SAGA MAGAZINE

Happy 40th birthday Saga Magazine!

Our magazine is 40 years young this month.

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Topics

Homes

Entertainment

Health & wellbeing

Gardens

Life

Travel

Money news

Puzzles

Cruise

Win an all-inclusive Saga cruise for two

We’re giving you the chance to win an ocean cruise around Spain, France and Portugal worth more than £11,000.

Celebrity

Carol Vorderman: "I’m old enough not to care about what anyone else thinks about me"

The presenter on being sacked by the BBC and why her views are 'career suicide'.

A squash grows on a vine ready to be harvested in October | Getty/Iuliia Zavalishina

Gardening

Jobs for the garden in October

It’s time to harvest the last of summer before the clear-up begins – but don’t forget wildlife seeking hibernation spots.

Saga Magazine agony aunt Anne Robinson | Alun Callender

Relationships

Should my 71-year-old sister wear a miniskirt? Anne Robinson advises

Our agony aunt on whether it's sisterly concern or sibling rivalry.

Group of five people around a table, only their arms showing and clinking orange juice in the middle of the table.

Wellbeing

Sober October: 10 reasons to give up alcohol for the month

Why not give Sober October a go and benefit your health, mental wellbeing and your wallet.

Without the Winter Fuel Allowance, will older people have to bundle up to do the chores? | Eliot Wyatt

Columnists

Paul Lewis on the Winter Fuel Payment

Our expert looks at some of the flaws in the Chancellor’s money-saving plan – and suggests a few alternative, fairer solutions.

Play our free daily puzzles

Beat the boredom and exercise your mind with our selection of free puzzles.

See all puzzles

Codeword

Crack the code and complete the grid

Crossword

Can you solve the clues

Hard Sudoku

The number-based logic puzzle

Quick Crossword

Can you solve the clues

Sudoku

The number-based logic puzzle

Travel

Browse Travel articles

A Eurostar train waiting on the platform | Getty

Travelling to Europe? We explain the new EES system

What the new European border check system means for you and your travel plans.

The mountains and jungle near Machu Picchu | Getty

Follow Paddington to Peru

As the new Paddington movie arrives in cinemas next month, we follow in the paw prints of the marmalade-loving bear to the delights of Peru.

The flower market on the Singel canal in Amsterdam | Shutterstock

Amsterdam: An insider's guide

Amsterdam is as famous for its culture as it is for its coffee shops. See the best of this canal-crossed city with our insider’s guide.

The rumbling trams on the monumental Ringstrasse boulevard | Getty/bluejayphoto

Vienna: an insider's guide

Make the most of a visit to this captivating city with the best places to visit, eat and drink.

Bhutan’s unspoilt Punakha valley | awl-images.com

Is Bhutan the greatest undiscovered holiday destination?

Why Bhutan deserves to be discovered as a destination.

You could see up to 15 shooting starts an hour during the meteor shower

The best places in the UK to go stargazing

Our guide to the 10 best places to see the night skies this winter.

Wildlife travel - A lion in South Africa looks sleepily at the camera

10 of the best wildlife experiences to have on holiday

Channel your inner Sir David Attenborough and make wildlife a focus of your next holiday.

A suitcase with a plane on the runway in the background

Our pick of the best travel gadgets - at home or abroad

Whether you’re jetting off to sunnier climes or staycationing closer to home, these getaway gadgets will help you have a happier holiday.

Train tracks going off into the distance across an arid landscape with a red and purple sunset.

Let the train take the strain - 10 amazing holidays by rail

Looking for an extraordinary travel experience in 2024? How about riding the rails in some of the world’s most incredible destinations?

Enchanting Elafonisi beach | Giorgio Filippini-4Corners

The food of Crete - by a Masterchef winner

Irini Tzortzoglou on the medicinal properties of olive oil and why Cretan food deserves to be discovered.

A sunlit Caribbean beach with turquoise waters

10 of the best beach holidays for 2024

Whether your perfect beach holiday is just sun, sea and sand, or if you like a bit of sightseeing, shopping or snorkelling thrown in, one of these might be your ideal destination...

Charlotte Church’s retreat in Wales, The Dreaming | Elliot Cooper

I stayed at Charlotte Church's retreat - this is what I thought

Dancing at sunrise, forest bathing and cold water swimming at the Welsh star's mid-Wales retreat.

The Spirit of Discovery in Norway illustrating the 2024 cruise planner

2024 cruise destinations: The best places to visit each season

Ditch the destination dilemma, your year-round cruise planner is here, with the best places to go and when.

The Spirit of Discovery sailing at sunset

Cruise like a pro: Insider tips for a relaxing ocean cruise

Uncover the secrets to a smooth and enjoyable ocean cruise experience with our expert tips and insider advice.

A long river cruise boat moored in front of a huge palatial building

5 reasons to try a river cruise this summer

A different destination every day - why a river cruise could be your perfect summer holiday.

An older couple driving a convertible through sunny landscape, with the woman with her hands in the air and the man smiling

Rev up for your best road trip ever

Discover five surprising reasons why a road trip could be the best holiday for you in 2024.

Balmoral: King of the castles

Balmoral Castle has thrown open its doors to the public for the first time in 170 years. We take a tour.

The best scenic canal routes

Our choice of the 7 most scenic canal routes to enjoy the best of the British countryside.

Exclusive celebrity interviews

Exclusive interviews with some of the world's most celebrated actors, musicians, writers and thinkers

Browse celebrity interviews

Carol Vorderman

"I don't believe in regrets or use the word failure. I think of life in chapters. One close, another opens"

The presenter on being sacked by the BBC, why her views have been 'career suicide' and how she's happy in her own company.

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Felicity Kendal

"[I] get on and try to live in as positive a way as I can, even though it may be difficult"

The beloved actress talks grandchildren, bereavement and why she won’t marry again.

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Omid Djalili

"I feel like I’ve been adopted as an honorary ‘man of Suffolk’."

The 58-year-old Iranian-British actor, comedian, and writer, shares some of his life lessons and how he views growing older.

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Zandra Rhodes holding a roll of fabric | Alun Callender

Dame Zandra Rhodes

"I don’t own or wear anything white or black. Colour makes you feel very happy.”

The iconic designer talks to Saga about surviving cancer and the secret detail in Princess Diana's dresses.

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Sir Trevor McDonald

"In walked Fidel Castro, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, Samora Machel of Mozambique and a young Thomas Sankara."

Newsreader, journalist, and our columnist on the day he was threatened with a machine gun, and meeting the late Palestinian leader.

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Sir Ian McKellen

"I’ve relived that fall I don’t know how many times. It was horrible."

The 85-year-old actor talks about his recent fall, and how a fat suit saved him from even more serious injury.

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Susie Dent

"I’m in a state of disbelief about turning 60. It’s like I blinked and it happened."

Countdown Lexicographer and Saga Magazine columnist talks about her biggest regret, her recent MBE and writing her debut novel.

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Alastair Stewart

“With vascular dementia you can’t cure it, but you can ameliorate it."

Stop smoking, go for a walk and do puzzles, says veteran newsreader Alastair Stewart after his vascular dementia diagnosis.

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Jenni Murray

"I had no appetite at all. I felt ill all the time and when I tried to eat I was physically sick"

As semaglutide is hailed as a wonder drug, our columnist reveals the effect it had on her.

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Homes

Browse Homes articles

A woman in a blue top with a blonde bob adjusting a thermostat with a kitchen setting visible in the background

When to turn the heating on

We asked the experts the best time to turn the heating on as the temperatures drop.

Sign saying Road Closed in front of a flooded road

Storm warning: how to protect your home and vehicle

We’ve got the expert advice on how to prevent damage in storm season.

Mary Berry's leek and potato soup recipe

Leek and potato soup is a classic that can be enjoyed at any time of year - try Mary Berry's recipe with her tips for a perfect velvety soup.

A woman holding a cardboard box bearing a recycling symbol which is full of clothes.

Decluttering the Marie Kondo way – myth or magic?

Can you really have a tidy home when it's filled with memories?

bespoke grey alcove bookshelves as storage in the lounge

Read all about it: Our 10 book storage ideas will lift your library

Book lover? Here are 10 stylish book storage ideas that tell the perfect story for spaces that are everything from epic to more novella

How to create the boutique hotel bedroom look at home

The best high street picks to bring the boutique hotel look to your bedroom.

the inside of a loft space with the roof affected by water and rotting in a corner

Why you need to check your loft for condensation - and how to stop it

Loft condensation left untreated can cause problems, long-term - our expert reveals three tips to stop condensation in its tracks.

Do you have to have a smart meter

The Government’s rollout programmes mean your energy supplier will have to offer you a smart meter by 2025. Discover the facts about whether you have to accept it or not.

The best Hungarian wines - and why you should try them

Wine-producing families go back centuries in Hungary and deserve to have a bigger fan base, argues our expert.

Air fryer mistakes: What not to cook in your air fryer

Don't ruin your air fryer – or or your food! Learn what not to cook in your air fryer with this comprehensive guide.

10 things you should never put in a dishwasher

Don’t risk ruining your favourite kitchenware by cleaning it incorrectly. Here’s what not to put in a dishwasher – from wooden chopping boards to delicate glassware.

a green coffee machine on a wooden worktop

7 common coffee machine problems, and how to fix them

Indulge in your coffee journey without the bitter brew as we show you how to fix those frustrating coffee machine glitches.

10 easy DIY projects to try this weekend

Taking on easy DIY projects is a great way to pass a weekend.

Air fryer potatoes: Expert tips for making the tastiest potatoes

Roast, baked and even mash – yes, the air fryer is a master of the potato game. Here’s how to make perfect air fryer potatoes every time.

Are toilet bombs the best new thing in cleaning?

You’ve heard of bath bombs, but what about toilet bombs? We tried a Sort Your Life Out cleaning hack to see if it really worked.

Older person reading Saga magazine and peeping over the top edge

Widen your world with Saga Magazine

The award-winning Saga Magazine is essential reading for those looking to make the most of their well-earned retirement.

Each issue is packed with expert health and finance advice, inspirational real-life stories and travel articles, exclusive celebrity interviews and our hugely popular puzzles. Plus, musings from our unmissable columnists including Susie Dent, Joe Fattorini and Jenni Murray.

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Health & Wellbeing

Browse Health & Wellbeing articles

How unplugging from tech can benefit your mental health

Find out all the ways that spending less time looking at screens can positively impact your mood, sleep and more.

Why it's good to talk: expert advice on starting a mental health conversation

It's good to share, but talking about your mental health is not always easy.

How to start exercising in later life

Advice from the UK's oldest personal trainer on getting and staying active as we age.

A colourful display of foods including fish, meats, fruits, vegetable, dairy products and nuts.

Food groups explained

Dieticians reveal how getting the right amount of each can support your health.

Can a hearing aid protect against dementia

Dr Mark Porter on the link between hearing loss and dementia and whether a hearing aid can make a difference.

a variety of health foods spread across a table

5 foods that help you live longer – and they're already in your kitchen

The foods that could help you live longer and protect against chronic illness.

Two older women having a joyful time rowing a boat on a lake | Getty

10 tips from a doctor on how to age well

Leading geriatrician Dr Lucy Pollock shares her top secrets to flourishing in older years.

Older person with their hand over their ear

Living with tinnitus

Tinnitus affects one in seven of us - we've got expert advice on how to manage it.

Two pairs of muddy hiking boots in different sizes

Why you should never buy hiking boots a size bigger

Avoid uncomfortable hikes with our expert advice on how to find the right fit.

Two mature women attending art class in community centre together

How to become hobby happy: try something new and boost your mood

As a new study suggests hobbies can help you live a happier life in retirement, we explain which pastimes do the trick, and how to find an activity you love.

Does yoga build muscle, or do I need to lift weights?

The best yoga poses to build strength and make your life more comfortable

A selection of different nuts in bowls on a table

Which nuts are healthiest? 6 of the best with benefits

Let’s roast the myths! Not only are nuts less fattening than once feared, research shows they can cut the risk of heart disease too

A red heart on a read out from an ECG scan showing heart rhythm

The unusual heart attack symptoms you need to know

Do you know the symptoms of a heart attack? Here’s what to look out for, and how to prevent one

A Vitamin D capsule being held up to the sun between a man's finger and thumb

Vitamin D: Why we should be taking a supplement every day

The sunshine vitamin that’s essential for our bones – and why it’s vital to take it every day as we get older.

a fitness tracker and a smart watch on a green background

Fitness tracker vs smartwatch: which is right for you?

We are here to help you decide which wearable is right for you, a sleek fitness tracker or feature-packed smartwatch

Jonathon Robinson of Bath University calibrating a set of smart scales

How accurate are smart scales?

When it comes to tracking your body composition, are smart scales accurate enough to be useful?