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SHOPPING experts have revealed when is the ideal time to stock up on major garden essentials to make huge savings.

Three of the key items should be bought this month in order to make the biggest savings.

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Boffins at comparison site Idealo have done the hard work for us and worked out that shoppers could save £183.84 if they purchase a gazebo this month, rather than in November, when they are at its worst price.

One shopper recently bragged about picking up a “huge” gazebo from her local Morrisons for just £20.

May is also your month for hedge trimmer shopping and you could save £12.80 as opposed to buying in August as their most expensive month.

As most parents will know, tearing kids away from screens can sometimes be a challenge, making garden toys a lifeline in the summer months.

If you’re after something that will keep your little ones entertained for hours, what about the trusty pogo stick?

May is the best month to pick one up, creating a saving of £1.24 rather than in December.

For your other green-fingered needs, June has been officially crowned as the cheapest month of the year to buy garden bits in the UK, with the greatest deals on offer.

While June is ideal, buying garden goodies any time between the end of May and August is also promised to save you cash.

Idealo found that savings of up to £649 can be made by buying each item at the right time.

Katy Phillips, senior brand and communications manager at idealo tells The Sun: “Our data shows that a little patience can go a long way when it comes to saving money on garden essentials this year.

“Holding off until the right month could save shoppers hundreds of pounds on big-ticket items like sun loungers, tables and fire pits.

“We’d always recommend comparing prices across multiple retailers before committing to a purchase. With a bit of planning, and by using apps with tools like price alerts, you can enjoy your garden for less and make your money stretch further this summer.”

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How to save money on garden furniture

Opting to buy your new garden furniture or items on sale could save you a lot of money.

Most retailers start discounting garden items after summer and will run promotions over the winter, but be aware stock can be far more limited during this time.

Retailers will start reintroducing more to their garden ranges during spring and may run limited promotions over bank holidays, for example.

You are unlikely to get a great deal just before or in the height of summer, but some retailers offer mid-summer clearance sales to get rid of old stock, so keep an eye out.

Remember to always shop around when making a big purchase, as even if one store has a sale on, you may be able to get a better deal elsewhere.

You can use websites like Price Spy to compare the prices of items across multiple retailers and see how the prices have changed over time.

Remember, you may not need to buy you furniture – you could save a fortune by up-cycling old items instead.

Giving dirty pieces a good wash and a lick of fresh paint can make them look brand new.

You can also pick up perfectly good items second-hand.

Try platforms like Facebook Marketplace or eBay to see if anyone near you is getting rid of old items – you may even be able to pick them up for free.

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DEAR DEIDRE: OPENING up our relationship has been thrilling and better than I expected, until my boyfriend’s latest suggestion – that he sleeps with my childhood best friend.

Non-monogamy made our sex life far more exciting as we shared our adventures with each other. I’ve had three different partners, he’s had two and we always talk about our experiences after. It’s such a thrill.

But now he’s been making a move on a friend of mine and it feels too close to home. And instead of just talking about their adventures after, he wants to record it and ‘enjoy the footage together’.

His request feels like he’s overstepping the mark. I almost thought we didn’t need to say it but surely we shouldn’t be bringing in people we know already – let alone people we are close to.

And it’s one thing talking about our escapades and another thing being confronted with the evidence.

My boyfriend and I met three years ago in London, after I moved from the south coast. I’m 27 and he’s 28.

We’ve been living together for just over two years and everything has been great.

It was my suggestion to try polyamory. Although at first he was cautious, after we both researched how to open up your relationship, he agreed to give it a go.

We’ve been non-monagamous for over a year now and make sure that we keep checking in with each other. 

Our rules are simple, that we tell each other who we are seeing, and that we let the other person know our relationship status.

People warned me it would wreck our relationship but I’d say it’s done the opposite – up until now anyway. Our sex life is so much better and we talk about our sexual exploits with others which is so erotic.

I look at friends in long term relationships and can see they are getting bored staying in together night after night.

There is always so much going on in London, and I’ve loved exploring all the different areas when I’ve been on different dates.

I’ve seen three different guys regularly and my boyfriend has two regular women he hooks up with.

I’ve never felt a twinge of jealousy before, but I could tell when he came back to my home town with me at Christmas he’d taken a shine to my friend.

Not long after we returned he told me he’s started messaging her and was going to ask her out.

He seemed surprised when I got upset. 

He’d be making a big effort to see her as he’d have to travel over an hour and a half to get there. 

Am I being over sensitive or does he want to go too far?

DEIDRE SAYS: You’ve researched how to make non-monogamy work so will know the first rule is that you both have to be 100% happy with the arrangement.

The moment one of you feels unhappy or even unsure is the time to pause and reevaluate.

Talk to your boyfriend about your reservations. He won’t appreciate your position unless you explain.

This potential liaison isn’t solely about your boyfriend and his extra partner, it’s also about a pre-existing relationship between you and your childhood friend.

While you are totally at ease with your open relationship in London, bringing it closer to home, where you grew up and your family is, understandably feels different.

And as you say, your boyfriend would have to make a big effort to meet your friend, which could mean he’s getting emotionally involved. 

Opening up your relationship for sexual relationships is one thing, but multiple romantic relationships can be much harder to navigate.

Again you both need to be clear about what you want from non-monogamy – is this about multiple sexual partners, or are extra emotional relationships okay?

My support pack Non-Monogamy explains more.

Dear Deidre’s Non-Monogamy Files

Deidre’s mailbag is bursting with open relationship problems. One reader was cut off by her best friend after finding out about her polyamorous relationship; another from a different subscriber who struggled with the reality of telling his family about his throuple, while one man was asked to open his relationship to hide his wife’s true sexuality.

Get in touch with the Dear Deidre team

Every problem gets a personal reply from one of our trained counsellors.

Sally Land is the Dear Deidre Agony Aunt. She achieved a distinction in the Certificate in Humanistic Integrative Counselling, has specialised in relationships and parenting. She has over 20 years of writing and editing women’s issues and general features.

Passionate about helping people find a way through their challenges, Sally is also a trustee for the charity Family Lives. Her team helps up to 90 people every week. 

Sally took over as The Sun’s Agony Aunt when Deidre Sanders retired from the The Dear Deidre column four years ago.

The Dear Deidre Team Of Therapists Also Includes:

Kate Taylor: a sex and dating writer who is also training to be a counsellor. Kate is an advisor for dating website OurTime and is the author of five self-help books.

Jane Allton: a stalwart of the Dear Deidre for over 20 years. Jane is a trained therapist, who specialises in family issues. She has completed the Basic Counselling Skills Level 1, 2, and 3. She also achieved the Counselling and Psychotherapy (CPCAB) Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Studies.

Catherine Thomas: with over two decades worth of experience Catherine has also trained as a therapist, with the same credentials as Jane. She specialises in consumer and relationship issues.

Fill out and submit our easy-to-use and confidential form and the Dear Deidre team will get back to you.

You can also send a private message on the DearDeidreOfficial Facebook page or email us at:

[email protected]

FORGET Game of Thrones, nobody understands the art of forming alliances better than Meghan Markle – but her latest friendship might just be her most fruitful yet. 

As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend… and having been blacklisted by David and Victoria Beckham, she and Harry have now made their allegiances very clear, while also bolstering their own “cool” social standing in the process. 

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And it’s all thanks to their new friendship with Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz.

After all, it’s no secret that Meghan is making every concerted effort right now to re-establish herself as a lifestyle guru and online influencer. 

Since launching her lifestyle brand, As Ever, last month, she’s upped her output on social media in a bid to cement herself as the ultimate domestic goddess and yummy mummy.

Having the endorsement of the Beckham-Peltzes – who have a massive social media following between them and are hot property right now, thanks to all the whispers circulating about tensions with Brooklyn’s family – would only help her cause.

What’s more, having seen their friendships with the likes of George and Amal Clooney, Oprah Winfrey and Brooklyn’s parents, David and Victoria Beckham, fall flat, Meghan and Harry can use all the star power they can get right now. 

As the Sun exclusively revealed this week, the Sussexes and the Peltz-Beckhams came together last week at a dinner at the Sussexes’ mansion in Montecito, California.

The VIP event, which included 18 other guests, had been planned for weeks – but its timing, just days after Brooklyn and Nicola skipped his dad David’s 50th birthday celebrations amid a very public fall-out, was significant. 

According to insiders, the two couples “found a lot of common ground” – as Harry and Meghan lent an empathetic ear, and shared their own tales of battle with Harry’s family. 

As far as they are concerned, they’ve both been treated unfairly, prompting their estrangements. 

And in the aftermath, the two couples have potentially formed a powerful alliance.

This may be an unlikely quartet, but it might just be a friendship that pays dividends. 

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Speaking exclusively to The Sun, brand and culture expert Nick Ede believes Meghan is well aware of the benefits that come from this new foursome. 

“Meghan is a very strategic player,” he tells us. “She knows how to maximise her influence by associating herself with those who have more than her.

“This move is positioning her away from old Hollywood stars who have already established themselves, like Oprah and the Clooneys, and it’s bringing new blood into the Montecito establishment.”

He adds: “No one saw this friendship coming, but Meghan really looks like she’s creating a new ‘Fab Four’ with Harry, Brooklyn and Nicola.”

Fab Four

Let’s not forget, this isn’t the first time the Sussexes have attempted to form a solid quartet. 

Back in 2018, months before they got married, Harry and Meghan teamed up with Prince William and Kate Middleton to launch a charity partnership. 

The two couples were dubbed “the Fab Four” – representing a new and exciting era for the royal family.

But, as we all know by now, alliances change and – having once been tied by brotherly bonds – the two couples fell out amid Harry and Meghan’s acrimonious departure from royal life.

Since then the Sussexes haven’t held back in airing their grievances against the Waleses, most notably in Harry’s memoir Spare. 

In it, the former senior royal alleged that his brother had physically attacked him amid their Megxit negotiations, and claimed that Kate had made Meghan cry before their wedding over a disagreement about Princess Charlotte’s flower girl dress. 

These days the warring couples have reportedly cut all communication, and that ‘Fab Four’ alliance is splintered beyond repair. 

‘Blacklisted’

Meanwhile, other A-list friendships have also fallen by the wayside.

Take George and Amal Clooney, who were proudly in attendance at Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding, and hosted them at their mansion in Lake Como soon after. 

The two couples don’t seem to have spoken for years, and the Clooneys have made their indifference to the Sussexes known by snubbing them from several high-profile events they’ve hosted. 

Likewise, fellow wedding attendees David and Victoria Beckham have also blacklisted their former friends. 

No one saw this friendship coming, but Meghan really looks like she’s creating a new ‘Fab Four’ with Harry, Brooklyn and Nicola

Nick EdeBrand and culture expert

As we’ve reported, the two couples were historically close, and Meghan even wore a Victoria Beckham dress in her first post-Megxit appearance as a mark of respect to her famous friend. 

But – after the couple accused Victoria of selling stories about them to the press – the lines of communication went dead. 

The Beckhams duly switched their own allegiances to the royals, and have since been getting closer than ever to Harry’s estranged father and brother. 

They’ve further demonstrated their antipathy by failing to invite the Sussexes to either one of their big 50th birthday celebrations – which, as we’ve seen, included a long list of A-list attendees including Tom Cruise, Eva Longoria and Gordon Ramsay.

So, having been declared personae non gratae by the Beckhams, it seems as if all bets are off.

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Raft of opportunities

With relations between David and Victoria and their eldest son Brooklyn reportedly at an all-time low, this Montecito dinner has made a very public statement indeed. 

Yet this isn’t simply a case of trying to get back at the Beckhams.

For all intents and purposes, Brooklyn and Nicola’s friendship could hold the key to a raft of opportunities for Harry and Meghan at this critical juncture in their own lives.

As she strives to promote her brand As Ever – in tandem with her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, and her recent Netflix series With Love, Meghan – Meghan’s been relying on her A-list connections. 

To that end, she’s been sending out her homemade jams, and other products including shortbread biscuits and herbal teas, to friends including Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen, in the hope that they might plug them on their Instagram pages. 

But so far, her connections haven’t quite paid off when it comes to promoting her business.

Indeed, one of the biggest complaints when it came to her Netflix series was that, while we know she’s enjoyed friendships with the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Oprah Winfrey and Serena Williams in the past, she didn’t deliver on serving up A-list cameos on camera. 

Her biggest signing was Mindy Kaling, but even that interaction seemed awkward and not representative of a genuine friendship. 

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So, having Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola , 30 – who both have a massive social media standing – on side could be highly advantageous to Meghan’s brand and online popularity. 

While Brooklyn, in particular, may be the butt of several jokes when it comes to his career as an online “chef”, there’s no denying that his fans love watching him cook up a storm on his social media. 

The nepo baby now has a whopping 16.3million followers on his Instagram account – which eclipses Meghan’s following of 2.9million.

With that kind of popularity, Brooklyn’s endorsement of Meghan’s jam, and her brand in general, would be a big win for As Ever. 

It’s time to build on her credibility and build an audience who are authentic and buy into her brand.

Nick Ede

What’s more, Brooklyn and Nicola bring a hip and fresh factor to this new dynamic. 

The Clooneys and the Beckhams may be established and dynastic couples, but the Peltz-Beckhams represent the next gen of showbiz influencers.

This potential leverage among younger followers will not have escaped Meghan’s attention. 

It’s worth noting that the Duchess of Sussex has already made attempts to broaden her showbiz squad. 

Earlier this year, she gave an online shoutout to Billie Eilish, the ultimate Gen Z cool girl, after the latter helped her with a charitable endeavour.

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She and Harry also recently stepped out at Beyonce’s LA concert – packing on the PDA and later thanking the singer online for a very fun “date night”.

This new Meghan is one who wants to be perceived as laid back, personable and fun – countering claims made in the past year that she’s a “bully” and difficult to work with. 

Having the endorsement of a young, cool couple like Brooklyn and Nicola at this time could be beneficial – and Meghan knows it.

Meanwhile for Harry, having Brooklyn on side, who – as a Brit abroad – represents a piece of home at a time when he remains largely estranged from his family, might just be the source of comfort he needs. 

Building a business should be Meghan’s priority

Nick Ede

But, as Nick tells us, she shouldn’t rely on her A-list friendships to guarantee her brand’s future.

She may be hoping to garner attention, but – ultimately – consumers want high quality products, regardless of who’s endorsing them.

“Whether this is a good move for Meghan is something we will have to wait and see,” Nick says. “The As Ever brand is still in its early days, and so is her TV career as a lifestyle expert.

“It’s time to build on her credibility and build an audience who are authentic and buy into her brand. 

“Building a business should be her priority – this relationship may just serve as a distraction, rather than a positive step for both parties.”

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IT’S an invasive, extremely high-risk procedure that could leave patients with a lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain.

But despite the eye-watering risks, more women than ever are opting for ‘Barbie rib’ surgery – that’s having one or more ribs taken out – to achieve a tiny waist.

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In the 1950s, stars of the silver screen such as Marilyn Monroe wowed with their tiny hourglass figures.

But in 2025, women are going one step further by opting for the latest surgery trend.

When Kim Kardashian graced the Met Gala’s red carpet last March wearing a tightly cinched silver corset, it sparked rumours that the A-lister may have gone under the knife.

While getting ready for the event, she told Vogue: “I’ll feel so snatched I won’t even be able to communicate to you how snatched I feel.”

She fiercely denied rumours of rib removal, later saying: “I don’t even know if that’s possible.”

Well, the shocking surgery IS possible, with many women now going under the knife to achieve the same look as their favourite red carpet celebs.

The surgery, performed under general anaesthesia, involves the surgeon detaching the rib bone and removing it or partially removing to give the appearance of a slimmer waistline.

The ribs can also be repositioned, and a rib brace is then worn to compress the midsection.

It’s an incredibly dangerous procedure that could cause the lungs to collapse or damage other internal organs, with few experienced surgeons willing to carry out the op.

Hazim Sadideen, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at the Cadogan Clinic, told The Sun: “There’s been a lot of noise around the ‘Barbie rib’ procedure, and I think it’s important to separate fact from fiction.

“First off, rib modification and rib removal are very different things.

“True rib removal, where one or more of the floating ribs are completely taken out, is an invasive and high-risk procedure. I would never recommend it purely for cosmetic reasons.

“The risks include lung puncture, nerve damage and chronic pain. There are long-term asymmetry risks too.”

Other celebs have also been rumoured to have had the surgery, including Cher and singer Prince, while other A-listers have donned corsets and tight dresses on the red carpet to achieve a cinched look – a body ideal that has seeped onto social media.

Under the knife

Despite the controversy, Essex Mum Kerry Miles, 41, still planned to spend £15,000 on the procedure after using a corset to shrink her waist to just 21 inches.

Belgian performer Jada Sparks spent over £14,000 having ribs removed. The former nurse said: “I’ve done it for the cosmetic reason, but also the thrill of it to be honest.

“I went down about 2.5 inches from the start until now.

“I think I have reached my ultimate result now. In the beginning, it felt weird, but your body is an odd thing, it can adapt really quick.

“So, I like the feeling right now of having something ‘missing’.”

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Emily James, an influencer from Kansas City, Missouri, spent £13,000 having six of her ribs removed last year – and claims it is no different to a Brazilian Butt Lift.

Emily told The Sun she’d researched her procedure thoroughly and defended her decision. 

She says: “I absolutely think that it’s important to make informed, well-thought-out decisions before you get plastic surgery.

“People should not just be going into random like garages, getting oil pumped into their bodies for like a BBL or getting veneered by some girl that you found on Instagram.

“It’s important to make well-informed decisions, and if you’re going into it with the mindset knowing the risks and the benefits, then you absolutely should do what you want to do.

“But just keep in mind that it is plastic surgery, and there are dangers involved, and there are risks and complications that can arise from getting these kinds of surgeries.”

‘Barbie waist’

The iconic Barbie doll has impossible proportions – which in real life would be 39″ bust, 18″ waist and 33″ hips.

Her terrifyingly tiny waist measurement would in reality be smaller than that of the average three-year-old.

A Google search of “Barbie rib procedure” yields over 135,000 results.

But while Mr Sadideen believes filtered images don’t reveal the truth about invasive procedures, Emily, who had post-surgery complications with a catheter, was able to get the surgery without any psychological evaluation or counselling.

“There was nothing like that,” she says. “But it was a really hard process to find someone that I felt comfortable going to.

“There were lots that were certified to do the surgery, but I didn’t feel they were qualified. I wanted someone who really understood me.” 

Emily flew almost 800 miles for the surgery in Cleveland, Ohio.

But with the trend taking off on social media and celebrities in the US, Germany and UK reportedly having it done, increasing numbers of women are attending clinics asking for their ribs to be removed.

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While Towie’s Abigail Clarke is also rumoured to have had the procedure, Emily says the invasive and risky surgery, which she’s still recovering from, was more painful than she imagined.

“I got there about 6.30 in the morning and honestly, I was really scared,” she says. “I knew my rib removal was going to be painful because I’d done a lot of research.

“I had my boobs done at the same time, but coming out of surgery, I was super swollen, and I couldn’t sit up or lay down by myself.

“I had to have someone help me stand up, lay down, pretty much do everything.

“It was a really intense surgery, and I had a lot of numbness and pain for a long time.”

‘Emotional toll’

While Emily has documented her journey online, Mr Sadideen says social media could be to blame for the increase in requests for these types of invasive procedures.

“What really worries me is how social media glamorises extreme body transformations without showing the full story – the recovery, the risks, or the emotional toll,” he says.

“The rise of these trends is often driven by filtered images and unattainable ideals, which can feed into body dysmorphia and lead people to believe something drastic is the only solution.”

While Emily had no psychological evaluation at all prior to the procedure which altered her skeleton, he believes the mental capacity of a patient should factor into every surgical evaluation.

Just because something is technically possible doesn’t mean it’s the right choice

Mr Hazim Sadideen

“Any patient considering a procedure like this should undergo a thorough psychological assessment to ensure they’re making this choice for the right reasons, not due to pressure or distorted self-image,” he says.

“As surgeons, we have a duty to protect our patients.

“Just because something is technically possible doesn’t mean it’s the right choice.”

Despite having the support of her loved ones, Emily is aware that she entered into the procedure without any long-term idea of how her rib removal might affect her body in the future.

“I knew going into surgery, the ribs I was having removed do serve some protection of my kidneys and my liver,” she says.

“I don’t think that I regret any of my surgeries, but who knows when I’m 60 if I’ll have complications from my rib removal.

“I’ve noticed already there has been one weird complication that whenever I get sick or cough, my muscles separate. So yeah, there might be complications later down the road.”

Mr Sadideen says there is a less invasive option that can be considered without needing to go to the dangerous extremes Emily has.

“There is a more conservative alternative sometimes referred to as rib reshaping or rib modification,” he says.

“In very carefully selected cases, surgeons may use a controlled mini-fracture technique to slightly bend a rib inward.

“It’s a method already used in nose reshaping – known as rhinoplasty – and orthopaedic surgery.

“But it must be done with the utmost precision, using detailed scans, ultrasound guidance during surgery, and specific tools to reduce risk and avoid complications.

“Even so, the data is still emerging, and we don’t yet have a full picture of long-term safety or outcomes.”

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While Emily – who plans to make a crown out of the ribs she’s had removed – has received a barrage of online hate for her surgery choices, she says it doesn’t bother her.

“I’ve had a lot of people say that I worship the devil, or that I’m like, controlled by Satan because I am making a crown out of my rib bones, which is really silly,” she says.

While there are plenty of celebrities who are rumoured to have had the procedure done – from Cher to Prince to Kim Kardashian and Demi Moore, Mr Sadideen says society’s obsession with filters could be resulting in the dangerous trend growing in popularity.

“Extreme procedures like rib removal should be a last resort, not a trend,” he says.

“And we should all be asking: are we doing this to feel better, or just to look better on a screen?”

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