Guys (and Scots) just wanna have fun

Men spend a whopping £671 per month on enjoying themselves, compared to women’s monthly ‘fun’ expenditure of £520. The spending gap between the sexes has been revealed as part of a new report on the UK’s spending habits – the Money Dashboard Spending Statement - analysing over 3 million transactions, tagged against 10 spending categories,including: appearance, enjoyment, bills, family, mortgage or rent, home and transport.

Women on average spend £630 a month less than men, while men end up spending £238 more each month on repayments alone. However, women outspend men on their appearance, shelling out £118 per month compared to £98 for men. Men’s expenditure on appearance increases with age, peaking at 50-59 when spending matches the £129 spent per month by women of the same age.

Across Britain, the picture is equally fascinating. Regional spending patterns highlight that Scots are second only to Londoners when it comes to living it up, spending £603.32 per month on enjoyment compared to £646.46 for Londoners, where the cost of living is considerably greater. Such is the cost of London living, that mortgage and rent payments for Londoners (£1,094.74) are around double those being paid in Northern Ireland (£533.28), Wales (£568.43),and the North East (£576.06) and considerably greater than the UK average of£676.

Age is no barrier to having fun, with men’s enjoyment spending peaking between the ages of 50 to 59 with monthly outgoings of £887 on having fun compared to between 40 and 49 with monthly outgoings of £662 for women.

So, when it comes to spending there does seem to be a clear gap between men and women. Women seem to prioritise items connected to appearance and the home, spending a larger proportion of their income on bills, family, household goods such as furniture, insurance and mortgages or rent compared to men. While men will prioritise fun, debt repayments dominate monthly outgoings, with spending on repayments on average £238 greater than that of women. 

Starting with a simple budget is the easiest way to take back control of your money and end the vicious repayment cycle. Using our app, you can get an at a glance look at your financial health, what you’re spending on what, along with a tracker that shows how you are progressing with your budget plans. It makes managing money simple, and can help even the most disorganised take back control of your money - and your life.

Spending category definitions:

Appearance: Includes hairdressing, clothes shopping, manicures, make-up,cosmetic procedures.

Enjoyment: Includes spending in pubs, restaurants, cinema, theatre,subscription TV including streaming, sport and funfairs.

Bills: Includes gas, electricity, council tax, TV licence, internet andphone bills.

Home: Includes groceries, furnishings, ornaments and home improvements.

Repayments: Loans, credit cards, credit agreements.

 

1. Average figure taken from more than 3 million UK transactions over one year, from 1/01/2017 to 31/12/2017. No filter was set on overall earnings or spending. Represents individuals and families in a number of different circumstances and banking arrangements.

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