ONE thing I've noticed as I've gotten older — everything I buy is really, really dull.

I reach the grand old age of 35 later this month — and all I seem to buy these days are really sensible, and really boring things.

I well remember the days when the majority of stuff I spent my hard-earned Saturday job cash on was loads of fun.

I'll be honest, it needed to be. Fitting screaming, small children's feet into shoes, serving burgers in a fast food joint and flogging cut price whiskey to the finer elements of the town centre where I grew up was not the most fun a teenager could have.

I was screamed at, kicked many, many times by furious toddlers, who were ALL very cross about being forced to wear something uncomfortable as well being pressured at by mum and dad to tell them this or that pair of shoes fitted.

I was burnt by chip fat and greasy burgers and had to deal with drunks demanding bizarre brands of cigarettes I'd never heard of and booze that I'm sure isn't legal these days.

But I can't moan about these jobs — as I said, I bought some fun stuff with the cash they produced (albeit not much cash, this was in the days before the minimum wage kids).

I well remember the excitement of dashing up the high street after school when the new Take That single came out and buying cheapy make-up and bad hair dye — I'm sure my mum was delighted when I turned the bathroom bright red once a fortnight.

There were bad posters, strangle incense and candles, bizarre knick knacks for my bedroom and obviously lots and lots of (what I can see now were appalling) “cutting edge” clothes.

Compare that to now and my purchases are nothing but a snooze-fest.

There was the fridge freezer back in the summer, some new carpets in the autumn and by December I'd got myself a nifty pair of side tables from a lovely little shop.

And don't get me started on the other “thrilling” things that have tempted me in recent years.

There has been a new boiler — admittedly very useful and keeps me toasty and warm — kettles, toasters and my personal favourite, a new lawnmower.

And while I really do miss those days of just frivolously spending cash on things that were completely pointless but ultimately fun, I do have to admit the “boring” purchases have given me a lot of pleasure — even if they are unbelievably dull.

So, it would seem that being a “proper grown-up” and spending your hard-earned cash on things you need, or things you never thought you'd buy as a teenager, isn't so bad after all.

Roll on old age I say — who knows what I'll be buying then.