Latest news with #personalexperience
Times
4 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Times
How not to gain weight on holiday — the expert guide
I t's your precious holiday. You want to relax, lounge by the pool, dive head first into the breakfast bar and have a relaxing cocktail (or three). As for hitting the gym while you're away or thinking about your step count, forget it — you want to enjoy yourself. However, it's worth remembering that the average person will gain 4.4lb while on their summer holiday. Extra drinks, delicious food, more time to relax and less movement all contribute to this unwelcome excess baggage on the way home. At 61, I know this from personal experience. On holiday I used to easily put on half a stone in two weeks thanks to the all-inclusive buffet, cocktails, ice creams and days on the sunlounger. But what I learnt when, aged 57, I transformed my fitness levels, lost 5st and got a body I was finally proud to parade by the pool, is that you can still enjoy yourself without completely wrecking your fitness gains and your waistline. Here's my holiday survival guide.
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Living with a tall man is no picnic - here's why
SHORT men feel short changed. A study found that shorter males are jealous of their taller counterparts, believing them more desirable and formidable as romantic partners. The research by the Australian Catholic University and published in the academic journal Evolutionary Behavioural Sciences found that there really is such a thing as 'short man syndrome' and shorter men were more likely to display envy, jealousy and competitiveness. I must admit I like tall men. While my teenage girlfriends were swooning over some boy's thick dark hair, piercing eyes or bulging biceps, I'd be checking how lofty they were. But after a succession of tall men - when I say succession that's three - as partners, including my 6ft 4in husband, I'd say height isn't all it's cracked up to be and small men don't need to fret. For a start, tall men are always banging their heads. Rarely a week goes by without my husband ranting after bashing his forehead into something. This week it was the up-and-over garage door, after which he berated me for not raising it high enough. As I'd opened it for my own 5ft 4in frame, there was no need to raise it further. Tall men disrupt sleep and it's not because they are amazing lovers, they are just too big for double beds and hog the space. We can't fit a queen or king-size bed in our bedroom, so, most nights I've got to fight for my half of the mattress. Tall men hog the mattress, making a good night's sleep difficult. Picture: Pixabay Public transport is difficult. Try travelling on a bus with a tall man. 'I can't sit there, or there,' he will say. When I first met my husband we travelled by coach from London to my parents' home near Middlesbrough. It was the first - and last - time we took a long-distance coach journey - coaches are not made for tall people. I was thankful my parents didn't live in Inverness. Trains aren't much better and thankfully we rarely fly. Then there's driving. Tall men need cars to accommodate them. With me as the main driver we have mostly owned small cars which are fine for me, but if my husband is driving he squirms around for about half an hour to 'get comfortable' then moans the entire journey about how cramped it is, how the rear-view mirror obscures his field of vision, and the head rest sits at neck level. Public transport is no better. Try travelling on a bus with a tall man. 'I can't it there, or there,' he will say. When I first met my husband we travelled by coach from London to my parents' home near Middlesbrough. It was the first - and last - time we took a long-distance coach journey - coaches are not made for tall people. I was thankful my parents didn't live in Inverness. Thankfully, we rarely fly. There are even issues with the kitchen work surfaces. 'They're too low, I've got back ache,' is common tall-man-cooking complaint. My husband's height means even trivial things are potential flashpoints: we always argue over where to hang pictures, his eyeline being totally different to mine. On the plus side the bath is too short, which works well for me, as it's now my domain, while the shower is his. He even says the bathroom sink is too low. Even buying clothes is problematic - shirt sleeves are invariably too short, while shoes in size 12 are not always in stock. I can't deny having a tall man around is useful. He can spot people in a crowd, reach things on the top shelf in the supermarket and effortlessly flick away cobwebs on the ceiling at home. But fear not short men - being tall has its drawbacks, and for us women, a tall-man relationship is certainly no bed of roses.
Forbes
16-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
When Life Hits Hard, Here's What Women Need To Know About Insurance
How women can better prepare for an unexpected and sudden loss More and more women today are taking charge of their financial futures—running businesses, growing investments, leading households, and educating themselves on how to manage wealth. They face a unique set of challenges, including career interruptions, wage gaps, caregiving responsibilities, and longer lifespans. With these increased burdens comes a greater need to prepare for an unexpected and sudden loss and ensure that you have the resources in place to protect your assets. In exchange for premium payments, insurance is meant to protect you against the financial consequences of life's unpredictable events, providing compensation for losses, damages, illness, or death. For women, who on average live five years longer and have 32 percent less retirement savings than men, this type of protection is not only convenient but essential. But the industry can be daunting to navigate, and preparing for the worst possible outcomes may not be an everyday priority. I suffered a huge, unexpected loss during the holidays last year when my family and I experienced a house fire that took our home and all our belongings. Fortunately, we had a homeowners' insurance policy. While we grieved the loss of everything we owned, I expected that the insurance company would work proactively and efficiently to help us get back on our feet. Like many women, I was already carrying a heavy load and needed help finding a path forward. I was dismayed to discover that the journey was instead burdensome and exhausting. What I believed would be reliable protection revealed itself as a complicated process filled with unclear outcomes and financial implications. I hope the lessons I learned can help other women protect themselves against unforeseen calamities. Most insurance policies fall into one of two categories: life and non-life (also known as property and casualty) which covers health insurance, disability and long-term care, homeowners' insurance, car insurance, and protection of business assets. Within each category, there are many options to choose from, so how do you determine what's appropriate for you and your family? First, let's look at life insurance. It can act as a tax-advantaged wealth-transfer vehicle through death benefits, estate tax exclusions in the form of irrevocable trusts, tax-deferred cash value growth on whole or universal life policies, gift tax exclusions, and more. This is especially relevant to women, who are expected to inherit as much as 70 percent of the $124 trillion projected to change hands through inheritance by 2048. Permanent life insurance policies—as opposed to 'term' policies, which provide coverage for a specific time period—can fund legacies, trusts, and even charitable giving plans. For business owners or women who are the primary earners, such policies can protect dependents or business partners. According to a recent study based on Census Bureau statistics, approximately 70 percent of mothers in the United States will be the primary earners for their households for at least one year before their children turn 18, with an average duration of six years. So safeguarding earnings, especially with the increased burden of being a primary caregiver, is crucial. Now let's turn to non-life. Volumes have been written about health insurance in the United States, so we'll set that aside for today except to say that a 2024 Commonwealth Fund survey found that in this area 23 percent of American adults are underinsured, two-thirds of whom have coverage through an employer. So it's worth devoting a few hours to finding out exactly what your plan covers and filling in any gaps necessary before it's too late. Try to take into account unlikely scenarios like ambulance rides, medflights, rare diseases whose treatment insurance companies may deem experimental, network restrictions, and the occasional need for specialists. As for long-term care and disability insurance, consider this: A 2017 Pew Research study suggests that women continue to serve as primary caregivers. This is especially true later in life, when up to 68 percent of women say they shoulder most of the burden when a family member has a serious health condition. So long-term care and disability insurance for both partners—and ideally their parents—can help protect women from medical costs and loss of income. Insurance policies include many documents and details, making them daunting to review. Even as a financial services professional who regularly examines exhaustive documents filled with industry-specific jargon, I find the language in insurance policies opaque. Because most or all of it was clearly industry-standard, I didn't think to question the specifics. However, as soon as I reported our fire, the insurance company directed me to refer to my policy regarding coverage—not just the declarations page, but the policy jacket, amendments, and accompanying footnotes. Yes, the onus fell on me to determine what protection we had in place. Everything, including temporary housing, the building replacement cost, the timeline for rebuilding, and reimbursement for lost items, was unknowable so long as I struggled to decipher the language. My assumption that the terms we agreed upon when I signed the policy would offer us ample protection was shattered; our future was uncertain, and my already high stress level heightened as I tried to secure our family's future. I wish I had engaged a second opinion, or even a formal insurance audit, months earlier to review our policies and identify potential gaps. This can typically be done by an independent insurance agent or a broker who represents multiple insurance providers, an attorney who specializes in insurance, or a financial advisor. According to AAA, women are often underinsured, particularly with life insurance, due to disparities in earnings, awareness, and financial education. Moreover, while most mortgage companies require homeowners insurance, 40 percent of homeowners own their houses outright, and one in eight homes in the United States do not carry homeowners insurance. Among those who do have it, a 2024 Deloitte survey found that the majority are unclear about what coverage they need and how much to purchase, putting them at risk of recovering less after a loss. Understanding the financial implications of your insurance policies' details is critical for protecting your wealth. Changing circumstances and life stages—career, parenting, retirement—affect insurance needs, so reviewing them every year or two is advisable. Understanding how insurance plays a role in wealth planning can also increase your confidence in financial decision-making and reduce any anxieties about the future. The most important misconception I had about the insurance industry concerned advocacy. I assumed my insurer would be aligned with my family's best interests and that the agent who placed us in the policy would advocate for our needs. However, as the Deloitte survey highlights, insurers primarily focus on profitability, leaving insureds to fend for themselves against inadequate coverage, claim delays or denials, lowball settlement offers, or poor customer service during the claims process. Some insurance agents will advocate for your claims to an extent, but their compensation may be tied to settlement amounts, which could create conflicts. Several insurance agencies now have claims advocacy departments that help clients navigate the process to maximize coverage and resolve disputes promptly and effectively, but don't forget they do still work for the agency, so you can't rely on them solely. In the case of natural disasters, nonprofit organizations and consumer-rights advocacy groups such as United Policyholders and the Red Cross can help you navigate the claims process. But you remain your primary advocate, so you must make sure you're fully informed. Reading and making sure you understand all the fine print is not a fun task, but it's a necessary one to undertake sooner rather than later. Set aside a day, or an hour or two each day for a week, to review, discuss, and perhaps work to change your coverage. Equally important is that you plan ahead for any disasters that may arise. First, make a detailed home inventory of everything in every floor of your house, including the attic and basement, every year. Include a description of each item, a serial number if applicable, the date you purchased it, and its price; even better if you have the receipt. Make a file for receipts, appraisals, and verified provenance, if applicable, and take lots of time-stamped photos, both wide shots of rooms and collections or individual valuables such as paintings or coins, as well as photos of yourself wearing any jewelry you may need to claim in the event of a robbery. Put all hard copies in a safe-deposit box or keep them at a separate property, or store all documentation in the cloud (never hurts to do both!). Also, if something does happen that will require a claim, take pictures immediately, before any repairs begin. Before last December, discussing or even considering our insurance policies was far down on my list of priorities, given everything else I had to handle each day. As a mom and business owner, I constantly had to think about such things as the logistics of upcoming business trips, what time baseball practice was this week and who was taking my son, whether I had reviewed the agenda for next week's board meeting, and what we were having for dinner that night. This left no room for reviewing insurance policies; I never even thought about them. But of course in hindsight I wish I had taken the time to explore our options, check the details, and identify our advocates in case of an emergency. Growing and protecting assets is incredibly important for women, especially now that we are managing an increasing portion of wealth, and weaving insurance into a comprehensive financial strategy will protect you and give you with greater control over your family's future.
Globe and Mail
05-06-2025
- General
- Globe and Mail
Financial lessons from a woman whose husband died suddenly at 39
If you can't find the time or motivation to plan financially for your death or a serious illness, please read Jane Blaufus's book. It's called With the Stroke of a Pen: Claim Your Life, and it includes a 33-page checklist of questions for working through the process of helping family members sort through your affairs when you die. The checklist is helpful, but so is Ms. Blaufus's personal experience after the loss of her husband. To hear more, check out this e-mail Q&A I did with Ms. Blaufus: Q: Jane, can you tell us in both a personal and professional sense how you came to write your book? A: My 39-year-old husband walked out the door one Sunday morning, and that afternoon a police officer arrived in my driveway to share the news that he had been killed in an accident. In less than 60 seconds, the world I knew had been turned upside down and I had become a widow with a 12-year-old daughter and a financial tsunami coming my way. By that time, I had been in the life insurance industry for 16 years and had foolishly thought that if anything ever happened to me that I would be better prepared than others. Wrong. I was blindsided by so many unexpected things and thought that if I wasn't prepared, despite all of my knowledge and expertise, what would the average person do in that situation? Fast forward to today and I am happily remarried to a wonderful man who was also widowed after his wife suffered an illness. We collectively decided to pay it forward by sharing our story to help prevent other families from going through what we did. Q: In the conversations you've had with readers, friends, family and clients in your professional life, what have you learned about the capacity people have for preparing for their own death and the death of loved ones? Do we ever get to a point where nine in 10 people have a will, powers of attorney and made other preparations? A: Unfortunately, most people are terrified to talk about death and illness. For many it is like looking their own mortality in the face, but these conversations are crucial because we have an obligation to ourselves and those we love to leave this world in an organized manner. The last thing someone needs when a loved one has become ill or died is to be running around trying to find all the pertinent documents needed to make decisions about medical care or funeral arrangements. Sadly, I do not think we will ever get to the point where nine in ten people will have had these important conversations. Q: If you were to list some of the top things to do to make sure your loved ones are prepared in case of your death, what would they be? A: To start, make sure your loved ones know what your final wishes are. I had asked my husband four times what he would want if anything happened to him and he would always change the subject. When he died, I had to plan a funeral as if I had been blindfolded; it was horrible. Next, make sure you have a current, up-to-date will and powers of attorney for both medical and financial matters. You would not believe the number of times I have heard stories about couples divorcing and the ex-spouse gets everything because the will was never changed. Also, make sure you have enough life insurance for today. Do not stick your policy in a drawer, as things have a way of changing over time. Also, if you have a special needs member of the family, make sure you have provided for them to be cared for in the future. Please make sure all of the beneficiary designations are correct and current as well. And, make sure you have assembled all of your important documentation into one central location, and make sure everyone who should know where it is, does. Your loved ones and your executor should be able to quickly and easily access this information. Speaking of executors, make sure you have asked your executor and legal guardians for your underage children if they willingly accept the role and associated responsibilities. Do not simply assume they will, because if they decline to accept the role after you are gone, you cannot make changes from the grave. Q: What do you think about bringing your adult children into the discussion of what happens when you die? How old should kids be for this conversation? A: This is a very important question, and I believe it is critical to bring them into the discussion, especially today, where there are so many blended families. Having them involved in the conversation can mitigate so many issues that have the potential to erupt after someone dies. As for your question about how old they should be, I would leave this in the parents' hands to determine the age, as they will know their child's maturity level better than anyone else. However, at the latest, I personally would bring them in when they reach adulthood. My poor daughter has had more of these conversations than I think she would care for! Q: Looking back on your own experience when your husband died, what types of advance planning had you done and how did they help in the aftermath? A: The year before my husband died, we had met with our financial advisor to review our investments and life insurance policies. We actually purchased more insurance as things had changed from our last review. The life insurance my husband lovingly put in place for us became a financial lifeline that helped me as I tried to get back on my feet and return to work. We also reviewed our wills with our lawyer, which made settling his estate much easier for me. Q: I've seen some apps and software over the years that were designed to help people organize themselves for when they die, but none seems to have taken off. Do you think the right app could help people engage more with this type of planning, and do you know any apps people should check out? A: I personally do not think an app would engage more people and I do not have a go-to suggestion to offer. What I have done in my book is provide my readers with a checklist designed to help get the conversations going with the people you need to be having them with. It serves as a workbook to help people get their personal and financial lives in order while they can. Are you reading this newsletter on the web or did someone forward the e-mail version to you? If so, you can sign up for Carrick on Money here. Dollarama vs. Costco A nine-product price comparison, including staples like tomato sauce and paper towels. Would you buy a Canadian car? How feasible would it be to tap into Buy Canada sentiment by launching an actual Canadian car company? Foreign companies assemble vehicles in this country, but there are no Canadian automakers. Fixing the problem of too much stuff Advice on de-cluttering from YouTube's The Minimal Mom. The emphasis is on making your living space more comfortable, not throwing a lot of stuff out. Life with the Cybertruck An amusing take on what it's like to drive the Tesla Cybertruck, which starts around $120,000 in Canada. A recent report from J.D. Power shows that in the segment of people who say they are likely to consider an electric vehicle for their next purchase, Tesla has dropped to eighth place after four years among the top two. Subscribe to Stress Test on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Ask Rob Q: What should the investing approach for seniors be for stocks versus guaranteed income certificates? One, both, neither? A: Both can work well. Stocks for long-term growth and dividend income, GICs to supplement bonds as a source of interest income and stability when stocks decline. An all-stocks approach is too risky for most seniors, while all GICs means a sacrifice of growth for safety. The 5 per cent GIC yields of a few years ago far exceed today's peak rates of 3.5 to 3.95 per cent. Tools and guides This new retirement planning calculator was created by a team including Ben Felix, a portfolio manager who has done a lot of great educational work. In the social sphere Social Media: A LinkedIn discussion about a column I wrote recently about a proposal to tax real estate investment properties. Watch: Toronto's spring housing market: Dead on arrival Money-Free Zone: The band Wye Oak strips down the Kate Bush song Running Up That Hill to the basics, and makes it work. Here's the great, more ornate original version. More PF from The Globe - They downsized to save money and simplify their lives. Here's what they wished they'd known - For travel-loving Canadians, other financial goals take a back seat to vacation spending - When did tipping diverge from a reward for good service to a wage-subsidization tactic?
