Thank you for your interest in me!
I’m Nick, a 60-something male living near Lichfield in Staffordshire, UK. I live on my own since my partner, Jayne, passed away a few years ago. We didn’t have children, but I am fortunate to have a circle of close friends and two lovely sisters, Liz and Annie. I have seven nephews and nieces, one of whom (Leo) is also my godson.
My early career was in local government and (later) the voluntary sector. For the last thirty years or so I have made my living as a freelance writer and editor, creating books (mainly non-fiction), training courses, articles, novelty products, short stories, advertising and website copy, and much more. I am now semi-retired (though still available for interesting commissions).
I am not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but was able to set aside some money during the days I was earning a bit more, and have also inherited a modest amount. Some of this money I have invested (sometimes successfully, sometimes not!). These days I lead a fairly frugal existence to try to stop my capital depleting too fast. I am looking forward to collecting my state pension at the end of 2021, unless the government moves the goalposts again.
In Pounds and Sense I share my thoughts on financial matters but also other matters of concern to me as a 60-something male, including holidays, health, food and drink, and so on. Obviously I am writing from a UK perspective, although hopefully some of what I share will be relevant to those living elsewhere in the world too.
I do hope you enjoy reading Pounds and Sense, and look forward to reading your comments and feedback about the blog.