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Wise Old Heads is a practical space dedicated to making sense of the modern world. We cut through the noise to bring you straightforward advice across a whole mix of topics:
Digital Safety: Keeping your passwords, identity, and devices safe without the headaches.
- Everyday Tech: Making smartphones, tablets, and software actually work for you.
- Practical Wisdom: Clever life hacks, home organization, and smart shortcuts.
- Lifestyle & Leisure: Exploring hobbies, stories, and ideas to enjoy your hard-earned free time.
Take a look around, explore our latest articles, and make yourself at home!
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The Video Doorbell: How to Vet the Front Door Without Getting Out of Your Armchair
Read more: The Video Doorbell: How to Vet the Front Door Without Getting Out of Your ArmchairIn a previous article, we talked about the tactical art of handling doorstep cowboys, pushy cold callers, and unexpected knocks. We discussed keeping the door chain on, deploying the “No Cold Calling” sticker, and refusing to be bullied on your…
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The Art of the Strategic Afternoon Nap: Reclaiming Your Right to Do Absolutely Nothing
Read more: The Art of the Strategic Afternoon Nap: Reclaiming Your Right to Do Absolutely NothingIf you look at modern society today, people have become completely obsessed with “productivity”. Younger folk wear their exhaustion like a badge of honour. They race from gym classes to office meetings, checking their wristwatches to see how many thousands…
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What is a VPN, and Do You Formally Need One to Stay Safe Online?
Read more: What is a VPN, and Do You Formally Need One to Stay Safe Online?Have you ever searched online for a specific holiday destination, a medical condition, or a pair of walking boots, only to find that for the next three weeks, every single website you visit flashes advertisements for that exact same thing?…
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How to Force Companies to Wipe Your Personal Data from Their Systems Permanently
Read more: How to Force Companies to Wipe Your Personal Data from Their Systems PermanentlyHave you ever bought something from a company once, only to be plagued by their marketing emails, glossy catalogues through your letterbox, and uninvited phone calls for years afterward? You unsubscribe from their emails, yet a month later, another one…
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Beating the Rogue Parking Ticket: Your Guide to Fighting Back and Winning
Read more: Beating the Rogue Parking Ticket: Your Guide to Fighting Back and WinningWe have all been there. You return to your car after a pleasant afternoon, only to spot that dreaded plastic yellow pouch slapped onto your windscreen. Your stomach drops, your blood boils, and your day is instantly ruined. Private parking…
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How to Beat the Sneaky “April Price Hike” and Slash Your Broadband Bill
Read more: How to Beat the Sneaky “April Price Hike” and Slash Your Broadband BillHave you ever opened your monthly broadband or mobile phone bill in April, only to find that the price has suddenly jumped up, even though you signed a strict “fixed-price” contract? If your blood is boiling, it should be. You…
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How to Bust the “Sneaky Subscription” Trap and Reclaim Your Cash
Read more: How to Bust the “Sneaky Subscription” Trap and Reclaim Your CashHave you ever looked closely at your bank statement and spotted a mysterious monthly deduction for a service you don’t use, don’t want, or completely forgot you signed up for? If the answer is yes, please don’t blame yourself. You…
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The Hidden Risks of Free VPNs: What You Need to Know
Read more: The Hidden Risks of Free VPNs: What You Need to KnowWe all love a good bargain, and when it comes to protecting our privacy online, a “Free VPN” sounds like a no-brainer. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are excellent tools for shielding your internet activity from prying eyes. But when a…
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Let’s Talk About the F-Word: Facing Our Fears of Getting Older (With a Smile)
Read more: Let’s Talk About the F-Word: Facing Our Fears of Getting Older (With a Smile)Let’s be completely honest with each other: nobody wakes up on their fiftieth, sixtieth, or seventieth birthday, looks in the mirror, and shouts, “Hooray, more wrinkles and creaky knees!” Getting older is a universal human ride, but it’s one we…
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The Smart Plug Revolution: How to Turn Off the Kettle (and the Worry) from Your Armchair
Read more: The Smart Plug Revolution: How to Turn Off the Kettle (and the Worry) from Your ArmchairIf you listen to the tech companies, the modern “smart home” is a glorious wonderland where you walk into a room and shout orders at a little plastic cylinder in the corner. “Alexa, turn the lights purple!” or “Google, play…
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How and Where to Report Scams:
Read more: How and Where to Report Scams:A Step-by-Step UK Guide Here is a simple, straightforward directory of exactly how and where to report different types of scams in the UK. 🏦 Step 1: Contact Your Bank Immediately If you have accidentally given out your bank details,…
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The “In Case I Kick the Bucket” Folder: The Ultimate Act of Practical Wisdom
Read more: The “In Case I Kick the Bucket” Folder: The Ultimate Act of Practical WisdomAs a nation, we British are spectacularly bad at talking about the Grim Reaper. We will happily spend hours complaining about the weather, the state of the roads, or the price of a pint, but the moment someone mentions the…
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The Unexpected Knock: How to Outsmart Doorstep Cowboys and Rogue Traders
Read more: The Unexpected Knock: How to Outsmart Doorstep Cowboys and Rogue TradersThere was a time when a knock at the front door was a pleasant event. It was usually the postie with a letter, a neighbour looking to borrow a cup of sugar, or a friend dropping by for a spontaneous…
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Taming the Smart TV: How to Watch the Telly Without a Degree in Engineering
Read more: Taming the Smart TV: How to Watch the Telly Without a Degree in EngineeringCast your mind back a few decades. Watching the television used to be a beautifully simple affair. You had a substantial wooden box in the corner of the room, three or four channels if the aerial was behaving, and a…