Joanne Hunt

1 day ago | irishtimes.com | Joanne Hunt

Heading on holiday this summer? If you’ve booked a flight, you might be feeling some airport anxiety. Fear of flying is one thing, but fear of not flying can also loom large. Once upon a time, it was only striking air traffic controllers or baggage handlers who could nix your holiday plans. More recently, climate events such as floods, wildfires and extreme turbulence, anti-tourism protests and technical glitches are adding to the mix.

3 days ago | irishtimes.com | Joanne Hunt

Home insurance companies are having a laugh, but if you don’t query your renewal quote, then the joke is on you. Yes, hitting that annual ‘Renew Now’ button emailed out to you is easy, but the price quoted is rarely the best deal. And next year’s renewal quote will just build on that bad deal again. You can either roll over and accept the annual increases, or take back control. Here’s how. Are there really savings to be made on home insurance?

5 days ago | irishtimes.com | Joanne Hunt

Can you bring your dog to the beach? It depends on where you are going. Some beaches with designated bathing areas restrict dog access, especially during the summer bathing season, which is running now and until September 15th. This isn’t because the council doesn’t like your dog. The restrictions are there to reduce the nuisance risk of dogs being let off the leash and allowed to run free – especially when children are around. There’s also the public health risk from the potential for dog fouling.

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Joanne Hunt

War, poverty, homelessness, animal cruelty – your social media feed can make it feel like the world is on fire. Donating can help, but it’s hard when money is tight. Planning a gift in your will could be a solution. It can feel like a constructive action but it takes the financial pressure off now. Many charities offer a free will-writing service in return for a possible donation – but how does it work, and can I trust that my will will be above board?

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Joanne Hunt

Are you sick of the amount of plastic and packaging coming into your home? Milk cartons, cereal boxes, food packaging, junk mail, takeaway boxes – it can feel like we are locked in a cycle of creating a never-ending stream of rubbish. A new survey is looking for your help in stopping the flow. A national recycling bin survey, running for the next two weeks, aims to find out what exactly is in our bins and who else must shoulder responsibility for it.