Zahna Eklund

A viral video by business owner and financial expert Mark Tilbury claims that numbers at the end of TK Maxx product codes can help shoppers assess value. Codes ending in 1 may indicate lower-specification items made for TK Maxx, those ending in 2 may identify authentic branded products sold elsewhere at full price, and those ending in 7 may signal discontinued stock offering potentially significant savings. Shoppers are encouraged to inspect labels, although TK Maxx had not confirmed the claims.

Andy Burnham has become prime minister after Keir Starmer’s resignation, following his succession as Labour leader. The article highlights Burnham’s history of performing DJ sets in Manchester and focuses on a resurfaced video of him singing The Smiths’ “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out.” Supporters interpret his music taste as evidence of working-class appeal, while skeptics say it does not establish his competence as prime minister. Early public reactions to his pledges on rough sleeping, public services and the cost-of-living crisis are similarly mixed, with some hopeful that he can restore trust in politics and others comparing the response to the disappointment that followed Starmer’s rise.

Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett said on his Diary of a CEO podcast that he would not hire an interview candidate who wore a suit because it could conceal the person's authentic identity. His comments prompted criticism from people who argued that suits demonstrate professionalism and respect, while others agreed that overly expensive or flashy clothing can appear inauthentic. The article advises job applicants to follow any stated dress code or contact HR or the hiring manager when expectations are unclear.

Carmie Siletto paid £10 for a Too Good To Go mystery bag from Pret A Manger and reviewed its contents. He highly rated the chicken and pesto wrap, cookie and chocolate mousse, while expressing frustration and uncertainty over an unlabeled item and initially disliking the prospect of a salmon sandwich. He ultimately rated the salmon sandwich 6/10 and the suspected falafel, avocado and chipotle flatbread 7.5/10, while leaving the unheated ham and cheese toastie unrated. Commenters generally judged the bag to be good value, and Too Good To Go explained that surprise contents vary according to each store’s surplus food.

A customer named Bryce paid £2.99 for a Greggs Too Good To Go bag and received eight sausage rolls and six doughnuts, including pink glazed and jam varieties. Although the bag offered substantial value, its lack of variety left him facing the challenge of eating or freezing the surplus food. Commenters highlighted the bargain and the unpredictable nature of surprise bags, while Too Good To Go explained that contents depend on whatever surplus stores have at the end of the day.

Careers expert Molly Shapley says February is a particularly promising time to apply for jobs because companies have typically approved their annual hiring budgets. She advises job seekers to use January to research potential employers, make direct contact, update their CVs and prepare tailored cover letters. The article also provides nine CV tips, including keeping applications concise, highlighting achievements, using a clear layout, proofreading carefully and being truthful.

A viral logic puzzle asks readers to determine Cheryl’s birthday from a list of possible dates and statements made by Albert and Bernard, who know only the month and day respectively. Eliminating May and June because they contain uniquely identifying days leaves July 16 as the only date consistent with all three statements. The piece also notes that puzzles may support problem-solving and cognitive well-being.

Adding rinse aid to dishwasher loads can help water run off glasses and crockery more effectively, reducing streaks, hard-water spots and residue. A dishwasher enthusiast named Blue recommends using inexpensive own-brand rinse aid, which typically needs replenishing after about 20 washes. The article also provides general maintenance advice, including cleaning the filter, door seals and spray arms, and running hot cleaning cycles with vinegar or baking soda.

Kiki Rough says a taxi driver’s advice to place Vicks VapoRub under her nose stopped severe nausea during a journey, apparently because the menthol scent masked unpleasant odors. The article notes that VapoRub is not designed to treat motion sickness and may not work for everyone. NHS-recommended measures include getting fresh air, looking at a fixed point, sitting in a suitable position, taking breaks, breathing slowly and trying ginger, while avoiding reading, screens, heavy meals, alcohol and other triggers.

Abby Askew bought a sealed porcelain jewellery box from a charity shop after noticing something rattling inside. When she opened it, she found a pouch containing what appeared to be cremated ashes. She traced the item to a vintage reseller who had acquired it in an estate sale but could not identify the original owner. Askew hopes to return the remains and says she will bury them in her pet cemetery if the owner cannot be found. The article also advises trying to locate the family before treating unidentified ashes with dignity through burial or scattering.

A car boot sale regular known as Kev spent £7.50 on two glass dishes, a collection of Terry Pratchett novels and the book Deliver Us From Evil. Based on comparable eBay sales, he estimated the haul could sell for £99.98 or more, generating over £90 in profit before accounting for the second dish. The experience highlights how sellers can lose money by failing to research items or by asking buyers to make the first offer.

Turning a key 90 degrees after locking a door may prevent burglars from bumping the key out of the lock with another tool. The advice comes from a burglary victim who said police and forensic investigators recommended the adjustment, and is supported by a lock-picking expert’s demonstration. Keeping keys attached to a keyring near a letterbox can create additional risks because intruders may be able to fish them out.

A woman who bought two £4 Too Good To Go bags from Morrisons was surprised to find them filled almost entirely with discounted baguettes. Although she initially viewed the haul as disappointing, commenters said she had received excellent value because bread can be frozen or reused in breadcrumbs, croutons and other dishes. Too Good To Go and Morrisons explained that the bags contain unpredictable surplus food at risk of going to waste, with bread among the most common items.

Carmie Sellitto paid £20 for a Harrods Too Good To Go surprise bag and reviewed its contents, including a dry pretzel, a chorizo Scotch egg, orange juice, tiramisu, a Korean fried chicken wrap and pistachio cake. The orange juice and tiramisu alone were valued at £14, while viewers generally concluded that the full haul offered good value and helped prevent surplus food from being wasted.

Professional cleaner Angie identifies shoes, bath mats, dog beds, rubbish bins and fabric chairs as common household items that can trap and release unpleasant odours. She recommends regularly cleaning or replacing them, drying damp items, vacuuming and washing pet beds, wiping rubbish bins, using essential oils, and choosing less absorbent materials where possible.

Former recruiter Sophie advises job seekers to omit full addresses, unprofessional email addresses, selfies, irrelevant personal details, first-person wording, and the phrase “references available on request.” She recommends strengthening employment history with measurable achievements, keeping a CV to one page where possible, and including hobbies only when they are relevant to the role.

Vacuum cleaners can lose cleaning performance when hair and debris accumulate around the brush roll beneath the machine. The article recommends regularly cutting away tangled material with scissors or a seam ripper, alongside emptying the dustbin or replacing the bag, cleaning filters, and checking the hose for blockages. Users should follow their vacuum model’s manual, particularly for filter cleaning and replacement.

Incorrectly setting a refrigerator’s temperature dial may contribute to food spoilage, moisture, ice buildup and higher energy bills. The article recommends adjusting the dial seasonally and according to how full the fridge is, targeting an internal temperature of 3–4°C. It also advises using a fridge thermometer, allowing 24 hours between adjustments, avoiding overloading, limiting door opening, and checking the coils and door seal.

A Reddit user claims that an inexpensive rubber squeegee can quickly gather pet hair from furniture, carpets and cat towers. The method prompted enthusiastic reactions from other users and is presented as a cheaper, more convenient alternative to vacuuming small areas. Additional advice includes using lint rollers, damp rubber gloves, upholstery vacuum attachments, rubber brooms and microfiber mops, along with regularly brushing pets and using washable furniture covers to reduce shedding.

Fruit flies multiply rapidly in warm weather because their life cycle accelerates and homes offer abundant food and breeding sites. Advice shared on Reddit recommends trapping them with apple cider vinegar and a few drops of washing-up liquid, optionally covered with perforated cling film. The vinegar attracts the flies, while the soap breaks the liquid’s surface tension and causes them to sink and drown.

Dayna paid £3.09 for a mystery surplus-food bag from a Spar store through Too Good To Go and found chicken drumsticks, baked goods, bread, fruit, yoghurt and a pork pie inside. She described the haul as a jackpot, while commenters particularly praised the value of the chicken. Too Good To Go explains that bag contents vary according to each retailer’s remaining stock and advises customers to share unwanted food rather than let it go to waste.

Old Pokémon cards may be worth hundreds or thousands of pounds, particularly when they are rare and well preserved. A collector named Mitch reportedly had four cards graded by Professional Sports Authenticator and could sell them for about $2,150 in total, including a PSA 8 Umbreon, PSA 9 Flareon, PSA 8 Dark Dragonite and PSA 9 reverse holographic Mewtwo. After grading costs of $120, his estimated profit was about $2,030. The article explains how to identify valuable cards by checking rarity symbols, holographic effects, card numbers, special features, set, edition and condition. The record cited is a 1998 Illustrator Pikachu card bought by Logan Paul for $5.275 million in 2022.

Florence Gibbs-Price bought a £4.40 Too Good To Go surprise bag from an Asda Express store expecting a mix of sandwiches, fruit, vegetables and tinned goods. Instead, she received seven lettuces, 13 bags of salad and one fruit pot, prompting her to criticize the lack of variety on TikTok. Too Good To Go offered her a £2.20 voucher and explained that stores have flexibility to distribute whatever surplus remains, which can sometimes mean large quantities of one item.

A TikTok user, Jen Stewart, demonstrates removing salmon skin by placing the fillet skin-side down in a shallow layer of boiling water for 8–10 seconds, after which the skin peels away easily. Viewers were divided, with some praising the shortcut and others arguing that crispy salmon skin is the best part. The article also notes that salmon skin is generally safe to eat and may contain more omega-3 fatty acids than the flesh, then provides pan-seared, baked and grilled salmon cooking instructions.

Two Pokémon from the original 151, Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan, were named in English as tributes to martial arts and action-film stars Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan. Their Japanese names, Sawamura and Ebiwara, reference Japanese kickboxer Tadashi Sawamura and boxer Hiroyuki Ebihara. The naming connection was highlighted in a TikTok video and prompted surprised reactions from fans, while the article also recalls the choice between the two characters in Pokémon Red and Blue.