How to set up your own book club

One evening each month, I can be found in the cosy cubby of a pub, spending the next few hours diving into the pages of that month’s read with a group of diehard bibliophiles. I’ve always felt that there was something romantic about book clubs, not solely in the sense that they make great meet-cutes for main characters, but because they feel old-timey and warm, and they are a means of coming together and connecting over what is normally a solitary hobby.

Book clubs open doors to new worlds, new genres, as well as to lasting friendships, and topics and experiences that you hadn’t previously considered.

Thinking about setting up your own book club? Here are some points to ponder and tips to help you get started.

What are you going to read?

With so many options out there, how do you decide what you’re going to read? Well, you might choose to have a theme for your book club, for example, is this club going to be devoted to minority or female writers? Or is it going to focus on a certain genre, such as crime books, or fantasy? Alternatively, the club could be devoted to working through prize lists, like the Booker Longlist.

If you don’t want to go so niche, you could consider changing the theme each month (romance, then translation, then a book set in your region), or find other ways to narrow the pool, such as only picking paperbacks under 300 pages. From there, you just need to figure out how the decision process is going to work – will you put forward options and allow the group to vote on which book they’d like to read as you go? Let a different person pick each time? Or will you take lots of suggestions from everyone, and allocate books throughout the year?

Who are you going to invite?

First things first, how many people do you want to have in your book club, and what kind of atmosphere are you looking to create? Do you want intimate chats, where each person has space to freely express their thoughts, or are you looking to create a larger group where everyone jumps in and thoughts are bounced around?

You might have queues of friends and family who are keen to join the club and get reading – in that case, all you need to do is send the invites out. But if you’re looking to get to know new people, and connect with other readers over a shared interest, you might want to turn to the internet.

You can start your own group that people can search for on sites such as MeetUp, where others hunting for book clubs like yours are likely to discover them. Or you could try putting a call out in local Facebook groups.

Where are you going to meet?

You might prefer the physical presence of your book clubbers, in which case you need a space to meet up. Would you like to come to an arrangement where you meet in each other’s homes, and take it in turn to host? Or would you prefer the neutral ground of a pub or other social space?

If you have a lot of people attending, it might be worth seeing what spaces are available to hire in your area – such as town and village halls, and other community hubs. These spaces may charge an hourly rate to hire, so depending on how much that is, you might wish to ask your group to chip in to cover the cost.

Alternat

If you’re feeling anxious, low and questioning what the point of life is, you could be having an existential crisis

There are certain things that happen in life that make us question the meaning of it all. The death of a loved one, illness, the breakdown of a relationship or other life transitions. For many, the pandemic and the general state of the world have left us reeling in uncertainty and angst.

It can be hard to know what to do with this feeling, but putting a name to it can help. Everyone is different of course, but I think some of us are having existential crises.

What is an existential crisis?

This is a term used to describe that sense of unease you feel about the meaning of life, the choices you make and your freedom. You may be asking ‘what is the meaning of life?’ or ‘what’s the point if I’m going to die one day?’.

You might feel isolated, overwhelmed and unmotivated. This feeling may have come out of the blue, but many of us experience existential crises after a major life event. Some mental health conditions like anxiety, BPD, depression and OCD can also make you more prone to existential crises, but they don’t cause them.

If this is all sounding painfully familiar, know that you’re not alone in how you feel and that there are tools to help you break free.

What can help?

First of all, it can be helpful to recognise that an existential crisis may not be a wholly bad thing. It could give you the nudge you need to reassess what makes you happy in life and how you can find a sense of fulfilment.

When we’re in the midst of existential thinking, we’re zoomed way out. We’re thinking about the big picture and some big topics, so it’s no surprise that we get overwhelmed. Thinking in this way isn’t necessarily bad, but if it’s causing you anxiety, it could help to zoom back in.

Try to narrow your vision to your life and what you find enjoyable and meaningful. Gratitude journaling can be a helpful way to keep track of what makes you smile and what you find personally fulfilling. Connecting with loved ones can also help to lift any feelings of isolation and bring you back to the here and now.

Speaking of the here and now, mindfulness could also be a tool to try. Helping you ground yourself in the present moment, mindfulness encourages us to simply ‘be’, which could be exactly what you need.

What is existential therapy?<

With food costs on the rise and everyday essentials taking up an uncomfortable chunk of our budgets, we ask: how can you really save money on your weekly food shop?

According to the latest figures, we spend an average of 16% of our budget on food and non-alcoholic drinks. For the average UK household, that’s around £3,601 on groceries, and £1,744 on takeaways and eating out each year. That means we’re spending nearly £70 on our weekly food shop, and £31 on takeaways. Other figures have estimated a £643 rise in average grocery bills this year, with shoppers paying around £12 extra each week to buy the same food and groceries.

With inflation at a 40-year high leaving many of us seeing soaring gas and energy prices, while wages for the majority of workers are falling behind inflation, it’s no wonder more and more of us are looking for creative ways to save money.

But other than the obvious changes of cutting back on meals out, ditching the occasional coffee on your way to work, and switching down a brand on your favourite purchases, what can we do to save money on food shopping?

Keep track of what you have

Know what you have in your cupboards before you get started. How many times have we all accidentally bought yet another pack of lasagna sheets, pasta sauces, or our fave cupboard staples? By knowing what you have, you can minimise food waste and your weekly shopping spend. If you struggle to remember what you’ve got, apps like No Waste can help you to easily track your fridge, freezer, and food cupboards, helping you to create shopping lists and plan around the ingredients you've got.

Plan your meals before hitting the shops

We’ve all heard the advice: don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. But it’s not just our hunger that can lead us to over-spending - our lack of planning can lead to us buying an unbalanced basket, relying heavily on more expensive ingredients or ready-made options.

Planning your meals for the week ahead (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) can help you to avoid the temptation of splurging on extra takeaways or meals out. It can also reduce the time and energy needed to think about what you’re going to cook - something that can lead many of us to feel demotivated at the end of a long, stressful day.  

Meal planning can also help us to pick more sensible meal options. Making a full-on roast may sound like a great idea when you’re shopping on a Monday, but when Sunday rolls around and you’re feeling the end of the weak dread, you might not have the energy to cook such a big

Can you keep personal treasures without allowing clutter to take over your home? We explain more about how you can collect memories, not things

We all have little mementoes that remind us of our lives and shared experiences. Perhaps you collect little trinkets from past holidays, or keep a box full of tickets from shows you have been to with loved ones, to little gifts brought back to show that we were in a friend’s thoughts while they were travelling. From fridge magnets to an array of cuddly toys and souvenirs, it can be easy to get caught up in keeping items from our past to act as physical reminders of some of our happiest memories.

But why do we become attached to so many little things that others may consider ‘junk’, is that attachment always a bad thing, and what can we do if we’re worried our collecting of things is getting out of hand? We explain more about how you can collect memories, not things.

Why do we collect things?

According to the Royal Mint, an overwhelming four in five (83%) of us have collected something during our lifetime, with just over half of us (57%) currently keeping a collection.

The reasons why we collect things vary from person to person. Some people may start collections as a way of enjoying themselves, expressing how much they like to be part of a certain hobby, or even as a status symbol. Many collectors have a passion or love for the things that they collect. Others may slowly grow their collection, adding a new item to celebrate or signify major life events. While for others, their collections may create a sense of comfort, reminding them of where items were bought, who they were with at the time, happy memories around travel or spending time with loved ones.

We may link these items within our collections with people, places, or events, entwining those positive memories with the physical items we have kept - whether that item is something big or small, expensive or cheap. In essence, our collections can become almost a physical representation of our lives: what we have done, who we have spent time with, and where we have travelled.

Collect memories, not things: What does collecting memories mean?

The idea behind collecting moments instead of things is that we should focus on how our memories connect us with others, rather than physical objects. When we focus on collecting moments, we return our focus on creating shared experiences with others. That could be with a partner, family, friends, or even now people you’ve never met before.

By focusing on how we feel in the moment and the activities and events we share, we can create more meaningful connections and memories together. Through finding different ways of recording these memories, we can enjoy and even share them for years to come.

Why do people collect memories?

Collecting memories over things can be beneficial for both us, and those we love. Gathering our memories can help us to better learn and reflect on ourselves, the world around us, our place in it, and those around us. Finding a way to collect your memories can help you to better understand what you have learned,

From a lesson in upcycling to a botanical winter walk, and a podcast about the latest films, try something new with our enriching suggestions

1. Page-turners

Chatter: The Voice in Our Head (and How to Harness It) by Ethan Kross

We often have a tendency to be our own worst critic, with negative self-talk sending us into a spiral of self-doubt. But how do we harness this and take back control? Award-winning neuroscientist and psychologist Ethan Kross provides us with the tools needed to befriend our inner voice, and turn it into something more productive.

(Out now, £10.99)

2. Out and about

Visit a botanical winter garden

With the winter season upon us, there is no more magical a time to visit a botanical garden. Take a brisk walk through the gardens, and explore the seasonal plants and wildlife. It’s a wonderful place to learn about nature and embrace the wonders of winter, all while reaping the wellbeing benefits of the outdoors.

(Search for botanical winter gardens in your your local area)

3. Act of kindness

Help an elderly person stay warm this winter

It’s no secret that we will all be looking for inventive ways to keep ourselves warm this winter amid the cost of living crisis and cutting back on heating bills, but it’s especially important to help elderly individuals in any way we can. If you know someone that will struggle this winter, you could donate a blanket or hot water bottle, or invite them over to warm up at your place and have a nice catch-up.

4. Lend us your ears

‘10/10 (Would Recommend)’

Are you having trouble deciding what to watch on TV? Hosts and best-friend duo Gena-mour Barrett, who works for Netflix, and Tolani Shoneye discuss the latest must-see films and guest recommendations to help you beat indecisiveness on your cosy night in.

(Available on all podcast platforms)

5. Plugged-In

Dan Nguyen

Travelling around the world is something many of us dream of doing, but how much better would it be to bring your pet along for the ride? Lawyer Dan Nguyen went viral on Instagram after documenting his heart-warming travels across the globe with not one, but three cats. Follow their daily adventures if you need to put a smile on your face.

(Follow @spongecakethescottishfold on Instagram)

6. Lesson Learned

Upcycle with Lego

Do you have a broken piece of furniture that you’re going to throw away? Maybe you have some Lego lying around, that your children played with once and never again? Get creative and use Lego to repair your broken household items, and be part of the revolutionary growth of upcycling.

(Visit