Millions of people who work in steady jobs dream about doing something different and more exciting on their own account, from writing children’s books to running a rural gastropub. Hilary Mantel, the double-Man Booker prize-winning author, once worked in a department store.

If you are serious about going freelance or starting a business in your late 20s or later, financial concerns are likely to be the main barrier. However, career experts say that if you have a good idea, do your homework before you quit the day job and possess grit, it is possible to minimise the risks and make the transition.

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Aspirational advertising executives, film-makers, journalists and publishers who are struggling to overtake the deadwood on the career ladder might want to consider a new job: insurance.

In fact, any British worker could do worse than move into this ostensibly unsexy industry because it offers the best chance of a promotion, according to new research.

Three quarters of insurance professionals were happy with career progression in their industry, a poll of 2,000 British workers by Randstad, the recruiters, found.

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Business leaders should give regular talks in schools to stop teenagers dreaming of being footballers or pop stars rather than surveyors or technicians, according to the National Careers Council.

A report from the government advisory body says that many young people have unrealistic career ambitions and need better advice on how to develop the qualifications and skills for specialist jobs that employers need. Britain’s future growth is being hampered by a careers “mismatch” that leaves businesses unable to find skilled staff, while a million young people are out of work, it adds. The report calls for sweeping changes in support for young people.

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If you asked me about the key figures of 2011, Justin Bieber and Charlie Sheen would be the last names to come out of my mouth. And yet, according to the 75% of us who use social media, these two are this year�s most important figures. Check out my new graphic illustrating our surprising social media addictions and what they say about us

I accumulated a good bit of debt when I went to college. Initially, I attended a school I really couldn’t afford, but it was by far my favorite school, it was relatively close to home, and I went with my heart instead of my head.

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It’s always strange to realize just how much we spend on things that we don’t consider regular, heavy expenses. American pet care is a $50 billion dollar industry and growing. As infrequently as vet visits seem to come up for my family, the bill for most any procedure is at least $200. Pets are a part of the family, and I’m certainly not one to cut corners, but some of our spending is very unnecessary.