I guess I may as well start off the new year by being a miserable old git and say – when you’ve had more years than you’ve got ahead of you – why celebrate!!

This year I shall reach the, what I thought back in about 1966 as impossible, age of 59, one off the big 6-0. Oh my goodness me, can I make it!!

Well, I’m pretty sure I will, so I shall make the last full year of not being in my 50’s as one to remember. How I don’t know yet, but something will come up for certain. It usually does as soon as the Bank opens on the 2nd of January!

On a downshifting angle, I think there will be more and more people looking for the opt out of conformity and routine. There is an attraction about it, especially for those who are maybe in their late 30’s onwards. To them I say “Don’t wait too long, but spend time planning for it”. I waited maybe a bit too long and it’s been a lesser time of painless knees and sprains in muscles I never knew I had!

Get off on the right financial footing and don’t have a honeymoon period I think are two key issues. It’s too easy to think ‘I’ve cashed in this and that, got a few quid in the Bank, so we’ll have the last this or that’. It may come back to haunt you!

If it is your year, then have a go and be happy and confident in your decision. Usually it’s something you only do once in life – and we’ve only got one of those!