Since I've got home, I've been doing financial planning. We've just got a sharesave at work I'm looking into, reading about transferring my old pension to the new one, looking at where to get an ISA, planning how much to put in different things so I can save a deposit for property.

UGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! These are the sort of things I know a lot of my peers would already have looked at (I'm 29, so no spring chicken) but I always said things like that would make me feel old. I don't want to be old :-(

And in the past month I've made three different types of jam, three types of chutney, mincemeat... need I go on! Nooooo how did this happen?!?!?!?!

Try approaching 40. Then you'll feel old. Or maybe 50.

Then again I still feel 21 :)

The weird thing is I'm actually quite looking forward to turning 30 - I see my 20s as my "uni period" and so want me 30s to be my "work" period.

It's just the things that come with it that make me feel old!

I was moaning to hubby about this the other day, saying "When did we become Radio 2 listeners?". He disputes that we are, but when we're in the dentist and that's what they're playing it's music of "our age" (80s in particular) that's on. Oh dear, I felt old then :) Can you tell I've recently had a birthday? :p

30s are nice though. I like those. You're still youthful, but with that bit more experience.

I wouldn't say that what you're doing makes you seem like an old codger. It's prudent financial action, more akin to a sensible Radio 4 listener. Martin Lewis and Alvin Hall would be so proud. Besides, living fast and dying young is so 1999. It's better to one day be a pensioner with a sound pension and your own home than a skint one relying on the state. I honestly believe that there's going to be a lot of young people in a very sticky situation financially (me included!) by the time they're old.

I've been experiencing 'feeling old' lately, getting to an age where I don't want to appear older any more - today someone guessed I was 28 and I'm only 22 - think I need to start using eye cream! And when I see 18 year olds out wearing tiny outfits I feel a bit past it! Not got onto the jam making and mortgage stage yet thought...

Ha ha, oh you're ANCIENT :p Nah, its not 'old' just sensible- I think I first arranged a pension when I was about 22! (that fell by the wayside sadly lol), I also go my first mortgage at 20, again, ex hubby has that now.... sigh......

I'm so proud of your cookery skills! I love making jam and stuff and baking - haven't made jam in a while but its great fun and your own mincemeat??? I bow to your superior skills - we can certainly tell who has a Belford degree and who hasn't!

I wish I was 29 again, if you're not a spring chicken then I must be an old broiler by now! People don't seem to think I'm as old as I am though thank God, most put me early 30s and I'm 40 which is very flattering - that fiver i slip them is worth every penny ;-) I can honestly say though that I don't feel my age, I don't feel much different to how I did in my mid 20s, maybe just a bit calmer and more resigned lol, but its weird - I remember years ago when I was 23 with a new baby a friend who was early 30s saying she didn't feel any different and I couldn't understand it - now I do ;-)

HA! try being a 26 year old married, who's 20 year old unmarried sister in law has just had her first baby. THEN you'll feel the pressure of aging, I have a whole family who have volunteered themselves to be my daily biological clock countdown "when are you going to have one" "we thought you'd be first" blah blah blah.

And I have a pension (albeit a very small pension that will pay me about £20 per year when I retire), an ISA and a house (even though we're only paying off interest only :-( )

And...

I listen to radio 4 and refuse to wear leggings.

27. I worried about my age a lot when I was 24! I had just started my first degree and lived with my parents, and everyone else my age seemed to have made more progress. I'm not worried about my age now though but I think that's because I feel I have some good (grown-up) stuff to show for my 27 years: I opened an isa at 24, bought a house at 25, and got married when I was 26 (whilst both my husband and I were undergrads working part-time). I know not everyone dreams of marriage and a mortgage, but these things are important to me :-). Just need to get some sort of career on track! I probably won't bother with a pension though.

The older I get, the younger 30 seems. My husband is 33 and I consider him young.

P.S. I got ID'd the other day 8-)

Nearly 45. A recent graduate popped in today and made my day as she was shocked when I said I was more than twice her age - she thought I was in my 30s :-)
I got id'd a few months ago and was thrilled until I realised it was because the cashier was under 18 :$
Last time I got properly id'd I was 29 and was so incensed that I made my then boyfriend (now husband) go home and get some id! Guess that's not going to happen again.
I found 30 really traumatic (probably because I had had two miscarriages which though unplanned made me realise I did want children) and was v unhappy in my very well paid career. 40 was MUCH better - started second career (as an academic after 16 years in finance), children out of nappies and all that and off to school; settled in house etc :-)
Lots of my friends are really shocked at what their teenage/early twenties daughters wear and the daughters think I am cool because I am not shocked. I hate to point out to the girls that I'm only not shocked because I am surrounded by it with undergrads and so have seen it all before.

24 here....but I have had tons of freshers think I'm a second year ("Pah," I say "Second year? Try sixth year. Facebook didn't even exist when I started Uni!" or something along those lines that doesn't sound so condescending. I also like "So, are you a second year?" "In one manner, yes.")

Anyhow, don't feel that cooking (or brewing, weaving, etc) skills are a sign of age, they are a sign of a well-rounded personality that cares about more issues than the traditional 18 year-old's concerns of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll...or, as it currently appears, sex, clubs and clothes.

I would like to point out that despite the radio 4 listening, I am frequently ID'd. As I'm tee total that may seem strange, but I actually get ID'd when buying hubs' video games! My record is 6 months ago when I was ID'd for pro evo soccer on PS3. The age limit for that game? yes, its was rated 3+ and I got ID'd! For some reason I am more often ID'd for 15 rated dvds, rather than 18 - weird.

However, I am, next week, babysitting for my mother in law (who has a small child) because she is going out clubbing all night - that makes me feel like a young fogey. Although also makes me smug that I am not in the midst of any mid/quarter life crisis (like she so obviously is!)

Lmao - id'd for a 3+ game!!!!! Oh dear Sneaks, you must look soo young ;-) I haven't been Id'd in ermmm, well ever! Sob..... and Oi!!!! There's nothing wrong with a good midlife crisis - I'd go clubbing tomorrow if I could find someone to go with! I'd actually quite like to have one - I have been asked if my uni career shows a midlife crisis - errrr no!!! I feel the need for a really good one - they just seem to cost a bit financially so I may have to wait for a while ;-)

Radio 4 is beyond me I'm afraid - eugghhhh - I think though, to be fair, its because my Dad ALWAYS had it on, really loud, at like 4am (he was a milkman) and in the car and everything and being a teenager I hated it with a passion and still do. I must confess to listening to radio 2, not sure how that happened, but I do like Chris Evans in the morning and Steve Wright and I like the discussions with whatisname at midday - the one I can't stand is the guy mid morning with pop quiz, his voice makes me want to commit extreme acts of violence for some reason. I also can't bear it at weekends when they play full on fogey music, especially Dale Winton - is there anyone more annoying on the face of the planet???

I felt old today....was wandering round M&S and found a lot of clothes I liked!

I'm about 5 weeks off 30 and trying not to think about it! Got IDed a fair bit up until a couple of years ago but think the PhD might be taking its toll as I haven't been in a while :-(