It’s official: British men don’t like splashing the cash. According to research, a fifth of UK men surveyed compare themselves to Ian Beale from Eastenders when it comes to spending: with 20 per cent describing themselves as ‘tight’ or ‘careful’ with money. Further, over a third of men admit that they could be described as ‘diligent’ or ‘thrifty’ with their finances.
The survey, commissioned by Scottish Widows, asked both men and women which fictional soap character or celebrity best matched their personality when it came to money. Shockingly, the results revealed that more men financially identify with Eastenders’ Ian Beale than anyone else.
In contrast, while men keep a firm grip on their wallets, women are more likely to identify with another Eastenders’ character, the financially messy Honey Mitchell: with 17 per cent of women saying that, like her, they are ‘always short of money’ and 15 per cent of women saying that they ‘seem to have one financial crisis after another’.
The spendaholic, shopaholics Carrie Bradshaw and David Beckham resonated with only six per cent of people, while just as many identified with the debt troubled Peggy Mitchell.
With spending under pressure all over the UK, the celebrities and fictional characters people now feel they have less in common with are the financially risky Darren from Hollyoaks (one per cent), and the property investing tycoon Sarah Beeny (three per cent). Only one per cent of people identified with celebrities who have given significant money to charity, like Elton John or Angelina Jolie.
Mike Hoban, Customer & Brand Marketing Director of Scottish Widows says: "It’s great that so many men see themselves as financially responsible, but they have to make sure that what they are doing with any savings pays off in the long term. There’s no point in saving money now if they end up simply splashing it all at once in a few years time. Putting a little aside each month and planning carefully for the future will stop them running into a financial crisis in later years."