Friendly chat for people over 40

By your forties, meeting people can take more planning than it used to. Work, family and old routines fill the diary. ChatFriends gives you a place to drop into a conversation without arranging an evening out first.

Bring more than your age to the conversation

Some people arrive with a new hobby. Others have changed jobs, moved home, raised children or begun to enjoy having time to themselves again. Those differences make a chat interesting. You do not need to have reached a particular milestone to feel at home.

Music, films, travel, local life and the odd question about what to cook tonight are all fair game. A familiar song might lead to a story, while a small everyday problem might turn into a surprisingly good discussion.

Find a time that works for you

A few minutes after work can be enough to read what is happening and say hello. If evenings suit you better, come back when the day has settled. There is no need to stay for hours to become a familiar name.

When you meet somebody you enjoy talking to, pick up the subject next time you see them. That simple act of remembering often does more for a friendship than a perfect first introduction.

Easy ways to start talking

You can enter through the main chat and join whatever subject is already underway. If you would rather begin with something you know, try one of these openers.

• Which album can you still play from beginning to end?
• What is one hobby you have finally made time for?
• Has a place you knew well changed for the better?