an awful lot of money is being spent, almost all of it inefficiently
Guardian, 2 July 2010:
Transport policy: red for danger
Michael Pollan is Desperate to End Our Addiction to Processed Food.
The best-selling author at the centre of a revolt against processed food shares some simple rules for truly healthy eating with Jon Henley.
Guardian, 1 July 2010:
Michael Pollan is desperate to end our addiction to processed food
RBS Tells Clients to Prepare for 'Monster' Money-Printing by the Federal Reserve
As recovery starts to stall in the US and Europe with echoes of mid-1931, bond experts are once again dusting off a speech by Ben Bernanke given eight years ago as a freshman governor at the Federal Reserve.
Ambrose Evans-Pritchard, Daily Telegraph 27 June 2010:
RBS tells clients to prepare for 'monster' money-printing by the Federal Reserve
Austerity Was a Hard Sell in the 40s. Today it's Harder Still
Postwar cohesion came from shared purpose, a sense of equity and faith in leadership. Cameron et al have it all to do.
David Kynaston, Guardian 22 June 2010:
Austerity was a hard sell in the 40s. Today it's harder still
London Olympics Opening Ceremony Imagined – Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet and a Giant Toilet Bowl
Now that Danny Boyle and Stephen Daldry are creative chiefs of the 2012 spectacle, the show may be worth watching
Lucy Mangan, Guardian 18 June 2010:
London Olympics opening ceremony imagined – Ewan McGregor, Kate Winslet and a giant toilet bowl
Tinfoil Porsche Runs on Pedal Power
An Austrian artist has built a replica Porsche GT3 out of tinfoil and sticky tape and mounted it on a bicycle.
Keith Barry, Wired Magazine 16 June 2010:
Tinfoil Porsche runs on pedal power
Boris Johnson Should Learn the Bike Rules of the Road in Bogota
Ciclovía keeps cars off the streets in the Colombian capital and brings rich and poor together - if only for a day
Mike Power, Guardian 16 June 2010:
Boris Johnson should learn the bike rules of the road in Bogota
Britain's Best Small Campsites
Comprehensive guides to ten of Britain's best small and characterful campsites.
Dixe Wills, Telegraph 8 June 2010:
Britain's best small campsites
Moneyless Man Reveals How to Live a Cashless Life without Starving
Separation between stomachs and the soil means most food comes in plastic packets, but eating for free can be fun
Mark Boyle, Guardian 2 June 2010:
Moneyless man reveals how to live a cashless life without starving
Why It's Easier Than Ever To Maintain Your Own Bike
You might be a mechanical novice but tutorial books and online videos can help make you an expert grease monkey.
Peter Walker, Guardian 1 June 2010:
Why it's easier than ever to maintain your own bike
The Impoverished Professionals: New Victims of the Crunch
Anybody who's anybody has a financial hard-luck story these days. John Walsh examines the new poverty.
Independent, 26 May 2010:
The impoverished professionals: New victims of the crunch
Record Debt Enquiries at Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice Bureaux have dealt with a record number of consumers with debt problems over the last 12 months, according to its annual statistics.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 17 May 2010:
Record debt enquiries at Citizens Advice
Save £800 a Year on Petrol
Can you cut petrol costs just by driving more smoothly? Patrick Collinson gave it a go and found that a driver doing 15,000 miles a year at an average 119.9p a litre could save a fortune
Guardian 1 May 2010:
Save £800 a year on petrol
Mr. Fixit Goes Open Source With DIY Repair Site
Manufacturers want you to recycle old gear when you upgrade, but Kyle Wiens would prefer that you keep your old gadgets and fix them yourself.
Brian X. Chen, Wired Magazine 22 April 2010:
Mr. Fixit goes open source with DIY repair site
Sewing Cafe Opens in Paris
Rent a sewing machine by the hour, learn a new skill or simply sip cafe au lait
Lizzy Davies, Observer 18 April 2010:
Sewing cafe opens in Paris
Royal Mail's Decision to Park its Bikes Defies Logic
Bicycles are zero-carbon, cheap, reliable and congestion-cutting - so why is the Royal Mail planning to phase out deliveries by posties on two wheels?
Matt Seaton, Guardian 9 April 2010:
Royal Mail's decision to park its bikes defies logic
Britain Becomes Nation of Borrowers Spending Wildly on 'Experiences'
Research by the Office for National Statistics on social trends suggests that saving is history and consumers have shifted from buying material goods to recreation and culture.
Randeep Ramesh, Guardian 8 April 2010:
Britain becomes nation of borrowers spending wildly on 'experiences'
Camping Bookings Soar Amid Forecasts of Hot Summer
Camping holidays are enjoying a resurgence as Britons turn their backs on expensive hotels and airport delays, new figures suggest.
Matthew Moore, Telegraph 2 April 2010:
Camping bookings soar amid forecasts of hot summer
The Best Free Software of 2010
Get what you don't pay for: here are 196 programs that cost nothing but will make your computing life richer - all the while keeping your wallet fat.
PC Magazine 30 March 2010:
The best free software of 2010
The Innovator: Matthias Kauer
The 39-year-old inventor who created a solar cell that can generate 100 times more power than an ordinary cell
Lucy Siegle, Observer 14 March 2010:
The innovator: Matthias Kauer
Banking Cannibals are Likely to Gorge on us Once Again
While we are on the subject of trust, what about the banks? Do we trust them? What do we trust them to do? They've enjoyed the biggest blood sacrifice ever – can we trust them to behave in such a way that we don't have to do that again?
Simon Carr, The Independent 3 March 2010:
Banking cannibals are likely to gorge on us once again
Britons' Love Affair with Expensive Credit Appears as Strong as Ever
Provident Financial results make depressing reading. Not for shareholders (the group has actually fared surprisingly well in the recession), but for those of us who hoped we might have learnt some lessons from the credit binge and subsequent recession.
Richard Fletcher, Telegraph 3 March 2010:
Britons' love affair with expensive credit appears as strong as ever
BBC: 80% of Licence Fee to be Spent on Programmes
BBC commits to spending at least 80% of licence fee on 'content creation', but plans to axe two radio stations and cut web output have met opposition, with claims it could lead to 600 job losses
Steve Bell, Guardian 3 March, 2010:
BBC: 80% of licence fee to be spent on programmes
How Reagan Ruined Conservatism
Battling my way through Sarah Palin’s book, Going Rogue, last weekend, I began to wonder how American conservatism had come to this...
Gideon Rachman, Financial Times 2 March 2010:
How Reagan ruined conservatism
Litter: Our Legacy to Future Generations
Our grandchildren will know us by our discarded cans of Coca-Cola and packets of Walkers crisps
Jeremy Paxman, Guardian 25 February 2010:
Litter: our legacy to future generations
Britons Rediscover Age of Austerity at Free Attractions
Museums, galleries and heritage sites report surge in visitor numbers as recession bites hard on family days out
James Meikle, Guardian 24 February 2010:
Britons rediscover age of austerity at free attractions
Every Little Helps? Supermarkets Accused of "Cynical Manipulation" Over 1p Cuts
Former OFT head criticises industry as investigation shows majority of trumpeted price reductions worth just a penny.
Felicity Lawrence, Guardian 22 February 2010:
Every little helps? Supermarkets accused of "cynical manipulation" over 1p cuts
So Where Did All the Money Go?
It is all too easy to lose track of the amount of cash poured into the economy by the British authorities in order to support banks and prevent a repeat of the Great Depression.
Edmund Conway, Telegraph 19 February 2010:
So where did all the money go?
Broken Records
Artists do not need the music industry suits
Luke Johnson, Financial Times 17 February 2010:
Broken records
When the Locals Bought their Local
The Star Inn in Salford was to close – then its customers stepped in.
Jerome Taylor, Independent 15 February 2010:
When the locals bought their local
'Systematic, Cynical, Aggressive': Expert Verdict on Tesco and Asda Prices
Batteries, medicines and children's toys among items whose prices were increased in runup to Christmas
Felicity Lawrence, Guardian 13 February 2010:
'Systematic, cynical, aggressive': expert verdict on Tesco and Asda prices
Millionaire Gives Away Fortune Which Made Him Miserable
Austrian millionaire Karl Rabeder is giving away every penny of his £3 million fortune after realising his riches were making him unhappy.
Henry Samuel, Telegraph 8 February 2010:
Millionaire gives away fortune which made him miserable
The Most Popular Walks in Britain
The National Trust has revealed a list of the most downloaded walks from its website. The conservation organisation has seen a huge increase in the number of people downloading their walks - more than a quarter of a million in the last year.
Guardian 3 February 2010:
The most popular walks in Britain
Bristol's Rebel Restaurant is the Hottest Ticket in Town
Customers are queueing up to experience fine dining in a squat on borrowed chairs for whatever they want to pay.
Steven Morris, Guardian 29 January 2010:
Bristol's rebel restaurant is the hottest ticket in town
Aldi and Lidl Beat Tesco and Sainsbury's in Which? Survey
Aldi and Lidl, the European discount chains, have beaten Tesco and the rest of the major grocery groups in an influential survey to find Britain's best supermarket.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 28 January 2010:
Aldi and Lidl beat Tesco and Sainsbury's in Which? survey
The Strength of the Pound Shop
They are the ultimate value retailers. James Thompson reports on how the recession has been the catalyst for a dramatic increase in the number of pound shops on Britain's high streets.
Independent 26 January 2010:
The strength of the pound shop
Guardian Editor Hits Back at Paywalls
Shutting newspaper industry off from openness of web risks 'sleepwalk into oblivion', argues Alan Rusbridger
Guardian 25 January 2010:
Guardian editor hits back at paywalls
I Can't Believe it's Not … Healthy!
First butter was bad for you, then margarine. Now a new front has opened in the battle of the spreads, with fresh calls for trans fats to be banned. But will any of this really prevent heart disease?
Felicity Lawrence, Guardian 23 January 2010:
I can't believe it's not … healthy!
Frugal Shoppers Fuel Boom in Out-of-Date Grocery Trade
Orders backlogged as websites selling discounted groceries past their official shelf lives report huge sales
Rebecca Smithers, Guardian 22 January 2010:
Frugal shoppers fuel boom in out-of-date grocery trade
The Sad Lesson of Cadbury is the City Still Holds the Whip
For all Labour's puff about an economy built on industry, the takeover shows the dominance of finance is unchecked.
Larry Elliott, Guardian 20 January 2010
The sad lesson of Cadbury is the City still holds the whip
Start Running and Watch Your Brain Grow, Say Scientists
• Aerobic exercise triggers new cell growth – study
• Region of brain affected linked to recollection
Ian Sample, Guardian 19 January 2010:
Start running and watch your brain grow, say scientists
How to Track Down a Cheap Train Ticket
Miles Brignall on how to beat the annual rail fare price hikes
Guardian 16 January 2010:
How to track down a cheap train ticket
Human Civilisation 'Will Collapse' Unless Greed Culture is Stopped, Report Warns
Human civilisation would “collapse” and efforts to tackle global warming will fail unless the world curbs its culture of greed and excessive consumerism, a report has warned.
Andrew Hough, Telegraph 13 January 2010:
Human civilisation 'will collapse' unless greed culture is stopped, report warns
Pick-Your-Own Vegetables to Replace Flowers in High Street
Climate change and food shortage issues prompt Lancashire town to consider growing edible crops in public
Martin Wainwright, Guardian 12 January: 2010
Pick-your-own vegetables to replace flowers in high street
Economists Start to Consider that Money Can't Buy Happiness
Obsession with GDP as a measure of how good people feel is losing its grip against concerns for welfare and sustainability.
Ashley Seager and Heather Stewart, Observer 10 January 2010:
Economists start to consider that money can't buy happiness
How to Make a Draught Excluder
Britain is in the grip of a big freeze. Sally Cameron Griffiths shows you how to make a simple draught excluder to keep the cold weather at bay.
Guardian 5 January 2010:
How to make a draught excluder
Don't Blame the System for Winter Travel Chaos. Stay Put
Hypermobility is now the opium of the people, an obsession that wrecks communities and planet. There are no free trips
Simon Jenkins, Guardian 22 December 2009:
Don't blame the system for winter travel chaos. Stay put
Families Make Biggest Savings Ever to Clear Debt
Families are putting aside record amounts of savings as they take drastic measures to pull themselves out of debt.
Edmund Conway, Telegraph 22 December 2009:
Families make biggest savings ever to clear debt
The 'Tenties': the Decade Camping Became Cool
From glamping to wild camping, millions of us have got closer to nature over the past decade
Dixe Wills, Guardian 19 December 2009:
The 'tenties': the decade camping became cool
In Praise of… Roy Mayall
Editorial in the Guardian about the postman blogger Roy Mayall
Guardian Thursday 17 December 2009:
In praise of Roy Mayall
Present Sense: Village Group Exports Recycled Gift Idea Worldwide
Movement against commercialisation spreads to 46 countries
Steven Morris, Guardian 13 December 2009:
Present Sense: village group exports recycled gift idea worldwide
The Debt, Excess And Exploitation Is Not Dubai's Alone. We've All Been At It
The glitzy Gulf state is a modern parable for a world living on tick. How much better the wealth could have been spent
Jonathon Freedland, Guardian 1 December 2009:
The debt, excess and exploitation is not Dubai's alone. We've all been at it
Are we falling out of love with IKEA?
IKEA sucks? According to the latest news reports, our long-standing love affair with the adored bastion of low-priced, Swedish furniture could be coming to an end.
Miss Thrifty, November 30 2009:
Are we falling out of love with IKEA?
Debt Repayment Reaches Record Levels
Millions of people paid off records amounts of debt last month as the recession forced borrowers to bring their spending under control, new figures show.
Caroline Gammell, Telegraph 30 November 2009:
Debt repayment reaches record levels
Todmorden's Good life: Introducing Britain's Greenest Town
'Grow your own' fever has gripped the Pennines community, which is aiming for self-sufficiency
Joanna Moorhead, Independent 29 November 2009:
Todmorden's good life: introducing Britain's greenest town
United Maidens of Camden Fight Deepening Personal Debts
Women on a London council estate have formed a personal finance group to help each other through the credit crunch
Mike Sweeney, Guardian 28 November 2009:
United Maidens of Camden fight deepening personal debts
Energy Suppliers 'Overcharging'
Five of the "big six" energy suppliers still overcharge customers on pre-pay meters despite new Ofgem rules, according to the National Housing Federation (NHF).
Kara Gammell, Telegraph 28 November 2009:
Energy suppliers 'overcharging'
Microsoft to Pay Newspaper Websites to Remove Content from Google
Microsoft has reportedly offered to pay newspaper websites, including those owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, to remove their content from Google.
Rupert Neate, Telegraph 23 November 2009:
Microsoft to pay newspaper websites to remove content from Google
How Much Money is Enough?
In 1930, Keynes predicted that by 2030, we'd be working a 15-hour week. But he underestimated our appetite for wealth.
Robert Skidelsky, Guardian 22 November 2009:
How much money is enough?
Music: Too Expensive to Be Free, Too Free to Be Expensive
Music streaming companies struggling to pay fees to record companies.
Eliot Van Buskirk, Wired 17 November 2009:
Music: too expensive to be free, too free to be expensive
Questions for a New World
Our need for a greener, life-enhancing economic model should make us seek answers in the unlikeliest of places
Andrew Simms, Guardian 17 November 2009:
Questions for a new world
Cost Fears Drive Down Car Usage
RAC survey reveals habits are changing as careful owners try to save money
Jill Insley, Guardian 17 November 2009:
Cost feares drive down car usage
China's On-Off American Romance
Finding something American to sell to the Chinese, whether democracy or widgets, has always been a problem.
Simon Schama, Financial Times 16 November 2009:
China's on-off American romance
Christmas is the Season of Awful Adverts
They are smug, stomach-churning and delighted by their own existence
Charlie Brooker, Guardian 16 November 2009:
Christmas is the season of awful adverts
A Day for Savouring the Sound of Silence
About No Music Day, the brainchild of Bill Drummond, former frontman of dance band The KLF and seasoned cultural provocateur.
Laura Battle, Financial Times 16 November 2009:
A day for savouring the sound of silence
Forget Money, Pay with your Skill Set
A modern take on bartering is blossoming online, where people pay for carpentry with counselling and web design with script writing consultancy
Dave Cohen, Guardian 14 November 2009:
Forget money, pay with your skill set
'Trains Are Too Expensive, Use Coaches Instead', Rail Head Tells Staff
Network Rail staff were told to travel to a conference by coach because trains are too expensive.
Ben Leach, Telegraph 11 Nov 2009:
'Trains are too expensive, use coaches instead', rail head tells staff
When Must-Have Means Must-Steal
Shoplifting is up in an age when we are defined by our possessions
Carola Long, Indepedent 11 November 2009:
When must-have means must-steal
How Waterstone's Killed Bookselling
When it started, Waterstone's was a breath of fresh air. But as it got ever bigger, many say it lost its soul. What effect has that had on publishing?
Stuart Jeffries, Guardian 10 November:
How Waterstone's killed bookselling
Alt Text: Clever Murdoch Turns News Into Hip Underground Club
Lore Sjoberg, Wired Magazine 10 November 2009:
Alt text: clever Murdoch turns news into hip underground club
Brompton Bicycle: Crafted for Cult Appeal
Sales of the folding bikes are up more than 25% this year as multicoloured options win younger converts - many of them women.
Zoe Wood, Guardian 8 November 2009:
Brompton bicycle: crafted for cult appeal
Home-brew Return Cheers Money Savers
With improved home-brew kits for sale and plenty of advice on the web, more people are enjoying wine at a pound a bottle and beer made in their garage, writes Miles Brignall
Guardian, 6 November 2009:
Home-brew return cheers money savers
Windows 7 or Ubuntu 9.10 – Battle of the Operating Systems
Die-hard Windows fans and Linux converts will already have made up their minds - for the vast majority of us, here is the OS lowdown.
Kevin Anderson, Guardian 5 November 2009:
Windows 7 or Ubuntu 9.10 - battle of the operating systems
£4,350 Per Family to Bail Out Britain's Banks
Every family in the country is now facing a tax liability of £4,350 to prop up Britain’s banking system after Alistair Darling announced the biggest bail-out in history.
Robert Winnett, Edmund Conway and Harry Wallop, Telegraph 3 November 2009:
£4,350 per family to bail out Britain's banks
I Live Without Cash – and I Manage Just Fine
Armed with a caravan, solar laptop and toothpaste made from washed-up cuttlefish bones, Mark Boyle gave up using cash.
Mark Boyle, Guardian 28 October 2009:
I live without cash - and I manage just fine
Credit Crunch Toys Set to be Christmas Best-Sellers
Children should expect something a little less flashy under the Christmas tree this year.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 28 October 2009:
Credit crunch toys set to be Christmas best-sellers
I Could Lose My House, It's That Serious
Plans to help consumers deal with credit card debt may tip some into bankruptcy
Lisa Bachelor, Guardian 28 October 2009:
I could lose my house it's that serious
The Great Energy Rip-off (And How You Can Avoid It)
Consumers suffer as energy firms cash in on huge profits
Martin Hickman, Independent 7 October 2009:
The great energy rip-off (and how you can avoid it)
Ditch the Guidebook: the Best Online City Guides and Blogs
The best way to discover a city is through its people – these online guides and services put you in touch with the locals.
Guardian, 26 September 2009:
Ditch the guidebook: the best online city guides and blogs
Google Writes Its Own Rules
Sceptics often ask of new government programmes: if it is so worthwhile, why is the private sector not doing it already? A similar question can be asked of companies claiming to be acting for the general good: if the public needs it, why is the government not doing it already?
Christopher Caldwell, FT September 11 2009:
Google writes its own rules
Antiques Markets: Treasure Troves for Homewares
Antiques markets are perfect hunting grounds for quirky, one-off homewares. Here's a selection of the country's best.
Hannah Booth, Guardian 5 September 2009:
Antiques markets: treasure troves for homewares
Free At Last From Spend, Spend, Spend
You wouldn't know it from logging on to your bank's website, but loans are out of fashion. Despite the flashing, dancing, screamer adverts for borrowing money that bellow out at us, as a nation we're paying back our debts like never before. It's a move which can only be seen (by us) as an upside to the recession.
Lisa Markwell, Independent 3 September 2009:
Free at last from spend, spend, spend
Don't Just Howl With Rage. Try An Idea That Does Away With Banks Altogether
If our leaders won't curb bankers' megabucks, an old progressive scheme updated for the web era could bypass their greed
Jonathon Freedland, Guardian 19 August 2009:
Don't just howl with rage. Try an idea that does away with banks altogether
How Britain Fell in Love with Poundland
Amid the devastation of our recession-hit high street, one retailer is doing rather well. So what's its secret?
Jon Henley, Guardian 4 August 2009:
How Britain fell in love with Poundland
Economy Gastronomy: Three Recipes From One Chicken
Get the most out of a chicken by boiling it, then using it to make these three delicious dishes
Allegra McEvedy and Paul Merrett, Guardian 4 August 2009:
Economy Gastronomy: three recipes from one chicken
Bicycle Sales Boom by 20 Per Cent
Bicycle sales have jumped by 20 per cent as workers take advantage of a tax break scheme, according to new figures.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 25 July 2009:
Bicycle sales boom by 20 per cent
Heard the One About a Rabbi, an Imam and a Priest, Who Walk Into a Bank?
A rare alliance of faith leaders today will deliver an overdue message to the City, reviving an idea as old as money itself.
Jonathan Freedland, Guardian 22 July 2009:
Heard the one about a rabbi, an imam and a priest, who walk into a bank?
What Are You Going To Do With The Children This Summer?
The school holidays have started. That's a lot of free time ahead. So how can you stave off the inevitable rows and moaning? After years of getting it wrong, Tim Dowling can now offer an expert survival guide.
Guardian 21 July 2009:
What are you going to do with the children this summer?
Lidl and Aldi Olive Oil Beats M&S, Expert Testers Find
Some of the cheapest olive oil available, from discount supermarket chains Aldi and Lidl, have beaten well known brands in a blind tasting conducted by expert tasters.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 20 July 2009:
Lidl and Aldi olive oil beats M&S, expert testers find
In Praise of Saving
(and battered chests full of gold coins)
Lucy Mangan, Guardian 18 July 2009:
In praise of saving
How Craigslist Turned Small Ads into Big Business
Blamed by some for the demise of print classified advertising, the Craigslist founder is now working on a more open US government
Kevin Anderson, Guardian 16 July, 2009:
How Craigslist turned small ads into big business
Apple's Apps are not the Only Fruit
Apple is not the only one supplying mobile phone applications. There is also a thriving independent sector. The biggest, getjar.com, which started in Lithuania, has just topped half a billion downloads. The difference with Apple is that the applications are free.
Victor Keegan, Guardian 16 July 2009:
Apple's apps are not the only fruit
The Great American Bubble Machine
From tech stocks to high gas prices, Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression - and they're about to do it again
Matt Taibbi, Rolling Stone 13 July 2009:
The Great American Bubble Machine
Artist Wins Shed of the Year
An artist who constructed a cabin at the bottom of his garden without any plans has been crowned the winner of this year's Shed of the Year.
Telegraph 9 July 2009:
Artist wins shed of the year
Medieval Stews are Back on the Menu
The bargee pail method produces superb - and thrifty - stews.
Rose Prince, Telegraph 8 July 2009:
Medieval stews are back on the menu
Free and Cheap on the Internet
Chris Anderson's Free and Ellen Ruppel Shell's Cheap are two books on the digital revolution well worth reading, says Andrew Keen.
Telegraph 7 July 2009:
Free and cheap on the internet
The Top Internet Radio Stations
The Telegraph takes a look at the internet radio revolution and pick out a selection of the best internet radio stations
Emma Barnett, Claudine Beaumont and Tom Chesover, Telegraph 2 July 2009
The top internet radio stations
All the World's Books to go Online
The Open Library, a new information-sharing project, aims to create a single web page for every book that has ever been written.
Heidi Blake, Telegraph 2 July 2009:
All the world's books to go online
Home and Dry
If you're too hot to move, you could just try one of these perfect thirst-quenchers
Victoria Moore, Guardian 30 June 2009:
Home and dry
Auto-ban: German Town Goes Car-free
Vauban hopes to forge a model community without that great staple of modern life – the car. Now the sound of birdsong has replaced the roar of traffic and children can play in the street
Tony Paterson, Independent 26 June 2009:
Auto-ban: German town goes car-free
Wine, Veg and Little Meat 'a Recipe for Long Life'
It has long been heralded as the perfect recipe for a long life but a new study suggests that not all foods that make up the Mediterranean diet carry the same benefits.
Kate Devlin, Telegraph 24 June 2009:
Wine, veg and little meat 'a recipe for long life'
Money Worries Making Shoppers Turn Away from Famous Brands like Heinz
Money worries are undermining shoppers' loyalty to their favourite brands, researchers have said.
Telegraph, 24 June 2009:
Money worries making shoppers turn away from famous brands like Heinz
Lenders Try to Repossess Homes for Credit Card Debt
Borrowers' homes at risk after huge increase in lenders demanding to secure debt against properties
Lauren Thompson, Times 24 June 2009:
Lenders try to repossess homes for credit card debt
Cinema Paradise
Take a seat outdoors, in your car, in art deco splendour or even on a rooftop, with the Guardian's pick of the best film venues in Britain
Dixie Willis, Guardian 17 June 2009:
Cinema paradise
Adventures of a Couch Surfer
There are many ways to see the world — including crashing on the sofas of strangers.
Fleur Britten, Sunday Times 14 June 2009:
Adventures of a couch surfer
Credit Crunch Revives Bread Sales
Sales of bread are on the rise for the first time in 35 years people take sandwiches to work to save money.
Valerie Elliott, Times 13 June 2009:
Credit crunch revives bread sales as workers make sarnies to save cash
Aldi is Crowned Britain's Best Supermarket
Budget food store Aldi has been crowned the best supermarket in Britain by the consumer organisation Which?
Martin Hickman, Independent 9 June 2009:
Aldi is crowned Britain's best supermarket
The Best UK Campsites by the Sea
The British coast is fringed with campsites, and Leo Wallace, editor of Beach Campsites UK, has chosen some of the best.
Guardian 9 June 2009:
The best UK campsites by the sea
Rediscovering Banking Like it Used to Be
The Stafford Railway Building Society lends less than its savers deposit.
Andrew Bounds, Financial Times June 6 2009:
Rediscovering banking like it used to be
The Finishing Touch
Craving a few changes at home, but feeling the pinch? Then tackle our simple craft projects, says Charlotte Abrahams - they're cheap, satisfying and a lot easier than you might think
Guardian 6 June 2009:
The finishing touch
Battle Looms Over Right to Return Goods
Don't assume the worst if you've got faulty items just out of warranty, says Miles Brignall.
Guardian 5 June 2009:
Battle looms over right to return goods
How Last.fm is Thinking Outside the Jewel Case
Last.fm is a great British success story, now boasting 30 million users - so what has the internet radio company got up its sleeve?
Jemima Kiss, Guardian 4 June 2009:
How Last.fm is thinking outside the jewel case
The Great Escape
Want to make the most of the good weather but tired of the same old day trips? The Guardian's experts guide you to some of their favourite haunts.
Guardian 2 June 2009:
The great escape
Is the AA Taking You For a Ride?
The AA is charging customers as much as £186.50 for its breakdown and recovery service – yet similar cover can be found elsewhere for just £35. Patrick Collinson asks if the traditional providers are just laughing all the way to the garage
Guardian 30 May 2009:
Is the AA taking you for a ride?
Mobile Operators Must Answer the Call
If you want to save money during the recession, then look no further than your mobile phone.
Victor Keegan, Guardian 28 May 2009:
Mobile operators must answer the call
Europe: It's Cheaper Than You Think
All the focus has been on the value offered by Turkey this summer – but there are plenty of bargains in mainstream destinations on the Continent if you know where to look, says Nick Trend.
Telegraph 26 May 2009:
Europe: it's cheaper than you think
Map Reading Tips for a World Without Satnav
Map reading for those who've forgotten how.
Tim Dowling, Guardian 21 May 2009:
Map reading tips for a world without satnav
Feasts for a Fiver
Last week the Guardian asked top chefs to create a delicious two-course dinner for under £5. But its readers thought they could do better. Here's the pick of the recipes.
Guardian 20 May 2009:
Feasts for a fiver
Double the Number to Go Camping this Year
Nearly double the number of holidaymakers are considering a camping holiday this summer as the recession forces people to cut back on expensive holidays.
Harry Wallop, Telegraph 15 May 2009:
Double the number to go camping this year
Here We Go Again, Back to Bank Profits and Big Bonuses
Just as before, the returns are being made in the investment arms
Adrian Hamilton, Independent 14 May 2009:
Here we go again, back to bank profits and big bonuses
How to Be a Budget Gourmet
The Guardian has a week-long series of affordable recipes from Britain's top chefs, Delia Smith shares her ideas for eating deliciously on the cheap - and whips up two new, exclusive recipes.
Guardian 11 May 2009:
How to be a budget gourmet
Waste Not
Households are consuming less and recycling more, according to the latest official figures
Rachel Shields, Independent on Sunday 10 May 2009:
Waste not: recession leads to big drop in amount of rubbish we are throwing away
Green Your Home: The Great Green Giveaway
Where to look to make some serious savings.
Guardian 9 May 2009:
Green your home: the great green giveaway
Thrifty Living: Can You Afford Not to Go Green Anymore?
Over three quarters of households (78 per cent) have become more energy efficient in the past 12 months and over a third of these (36 per cent) have done so because of the rising cost of gas and electricity. It now seems that the recession is achieving what years of educated debate hasn't – it is making Britain's householders go green.
Ann Robinson, Independent 9 May 2009:
Thrifty Living: Can you afford not to go green anymore?
A Mere Trifle
Fresh, organic fruit from the garden? It may sound too much like hard work, but it's actually a breeze, says Gardeners' World presenter Toby Buckland.
Guardian 9 May 2009:
A mere trifle
Poundland's Sales Soar During Recession
Poundland delivered record sales for the year to the end of March, as the single-price retailer attracted hordes of new customers seeking value for money during the recession.
James Thompson, Independent 6 May 2009:
Poundland's sales soar during recession
Here's Something We Sowed Earlier
Growing your own food is the best way to interest children in eating healthily - if you let them help, say Karen Liebreich, Jutta Wagner and Annette Wendland.
Guardian 2 May 2009:
Here's something we sowed earlier
Sheep's Head Broth? Lovely
The credit crunch has sparked a boom in thrift-lit, discovers Carole Cadwalladr, nowhere more so than in cunning ways to serve up leftovers.
Observer 26 April 2009:
Sheep's head broth? lovely
The Hut Parade
Garden offices are cheap, chic, eco-friendly and above all – there is no commute. Could shedworking be the way forward for workers looking for an office alternative?
Alex Johnson, Guardian 25 April 2009:
Garden offices: the hut parade
Car Scrappage Scheme: a Case of Bangers and Trash
This week the chancellor offered owners of old cars £2,000 to scrap them for a new model. But Tony Levene says the sums just don't add up.
Guardian 25 April 2009:
Car scrappage scheme: a case of bangers and trash
Sow Good for You
Tastier and more nutritious than supermarket offerings, while saving students a packet too, growing your own fruit and veg can prove satisfying in spades. Louise Tickle digs deeper.
Guardian 25 April 2009:
Sow good for you
Swap Shop
It's the ultimate in Tom-and-Barbara thriftiness, but Freecycle is also a great way to get involved in your community. Ros Anderson talks to three aficionados.
Guardian 18 April 2009:
Swap shop
Who Needs a Gym Membership?
Now you can work out in the park.
Zoe Williams, Guardian 16 April 2009:
Who needs a gym membership?
Number of House Swaps Rise by More Than 400 Per Cent in a Year
The number of home owners who are resorting to swapping their properties as a means of selling them has jumped by more than 400 per cent in the past year, figures indicate.
Myra Butterworth, Telegraph 15 April 2009:
Number of house swaps rise by more than 400 per cent in a year
Is ‘Free’ the Future of Music?
Could the success of music-streaming services such as Spotify point to a viable long-term business model for the music industry?
Claudine Beaumont, Telegraph 9 April 2009:
Is ‘free’ the future of music?
Small Cars Outperform Large Ones
Fuel-efficient small cars are holding their values better than prestige saloons and 4x4s.
Paul Hudson, Daily Telegraph 6 April 2009:
Small cars outperform large ones
Queen of Swaps
Bored with your clothes? Short of cash? Online swapshops may be the answer. Julia Rebaudo revamped her wardrobe in a week for almost nothing - here's how.
Guardian, 3 April 2009:
Queen of swaps
Cobbler Who is Showing His Rivals a Clean Pair of Heels
Happy to be a paternalistic employer and resolutely low-tech, John Timpson is doing well out of the slump.
David Teather, Guardian 3 April 2009:
Cobbler who is showing his rivals a clean pair of heels
The Crisis of Credit Visualized
An excellent little video explaining the origins of the credit crunch really simply on vimeo.com:
The crisis of credit visualized
The Not so Humble Potato
You may not be familiar with scarlet, purple or knobbly potatoes, but thanks to the current revival in tasty heritage varieties, you soon will be. You could even try growing your own, says Norman Miller.
Guardian, 1 April 2009:
The not so humble potato
The Credit Card Refund That's All Grief and No Fun
If a firm goes bust and you paid by plastic, will your card issuer reimburse you? Not if they can help it, as Liz Phillips and Lisa Bachelor reveal.
Observer, 29 March 2009:
The credit card refund that's all grief and no fun
Recipes from Hard Times
Tim Hayward reveals some frugal cooking tips from cookbooks written during previous periods of austerity.
Guardian 25 March 2009:
Recipes from hard times
Last Orders? Locals Fight Back
Every week 39 pubs shut down. Petrol stations lie abandoned. Post Offices are closing. But as Miles Brignall reports, community companies may be the answer.
Guardian, 21 March 2009:
Last orders? Locals fight back
National Trust Visitors Increase by 50 Per Cent
Engaging in simple pleasures near to home is helping lift the gloom of the recession, according to a National Trust survey.
By Paul Stokes, Telegraph 20 March 2009:
National Trust visitors increase by 50 per cent
Spotted Online: Local Guides to Europe's Cities
Spotted by Locals is a network of city bloggers providing up-to-the-minute local information - from a cosy London hideaway to Madrid's best kept museum secret
Benji Lanyado, Guardian 18 March 2009:
Spotted online: local guides to Europe's cities
The Revolution in Micromanufacturing
An article describing the rise of specialist arts
