For Justine and Andrew Boniface, the dream of buying a home slipped further away with every year they spent renting after returning to the UK from Spain.
The couple, both 55, had already climbed onto the property ladder once before. They bought their first home in Hemel Hempstead in 1998 for just over £70,000.
But they sold it nearly a decade later for around £205,000 and moved to the Costa del Sol with their three sons in 2008, renting a property.
Shorts
The mistakes parents make at home
Baby-proofing professionals like Al Kola from Baby Safe Steps say there are several mistakes he often sees that are actually more harmful than helpful.
He shares the most common ones.
Accidents in the UK
Unintentional injuries in and around the home are a leading cause of preventable death for children under five years.
67,000
Every year, more than 67,000 children experience an accident in the kitchen, says the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
58,000
58,000 children have accidents on the stairs, often where the most serious incidents occur.
The mistakes parents make
The wrong gate
Pressure gates – gates with a bar along the bottom to keep them fixed in place – shouldn’t be on the stairs as the bar is a trip hazard. You can end up flying down the stairs with your baby.
Young Asian mother enjoying family time with her toddler in nature – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)The Cuggle Extending wooden gate failed some of the tests (Photo: Argos)
Not securing furniture
Parents tend to assume that kids won’t do XYZ. For example, we might assume they won’t pull on drawers, but they can, and it’s a threat that can land on them.
What to do
Father with baby on hands standing near window at home. – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Don’t leave windows ajar
The window could be pushed open the rest of the way by a toddler of about two years old.
Hide cords
Cameras next to a cot are often on a wire, which means that a child could grab it, take it into their cot and get entangled.
The Government may eventually have to scrap the triple lock (jacquesdurocher/Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Lock cupboards
Lock cupboards where you keep cleaning products, batteries, medicine, glassware and potentially tools.
Other things to note
You don’t need to overprepare. If you put edge protectors everywhere, then that child is not going to know what pain is. When they go anywhere else like nursery and do get hurt because they don’t understand it.
Caption: Mother guiding her young daughter to school up the stairs, symbolizing back to school season and family bonding. Photographer: FreshSplash Provider: Getty Images Source: E+ Asian small toddler child is riding a toy car when he falls on the floor, leading to cries and shouts. The unhappy boy, playing with his toy car in the living room daylight, sheds tears – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
The only baby gate brand Al Kola trusts is Baby Dan. “We use them for a few reasons: firstly, safety, secondly, practicality, and then thirdly, they look good. They are the only brand that currently ticks those boxes for most scenarios.”
As a finance expert that’s made money mistakes in the past, these are the secrets I’ll pass on…
Clare Seal once had £27,000 of credit card debt. Now she’s a financial coach.
Here are the tips she’ll pass onto her daughter.
MONEY
Clare’s story
I want [my daughter] to learn from my mistakes and make smaller, less catastrophic ones.
Over the course of 10 years, Seal amassed debt that equated to her whole pre-tax salary. Some was down to high living costs and a low salary and some from her wedding.
Now she’s paid off her debt, she is teaching her child to avoid this – and be wiser.
Align your career and lifestyle aspirations
I’d like to make sure my daughter knows what sort of salary her chosen profession can command, what sort of hours she might work and where to set her sights when it comes to lifestyle. When there’s a mismatch, it can lead to frustration, resentment and debt if you try to make up the shortfall with credit.
CLARE SEAL, AUTHOR OF FIVE STEPS TO FINANCIAL WELLBEING
Young woman making a payment with a credit card – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
The money tips I’ll pass on
Caption: A married couple sitting in silence, looking in opposite directions. The image captures the concept of female loneliness within a marriage, emotional disconnection, and relationship problems. Symbolizes quiet desperation and isolation at home Photographer: Galina Zhigalova Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Keep a ‘freedom fund’
This is specifically designed as an escape hatch from a difficult situation, like a horrible partner or bad boss.
Start investing
Investing even just a tiny amount of pay could help to grow real financial security.
Rent control has proved a controversial topic in the UK, but is used more widely across the world (Photo: Getty)
(Photo: Tang Ming Tung/Getty).
Always negotiate
For women additional benefits like a generous pension, paid leave and health insurance, can make a huge difference.
The money tips I’ll pass on
Liking yourself is your armour
“I could not tell you how much I have spent over the years, trying to ‘fix’ the parts of myself that society told me were not good enough,” says Seal.
Friendships can be hugely rewarding but like any relationship you have to nurture them (Photo: Halfpoint Images/Getty/Moment RF)Caption: A young girl plays sits on a wooden bench beside a long radiator and a sunny window. She gazes out through the glass. The room is homely and comfortable. Conceptual with space for copy. Photographer: Catherine Falls Commercial Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Have an enjoyment allowance
A pot of money for guilt-free spending is a good idea. If you start young enough, spending on your lifestyle and saving for your future don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Use credit wisely
I want to teach her how easy credit makes it easy to hide your own spending from yourself.
I hope she understands that there is always a price to pay.
I don’t want her to be scared of credit though because that’s a recipe for misuse and shame.
I want her to know how to use it well and what the red flags are.
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
Summer is approaching, and so are the insects
Are we getting more flies in the UK?
With warmer, wetter winters and longer summers, flies are likely to breed quicker and survive for longer. We’re likely to see more in the future.
James Logan, professor of medical entomology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says we could see more bugs as warmer temperatures create an ideal environment for breeding.
How to deter flies
Clear out leftovers
Flies love leftover food, especially if it’s sugary or decaying. Food should be covered or in airtight containers, and leftovers cleared away immediately after eating.
A man pours a glass of water from a chrome tap at a kitchen sink – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Clean your sink
Particles of food found in the sink or drains after washing up will attract flies so keep them clean and clear. Keeping windows closed will also help.
At-home remedies to try
Try vinegar
Mixing apple cider vinegar with a spoonful of sugar and washing up liquid attracts flies – they then drown in the liquid.
Lemon with cloves
Cut a lemon in half and stick in some cloves. It’ll create a strong combination of smells that repel flies.
If you’re looking for a way to boost your health and wellbeing, you likely already have a goldmine in your store cupboard (Photo: Yulia-Images/Getty)
Herbs
Placing mint, rosemary and basil around windows and kitchens can keep flies at bay.
Techniques to use
Keep windows closed
Have windows ajar not wide open and use fans as the airflow makes it hard for flies to land.
Take time to rest (Photo: Counter/Getty/Digital Vision/Nicolas Hudak)
One example of this is the Intelligent Street Lighting project being trialled by Glasgow City Council. It uses an algorithm to process real time sensor data on noise, air pollution and footfall around the city and control street lighting in reaction to people’s use of cycle paths and open spaces. (Richard Baker via Getty Images)
Use warm lights, if any
While flies are attracted to blue light, they are repelled by warm tones so try to get yellow or orange-toned lights.
Check your drains
Remove any organic matter that could be a food source, and clean them using boiling water and vinegar.
Water companies are allowed to spill sewage so long as their plants are overwhelmed (Photo: Finnbarr Webster/Getty)
Look at your bins
Leftover and decaying food is a playground for flies
Caption: A resident walks past uncollected bin bags piled up on Poplar Road in Birmingham, central England, on April 15, 2025. Residents are desperately trying to get rid of an estimated 17,000 tonnes of trash that has piled up since refuse workers ramped up a strike last month. Four weeks in, the city council has declared a “major incident,” the prime minister has had to defend the government’s response in parliament, and residents say their problems are worsening by the day. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: PAUL ELLIS Provider: AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP Copyright: AFP or licensors
Keep your compost bin as far from the house as possible, use a wheelie bin liner and keep the lids sealed, says pest control expert Jonathon Nicholls.
LIFESTYLE
2 min read
Menopause causes Alzheimer’s-like changes to the brain
Some symptoms overlap between the perimenopause and dementia which can be worrying for women but experts say lifestyle changes can help.
The new research
Could this explain why more women develop dementia than men?
Two thirds
According to the Alzheimer’s Society, women account for around two thirds of people living with Alzheimer’s disease (the most common form of dementia) in the UK.
Menopause
Some of the symptoms of menopause which are similar to dementia include memory issues, trouble with word retrieval, irritability, anxiety and frustration.
The differences
Someone with menopause brain fog may have difficulties with memory or clear thinking, but in dementia, these issues increase over time.
The person’s abilities will decline progressively and they will need more support with everyday tasks.
Memory problems with menopause, however, can improve with treatment, lifestyle changes or time.
Life lessons
5 min read
What to do if you have menopause-related brain fog
Managing menopause is a bit like putting together pieces of a jigsaw.
British Menopause Society (BMS) trustee Dr Paula Briggs says HRT can help but it’s not the only solution.
“It’s important to ensure that you’re eating well and exercising regularly throughout menopause, when your body is under some strain due to fluctuations in hormones”.
The lifestyle changes to make
Caption: Healthy senior woman doing swim noodle exercises in aerobics pool class. Active senior people doing workout in swimming pool holding swim noodles. Photographer: Luis Alvarez Provider: Getty Images Source: Digital Vision
Exercising
This supports mental health and sleep but it can be as simple as walking for 30 minutes.
Learn new things
Keeping your brain active can improve your brain health, cognition, well-being and mental health.
Caption: Portrait of elderly woman solving sudoku puzzles at home, sitting in living room. Sudoku as popular game for aging people, logical thinking, problem solving. Photographer: Halfpoint Images Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Caption: File photo dated 26/11/14 of a pint of beer and a set of car keys on a bar in a pub in central London. More than a fifth (21%) of motorists have drunk alcohol after 10pm when needing to drive before 9am the following morning, a new survey suggests. Road safety charity IAM RoadSmart, which commissioned the poll, warned that drinking alcohol the night before getting behind the wheel can pose a “serious threat” because a “groggy head” means slower reaction times. Issue date: Friday July 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Philip Toscano/PA Wire Photographer: Philip Toscano Provider: Philip Toscano/PA Wire Source: PA
Reduce unhealthy habits
Reducing alcohol intake and quitting smoking are also worthwhile, says neuroscientist Professor Barbara Sahakian.
Selling a house can be a minefield
The market is stagnant, first-time buyers are struggling to save enough for deposits and sales are falling through.
To help, we asked experts for their tips on completing a sale. From what to do with decor and lighting to marketing it correctly.
These are the most common mistakes they see.
(Photo: Anastasiia Krivenok/Getty).
LOREM IPSUM
Paint problems
If you give people the choice of a renovation project or something that’s finished, they’ll go for the latter.
Arsh Ellahi, who has over 20 years of experience in the property industry, says buyers want houses that are done.
Warmer tones like stone and neutrals can also help a sale.
The mistakes to avoid
Leaving out clutter
If all someone can see is clutter, they’re more likely to think the house is too small. Space is value.
‘I do his laundry. I’ve learned to check the pockets. I regularly pull out enough snack wrappers to fill a small bag’, says Allana (Photo: Rani Nurlaela Desandi/Getty)
(Photo: Nuthawut Somsuk/Getty).
Over-decorating
Show homes come without the personal element and are usually plain but modern. This draws people in.
Overpricing
When the price is set too high, it’s more likely to stay on the market. Your home has to look like good value for money.
For the vast majority of people selling the home they live in the process is straightforward and tax-free (Photo: Karl Hendon/Getty)
The mistakes to avoid
Declining offers
Ellahi says the best offers tend to come within the first four weeks of marketing.
Mortgage rates have been rising for days (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire)
A reader is currently viewing properties (10’000 Hours/Getty Images/Digital Vision)
Being present for viewings
If the owners are there, buyers can feel uncomfortable walking around and getting a sense of the place.
The wrong photos
Photos are the first thing a potential buyer sees, and poor-quality images will stop stage two – the inquiry and viewing.
What to do
Light a candle for atmosphere (Photo: VeranikaSmirnaya/Getty/iStockphoto)
Prepare your home
Windows should be opened to allow fresh air in, and, if it’s cold, the heating should be turned on to make the house feel inviting and homely.
Be flexible
It’s really important to accommodate viewings on weekends or evenings when they’re most popular.
Black alarm clock and bed – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
You do not need to have it all figured out but you do need to start (Photo: Olha Danylenko/ Getty)
Financially prepare
Solicitors’ fees, agent fees, and capital gains tax are all big things to consider when it comes to finances and being ready to sell.
Navigating hot and sticky weather is often a sensory and social nightmare
With summer approaching, Dr Adil Sheraz of the British Association of Dermatologists, explains why we sweat and what we can do about it.
Monica Garcia, 65, swelters in Madrid’s first heatwave of the summer (Photo: Isabel Infantes/ Reuters)
Why do we sweat?
Sweating is an important part of thermoregulation. When you sweat and it evaporates off the skin, it will take the latent heat with it.
We’re covered in three to four million sweat glands and the majority produce a sweat made up of just electrolytes and water. In other words, completely odourless.
These eccrine glands function from birth to keep us cool.
When does sweat smell?
Oil in our sweat can suck in microplastics posing a health risk (Photo: Tom Williams/Getty)
Glands in the armpit, groin and scalp operate differently.
They’re under the control of hormones and the glands contain lipids and potentially fatty esters.
The bacteria on our skin will feed off these fatty acids and lipids and cause the odour.
LIFESTYLE
6 min read
Are we sweating more now?
It is not just the weather impacts how we sweat…
The bigger you are (in height, weight or muscle mass), the more surface area you will need to sweat on in order to cool down.
This is why men tend to sweat more than women and why you sweat more when you gain weight.
Medical conditions like diabetes and thyroid problems will also cause increased sweating.
Certain dietary items, including caffeine, processed foods and spicy foods can also trigger the chemicals in our body which cause us to sweat more.
When does it matter?
If it’s impacting your daily life, you will likely have some form of hyperhidrosis and need to speak to a doctor to determine further.
Primary hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating with no underlying cause.
Secondary hyperhidrosis means there’s a condition or illness causing the sweating.
There are two main ways to tell the difference.
Sweating with secondary causes tends to happen all over the body rather than just localised to your palms or armpits.
Primary hyperhidrosis tends to switch off when you’re sleeping as the neurons stop firing. This doesn’t happen with secondary hyperhidrosis.
How to manage sweat
Caption: Relaxed young woman in bright summer clothes is sitting on a bench on a city street with her eyes closed enjoying music through headphones from a smartphone. Photographer: Tanja Ivanova Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Clothing
Wear natural or wicking fabrics that prevent sweat patches, or clothes that are cooling for the skin.
Antiperspirant
One that contains aliminimium is advised as it’s well known for blocking and plugging our sweat ducts.
Caption: Woman applying deodorant roll on under armpit Photographer: wing-wing Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
Britain’s best coffee shops have been revealed – spanning from the tip of Scotland to the bottom of England. (Photo: William Lailey / SWNS)
Dietary changes
Where possible reduce dietary causes like caffeine and spicy foods.
Can I save money without giving up fun?
Kasia Delgado
Chief Features Writer
When it comes to financial planning, I’ve always lived month to month, but recently I’ve wanted to be slightly more serious.
So I spoke to a range of financial experts for the easiest, idiot-proof ways to be savvier with money – without just hibernating.
The expert tips
Print out your bank statements
“This is the hardest step but you’ve got to know what’s coming in and out, down to the pound,” says financial coach Ian Dempsey. You’re more likely to remember what’s on there, and pay attention to it on paper.
Caption: Kasia Delgado reads old letters from her childhood. A professor of happiness at Bristol University taught Kasia how adults can train themselves to be happier and find more joy, like when they were unencumbered children.
Photographer: mail@teripengilley.com Provider: Teri Pengilley / i News Source: Teri Pengilley
Caption: Kasia Delgado, Chief Features Writer, i News. Photographer: Teri Pengilley Provider: Teri Pengilley / i News Source: Teri Pengilley
Draw an image of what you’re saving for
“Anything that requires discipline is much easier to achieve when you [can picture] the end goal,” says Ruth Power, from the Financial Management Bureau.
The expert tips
Experts are arguing that the UK should make greater use of existing government data Photographer: Andrzej Rostek Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto Copyright: andrzejrostek@gmail.com
Go on a money date
If you’re in a relationship, for 30 minutes once a month, take a notebook to the pub/cafe and talk about money with your partner.
Delete shopping apps…
They are designed to be compulsive. Removing them gives you an extra layer of resistance.
Close up of an unrecognizable woman shopping online with credit card via mobile phone – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
An image of a hand that quickly sends an email – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
…and unsubscribe
Marketing emails are designed to reach you when you’re likely to spend money.
How it went when Kasia followed the expert advice
I delete Vinted and only re-download it when I actively want to replace something for my son that he’s grown out of.
I’m no longer buring my head in the sand. Sections of my bank statement flash into my mind when I go to use the Uber app.
Money dates have been uncomfortable. We did have a small argument about buying own-brand beans versus Heinz for example, but scribbling down numbers we want to save has also been exciting.
I have found it easier to be mindful about spending and broke some unhelpful habits, like associating walks with always getting a coffee.
How the UK currently saves
The average person in the UK has £16,067 in savings in 2025.
39%
However, 2 in 5 Britons have £1,000 or less in savings. A quarter have £200 or less.
1 in 6 UK adults (16 per cent) have no savings at all, equating to around 8.4 million people.
82%
Men are estimated to have 82 per cent more in savings than women.
Almost three in 10 (28 per cent) of adults state saving money is a habit.
The final verdict
The truth is, I’m never going to be someone with five side hustles and the financial savvy to become a bitcoin billionaire. But I’m no longer thinking, “where did my salary go?”. The small changes have, over time, made a difference to my bank account, but also my mind and self confidence.
KASIA DELGADO
‘I’ve found greater joy in spending money in an active, more conscious way – on things that felt worth it such as a massage, a cocktail with a friend, a comedy gig, a tricycle for my son,’ says Delgado (Photo: Teri Pengilley/The i Paper)
Six easy swaps to increase your fibre intake
We asked the experts why it’s so important to include enough fibre in our diets, and how to do it without totally overhauling our diets…
Why fibre is important
Fibre isn’t a fad nutrient. It’s been consistently linked to better health outcomes for decades. Unlike protein, which the majority of people already get enough of, fibre is something most of us (96 per cent) are significantly lacking.
NICHOLA LUDLAM-RAINE, SPECICIALIST REGISTERED DIETITIAN AND AUTHOR
The small diet tweaks to make
Beans, lentils and chickpeas are fibre powerhouses, with around 6-8g per half-tin. If you find beans tricky to digest, start with microdosing them for a week and gradually build it up to half a can at a time.
Bread is the category of food that is most thrown away, survey finds (d3sign Provider: Getty Images)Caption: Green vegetable salad with chickpea, spinach, cucumber, red onions, and greens on a wooden table. Top view Photographer: Qwart Provider: Getty Images/iStockphoto Source: iStockphoto
One of the simplest changes you can make is to switch to wholegrain versions of everyday carbs. Swapping two slices of white bread for wholemeal adds around 3g of fibre.
How to add fibre to your diet
When you cook potatoes the right way they go from being a health burden to a health hero (Photo: Getty)
Keep some skin
The skin of some foods can contain up to 50 per cent of the total fibre. Just make sure it’s safe to eat.
Level up the snacks
Berries, raw vegetables with hummus, or a small handful of nuts are all easy fibre wins.
Yoghurt and frozen berry crunch in a glass jar – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Breakfast cereals can be swapped out for overnight oats (Photo: Jogy Abraham/ Getty Images)
Don’t skip seeds
Ludlam-Raine adds a spoon of mixed seeds to porridge, cereal, yoghurts, soups and salads.
A few extra handfuls of fibre-rich ingredients might be all that’s needed to take your meals from average to fibre-full.
Small changes are key because they’re more sustainable and better tolerated by the gut. Increasing fibre too quickly can cause bloating or discomfort.
At the time, they expected the move to be permanent. Speaking to The i Paper, Andrew said: “We fully intended to stay in Spain. Unfortunately, we moved the year the first recession hit, so it wasn’t quite the dream that we thought it would be, but we loved it and we took what we could from it.
“When we came back, things had really changed with mortgages. I’m self-employed and before we left, we had self-certified mortgages as an option. But when we returned, they didn’t exist anymore.”
Justine added: “When we moved to Spain, the pound was strong and Andrew was still working in the UK. When this changed not only did work dry up a little but the change in exchange rate impacted our outgoings and we had to rely on our savings from selling our house to see us through the leaner times.”
They moved back home because their eldest son was about to study for his A-levels and they wanted him to have the opportunity to go to university where he wanted to back home.
Self-certified mortgages, once commonly used by self-employed borrowers, allowed applicants to declare their income without extensive documentation. The couple had one before they made the move to Spain but they were banned following the financial crisis.
That change hit Andrew, a self-employed fire engineering consultant, particularly hard.
Without a large enough deposit, the couple repeatedly found themselves rejected when applying for mortgages, despite their steady income and long history of paying rent.
For years, the family rented around Milton Keynes as costs spiralled. Andrew said: “Initially, we moved to a three-bed property, and we were paying about £900 a month for it.
“But at the last rental we lived in, we were paying £2,300 a month for a four-bed house, which is a huge amount of money.
“The frustration was, although we were paying that amount of money in rent, up to the point where we sourced our current mortgage, nobody would take that into account when we were looking at lending options.
“With my income, I could go and get a £70,000 car. I could go and get numerous credit cards with credit limits. But I couldn’t get a mortgage.”
The emotional toll of renting for so long became just as difficult as the financial pressure.
Justine said: “I never felt settled or at ease as I felt we could be served notice to quit at any time and especially anxious when rental contracts were coming to renewal time.”
Over the 12 years they spent back in the UK, the family moved between four different rented homes, none of which they could properly make their own.
She said: “It was extremely stressful when we did have to move to start again the process of finding a property which suited our needs in the area we needed.
“None of which we could make our own or make long-term changes and as a family that was often unsettling.”
As time passed, the couple increasingly feared that age itself would stop them ever buying again.
Andrew said they thought getting back on the property ladder again “would never happen”.
The breakthrough finally came when they heard about track-record mortgages, which allow renters with a strong history of payments to buy without needing a traditional deposit.
They secured a mortgage with Skipton Building Society and moved into a four-bedroom home in a village outside Milton Keynes in February 2024.
The moment they realised they were homeowners again is one they still remember vividly.
Justine said: “Once the movers had left, we sat in the living room, surrounded by boxes whilst eating fish and chips with our family, and Andrew said, ‘This is our home’.
“Even now, when asked the question, ‘Are you a homeowner?’ We think twice and have a moment when we remember that we are.”
The couple bought the property for £390,000 on a five-year fixed mortgage costing £2,510 a month – only slightly more than the rent they had already been paying.
But after spending more than a decade believing they had missed their chance, the biggest change is simply the security of knowing the home is finally theirs again.
Justine said she now feels “completely safe” and “really relaxed”.
Andrew added: “At our age, being able to say, ‘This is our home’, is a massive relief.”
Track-record mortgages
Several lenders now offer track-record mortgages aimed at renters who may struggle to prove affordability through traditional income multiples alone. These deals use evidence of regular rent payments to support applications.
Firms offering track-record-style mortgages include Skipton Building Society, April Mortgages, Accord Mortgages and Generation Home.
Pros
Helps renters prove affordability using payment history
Can benefit first-time buyers with smaller deposits
May allow borrowers to access larger loans
Useful for people with strong rental records but non-traditional incomes
Cons
Still subject to affordability and credit checks
Some products may have higher interest rates
Limited number of lenders currently offer them
Larger monthly mortgage repayments are still possible as rates rise
