There is a certain type of grown-up who will shake their head and waggle their finger whenever they hear that young people are spending their money on things like matcha lattes. “I was under the impression,” they will say with mock irony, “that Gen Z couldn’t afford anything”. Or perhaps: “How do they expect to get on the property ladder if they’re wasting all their money on that green muck?”
But, as the older generation are well aware, matcha is relatively cheap and houses are not. The first rung of the proverbial property ladder is high nowadays, and most Gen Zers like me have accepted that we won’t be hoisting ourselves on to it any time soon. It’s incredibly difficult to save for anything substantial in the current economic climate, which is why many in my generation have given up on their nest eggs and turned to a more alluring proposition: “doomspending”.
Trend forecaster Sean Monahan defines this phenomenon as “spending frivolously with no concern for future financial consequences”. The thinking is that there’s very little point squirrelling away a few hundred pounds from your salary each month – which would require dedication and penny-pinching – because at the rate inflation is going, that money will be worth hardly anything in a few decades’ time.
This summer has been particularly apocalyptic, with wildfires burning in Europe and a drought declared across three-quarters of England’s brown and not so pleasant land. All that can make one feel a little bit existential, and spending a little cash can be a good distraction.
Super flu vaccines start for pregnant women and children
Millions of children and pregnant women across England can get an updated flu vaccine from today.
Flu jabs: What you need to know
This year’s vaccine will protect against the Super-K strain which was rampant last year.- Schoolchildren and pregnant women will get priority as they can easily catch and spread flu.
- Other vulnerable groups, including those aged 65 and over, will be eligible for a free jab from October.
- Children over two will be offered the vaccine as a nasal spray, while adults will receive an injection.
- Pharmacies, GP surgeries and schools will offer the vaccines on the NHS.
Why is it important?
Dr Amanda Doyle, a national director at NHS England, said: “Last year’s flu season came early and was made worse by a new variant, which had a major impact for patients and put enormous pressure on urgent and emergency care services.”
She added: “With services already under significant pressure, it is vital that everyone offered the vaccine comes forward.”
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Facts and figures
- Jabs will be given in locations including mobile vans.
- Last year’s flu season started a month early with the Super-K strain.
- Children are offered a vaccine in September as flu spreads quickly.
- Almost 19 million people had flu jabs last winter, preventing 104,000 hospital admissions.
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us news
Ex-gang boss found guilty over Tupac Shakur murder
Former gangland boss Duane “Keffe D” Davis, 63, has been found guilty of orchestrating the killing of rapper Tupac Shakur in 1996.
It is the first time anyone has been convicted over the infamous drive-by shooting.
What you need to know
- The jury found Davis guilty of one count of murder with a deadly weapon.
- Prosecutors argued that Davis did not fire the gun himself, but had masterminded the killing.
- He is a former gang leader and uncle of the man long suspected of shooting Tupac.
- After the verdict, Davis said he plans to appeal his conviction. He is due to be sentenced on 13 October.
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What happened on the night
The cold case has rumbled on for decades, with witnesses allowing police to piece together the chain of events before the rapper died.
- On 7 September, 1996, Tupac went to watch a Mike Tyson boxing match on the Las Vegas strip.
- He and Marion “Suge” Knight, the head of his record label, got into a fight with Orlando Anderson, Duane Davis’s nephew and a suspected member of the South Side Compton Crips gang.
- Leaving the match with Suge, Tupac was shot four times in a drive-by shooting from the back of a white Cadillac.
- Six days later, on 13 September, he died in hospital. He was 25 years old.
What convinced the jury?
The prosecution used Davis’s 2019 memoir, , in which he wrote he had been in the white Cadillac when the shots were fired.
In closing arguments, prosecutor Binu Palal urged jurors to find Davis guilty, saying: “He’s the shot caller – in every instance in every iteration he’s the leader of the South Side Crips.”
How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
How to age well
without pain
Will Harlow, a physiotherapist
for the over-50s and author of Independence for Life, shares
the key signs you’re ageing
badly – and what to do about it.
How to know
Ageing well is maintaining the ability to do what you want you want for as long as you want without needing help. Everyone is talking about longevity but what’s the point in living longer if the last decade is painful and you’re [totally] reliant on people?”
The signs to look out for
- The most obvious early warning sign of bad ageing is pain says Harlow.
- Another is losing confidence in doing daily tasks, which can quickly lead to a lack of independence.
- One call Harlow often receives is people calling after having a fall and struggling to get up.
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How to age without pain
Not just stopping
When people retire, they often put their feet up and stop. Your body really is use it or lose it.
Throughout our entire lives, Harlow says we need between seven and nine hours of sleep.
Social isolation
The lack of connection can increase the risk of premature death by
as much as 29 per cent.
Strength training
It really is the proxy for
overall independence.
The more muscle mass you have, the less chance of heart disease, diabetes, falls and even anxiety, depression and dementia.
The brain can be linked to muscle mass too, Harlow says. It’s not just about being able to lift things. It gives you more energy, better sleep and you’ll look and feel better.
How to age without pain
Daily habits
Do short bursts of exercise, between 30 and 60 seconds, in otherwise dead time during the day.
Stretch in bed
Take joints through a full range of motion for five minutes to loosen it before getting up.
Don’t crash diet
How to age without pain
Harlow advises 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight to stop muscle loss alongside resistance training.
Don’t wait
Harlow finds that many patients put off making a change to their lifestyle until their lives are consumed by pain.
For most people, it’s about reducing the number of times per week you’re exercising, not reducing intensity.
The three ageing tests to do
- Lie completely flat on the floor and get back up to a standing position using any technique. This should take less than 10 seconds.
See how many times you can sit on the chair and stand back up again in 30 seconds. Men should be aiming for more than 14 times and women 12.
The single-leg stand, which involves standing on one leg and balancing for 10 seconds. Everyone should be able to do that and for those under 65, Harlow asks them to do it with their eyes closed.
The fiscal picture for my generation is pretty bleak. Research from the Office for National Statistics found that in 2025, the average home in London sold for 10.6 times more than the average annual earnings, while rent in the capital has gone up by 50 per cent in the last decade. Wages have stagnated, and those of us who went to university are, on average, in £60,000 worth of debt for a degree that was scuppered by a pandemic and, in some cases, our teachers striking. Meanwhile, AI is hoovering up entry-level jobs.
This all contributes to what Dr Amin Samman, an expert in the philosophy of finance at City University, defines as “financial nihilism”. The decline in real wages and the thinning out of the job market has given young people a sense of malaise that can lead them to “stop following economic common sense”.
There’s some logic to this: financial prudence no longer begets the same rewards that it used to, so what’s the point in saving? Instead, Gen Zers are increasingly making what Samman describes as “yolo bets”: investments in high-risk stocks and volatile cryptocurrencies that could dramatically change their fortunes. A Vanguard study in July found that a third of Gen Z investors are picking crypto as their first punt.
Doomspending is common among my peers. “I deny myself almost nothing,” says my friend Zoe Kessler, 28, who works in advertising. Aside from the obligatory daily iced latte which adds up to around £140 a month, she spends £50 getting her nails done every three weeks, and, if she has “a really bad hangover”, she’ll go for an £80 massage. “I see them all as little self-soothing things,” she says. “Life is hard, nine to fives are stressful.” Plus, the world feels dark and scary, and Zoe reckons that having brightly coloured nails that match her drink or vape of choice can act as a sort of “adult pacifier”.
Such indulgences are part of a wider phenomenon with a fittingly childish name: “little treat culture”. Because most of my agemates can’t afford truly expensive things like houses and/or children, we are spending our money on small, luxurious dopamine hits like a high-end beauty product or overpriced pastry. Last week, there were hours-long queues for a viral Australian frozen yoghurt parlour which has just opened in London. The frozen yoghurts sold there can cost £20 with all the toppings.
The indulgences I allow myself are certainly not befitting of my current net worth. I eat at nice restaurants every couple of weeks, which usually costs about £70, and I have been on multiple holidays this summer. My housemates and I have been on a gut health journey which calls for lots of kimchi, kombucha and kefir.
Unfortunately, the holy trinity does not come cheap: a jar of kimchi from the Planet Organic that is ruinously close to my house costs £12.49. We decided it was only fair that our two cats joined us on the journey, so we feed them a special gut health kibble with the kind of millennial packaging that makes it twice as expensive. I also refuse to drink bad wine except in an emergency and I would never buy eggs that had sad yellow yolks – I want the Burford Browns. Essentially, I don’t really believe in putting my future self before my present self. What if I get hit by a car or something?
Of course, for all the doomspenders, there are those who are taking the opposite approach to alleviate their economic anxiety. Bloomberg reports that some Gen Zers are “retirement-maxxing”: making sacrifices today so that they can enjoy life later on. This has sparked an online movement known as Fire (“financial independence, retire early”). One of its proponents is 25-year-old Londoner Mia McGrath, who helps her 350,000 Instagram followers practise “frugal chic” habits, like wearing less make-up, doing their own nails and re-wearing party dresses.
The persistence of the cost of living crisis has necessitated a degree of frugality in my social circles, or so they say. When I speak to my friend Sorcha, a civil servant, she laments being priced out of the independent clothing brands she used to love. But, she admits, “I do spend £130 on eyelash serum because that is more immediately important to me than a house”. The only people she knows who have managed to buy a property either work in finance or have had help from their parents. “I’ve got past making myself feel bad about it, and I’d rather just spend the little I have each month,” she says.
“I don’t look into the future too much, because I think it’s a bad idea. It’s too scary,” says my friend Lola, a freelance writer-director who is often found at the checkout till transferring money from her savings into her current account.
It is disturbing to think that generations after us may still be cobbling together cash for rent each month and buying a cinnamon bun and an iced drink to feel less sad about it. Although, the world will probably be uninhabitable by that point anyway, so at least I’ll be glad I went to Spain three times this summer.