You may not retire early but this November punting system could help to ease the pain

If you are a similar age to me you have probably speculated on more than a few occasions about when you will have enough money to retire.

Alas, for me that time is in the distant future judged on the performance of some of my investments. The value of my stocks and shares has stalled in recent months and the wine market is uncharacteristically in the doldrums, something that wasn't predicted by the chirpy wine broker who was extolling the strength of the Burgundy market a couple of years ago.

Thankfully I took his enthusiasm with a pinch of salt and didn't buy too much grand cru from the Cote D'Or, but unfortunately the fizz has also gone out of the champagne market and I'm too depressed to find out the current value of my new world cases.