I often think there is no starker contrast between my generation and my mothers, than when it’s time for our children to leave home, to create an empty nester Mum.

My friends and I, if we didn’t go to university, left home in our early twenties. As early as possible for some of my friends. Yet today, for various financial reasons, children are leaving home much later, and are likely to return home after university.

When it does happen, it is an emotional event, just like returning to work for the first time.  Some of my clients tell me that they didn’t know whether to jump up and down with excitement or curl up into a ball and cry.

When your children were at home, your life probably revolved around them. Even older children require practical and emotional support.

Now your life is entering a new phase. It’s time for you to become an empty nester

So here’s my advice. Following some reflection, you can start planning. Every phase of your life can be controlled by you when you see the possibilities. The possibility to do what you want comes from developing the skills, mentality and financial independence. I’ll help you to develop them and keep them.

Permit yourself to turn your spare cash into savings that can work for you in retirement.

Investing may seem scary and you probably want to make sure you have enough in case anything goes wrong. Well you can probably protect yourself and still save for your future, it is a case of creating a financial plan that enables you to do both.

The truth is, you can afford to focus on you now. It’s your time.