Welcome to Money Diaries where we are tackling the ever-present taboo that is money. We’re asking real people how they spend their hard-earned money during a seven-day period — and we’re tracking every last dollar.

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Adam Thomas has admitted that he’s “struggling” and in “pain” after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis ahead of his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing. The Waterloo Road star is one of the 15 celebrities preparing to put themselves to the test as they compete on the 21st series of dance competition series Strictly. Just days after it was announced that he had joined the cast, Thomas shared on his 35th birthday that he had recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. An autoimmune disease, rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints. It usually affects the hands, feet and wrists and can cause flare-up periods where symptoms become worse for a period of time. On Sunday (3 September), the former Coronation Street star posted a shirtless selfie to Instagram following a swimming session. Writing in the caption, Thomas said that he was posting the image “to get comfortable feeling uncomfortable”. “Am not in the best shape of my life, but I could be worse,” he wrote. “This year has been tough there’s no doubt about that… but I’ve just got to stay focused now! I’m still struggling and the pain is still there but I’m putting on a brave face I’ve got to stay strong [sic]!” Thomas continued: “Swimming helps me so much with my arthritis, I mean as much as it kills me getting my top off and going for a swim, I know it’s helping me and I know it’s also helping me deal with the issues I’ve got with me and my body. Which is a good thing!” “Got a feeling am going to get a lot more out of the next few months than I bargained for [sic]! Let’s go!” Thomas announced that he had been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis last month, explaining that he had “been in a lot of pain since January”. “It started with my knees and then travelled to my wrists, fingers and now ankles and toes,” he wrote. “I never knew what was happening and finally after several blood tests and back and forth to doctors and hospitals, I’ve been diagnosed with rheumatoid Arthritis!” The actor had originally said that he signed up for Strictly – which begins later this month – in order “to be able to move again, get fit and do it, all with a smile on my face”. Strictly Come Dancing returns in September on BBC One. Read More Kanye West and ‘wife’ Bianca Censori banned from Venice boat company after ‘obscenities’ on board Yellowstone season 5: Kevin Costner finally explains why he quit the show Fyre Fest 2.0? Chris Rock and Diplo escape Burning Man festival as 70,000 stranded in desert How to look after your joints, as women experience ‘significantly higher’ pain than men How can parents and children battle back-to-school anxiety? Khloe Kardashian officially changes son Tatum’s last name

By Laura Sanicola U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Sunday called on regulators to investigate a popular

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What makes a holiday in Dorset? Maybe it’s fish and chips at the seaside, or hiking to the highest point on England’s south coast before rewarding yourself with a pint of local beer. Or visits to nude hill figures or an iconic limestone arch might take your fancy. This jewel of the West Country has things to do in spades – eating, drinking, active or laidback – plus plenty of on-trend hotels in which to lay your head. If Dorset’s much-extolled salted sea air and bucolic tranquillity isn’t enough to bring you utter relaxation, you’re in luck. Among the county’s hills and on its rugged coast are hotels that have getting guests to unwind baked into their being. Think warmed underground pools, blissful treatments ranging from traditional through modern, and space to just… be. There’s more to Dorset than just apple cake and Thomas Hardy. If you want a UK getaway – and to give your wellbeing a holistic boost – these are the best spa hotels in Dorset to book. The best spa hotels in Dorset are: Best for style by the sea: The Nici Best for the traditional approach: Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Best for a hidden escape: The Eastbury Best for a foodie getaway: Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa Best for coastal cool: The Pig on the Beach Best for style by the sea: The Nici Location: Bournemouth The hotel that Bournemouth – overstocked with dowdy, dated seaside accommodation – has been crying out for. Inside, spaces are filled with art, tropical prints and a hint of Art Deco; outside, the star is a 30m heated pool, very much a nod to Miami’s South Beach, and the town’s long stetch of sand can be reached by a short zig-zag path. If you can wrench yourself from a cabana, The Nici’s swish spa beckons, all soft lighting and gentle music (a change from the pumping soundtrack poolside). Treatments incorporate products from British “nutri-cosmeceutical” beauty brand Oskia, as well as CBD pioneers OTO. The latter’s Nici signature massage is a joy, where CBD-infused oils soothing tired muscles and dislodge long-held knots; afterwards, curl up in the relaxation space and pop open a can of OTO’s CBD seltzer, before making use of the steam room, sauna and indoor pool (or the gym, if you feel suitably energised post-treatment). Best for the traditional approach: Summer Lodge Country House Hotel Location: Evershot Summer Lodge remains Dorset’s countryside grande dame (and the county’s only five-star hotel). The quintessential rural pad, it has beautifully restored rooms with high ceilings, watercolours, and chandeliers. The four-acre estate is set in Evershot, a village little changed since it featured in local author Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the d’Urbervilles (and while there, prop up the bar or sit beside the fire at the trad-yet-cool Acorn Inn). The spa is a major highlight of Summer Lodge, packed with Elemis treatments, from deep-cleansing facials through to rejuvenating wraps, plus a hefty list of massages and manicures. Bespoke spa packages can be arranged depending on the occasion, and if you’re on a family break there are special “junior” treatments for younger guests. Wellbeing extends to a gym, sauna and heated indoor pool, and there are quiet corners of the fragrant gardens in which to unwind in private. Best for a hidden escape: The Eastbury Location: Sherborne This is perhaps the prettiest little spa in the West Country, hidden at the bottom of The Eastbury’s walled garden and reminiscent of a Hobbit hole. Only the occasional ringing of bells from the abbey reminds you that you’re in the historic market town of Sherborne. There are two treatment rooms, where massage therapy mollifies any pesky aches, as well as a hydrotherapy tub, sauna and relaxation areas which you have all to yourself (you book the space by the hour). The hotel dates from the 18th century, built as gentleman’s townhouse, so expect plenty of traditional style as well as modern touches brought in during a 2018 refurb. Since the start of 2023, they no longer have a restaurant (a shame, as chef Matthew Street’s tasting menus were impressive) but instead offers breakfast, light lunches and afternoon tea. Best for a foodie getaway: Christchurch Harbour Hotel & Spa Location: Christchurch Christchurch’s natural harbour is wonderful sweep of the Dorset coast, and the best ways to soak up its views – over to Mudeford Spit and its expensive beach huts, and beyond to the Channel – is by staying at its namesake hotel. The 1930s property has a blended palette of muted and vibrant tones inside, and right on the water is its headline restaurant, The Jetty. It’s seafood-heavy menu comes from Alex Aitkin, who held a Michelin star at Le Poussin; for a reliable, fresh taste of local waters, plump for the catch of the day. The HarSpa is found below-ground – they describe it as “subterranean” – and is lit by coloured spotlights around a heated pool and whirlpool tub. While away a day on one of the sun loungers (indoor and outdoor), an activity you can break up with Espa beauty treatments or full-body massages. The spa menu also features offerings designed specifically for men and pregnant women. Best for coastal cool: The Pig on the Beach Location: Studland The litter of Pig hotels has one of its very finest locations in east Dorset, at the edge of land overlooking the Old Harry Rocks chalk formation. There’s whimsy in the turrets and sloping roofs that make up the 16th-century manor, and – in classic Pig aesthetic – there’s a surrealism in the luxe Victoriana-meets-countryside décor. The restaurant makes use of the county’s incredible larder, only sourcing produce within a 25-mile radius, and its menu favours unfussy, well-paired flavours. Don’t forget to visit the pigs and sheep in their pens, which you can hear as you knock back cocktails (try the rum-drenched Jungle Pig 2.0) on the lawn. Beyond the garden, which guests can discover down a path, are two adorable shepherd’s huts. These comprise the spa, simple and understated. They’re very Mr McGregor’s garden (of The Tale of Peter Rabbit fame) in style, in keeping with the kitchen garden ethos of the restaurant. The six treatments, each 60 minutes and costing £115, use products from the County Sligo seaweed brand VOYA. thepighotel.com Read more on the best Dorset hotels