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Mancunians get a money makeover

9/ 5/2008

IN the wake of new statistics from a study carried out by NatWest MoneySense, it has been revealed that 79 per cent of Manchester residents say they have no money to treat themselves.

Research highlights from the study, undertaken among 5,000 21 to 45 year olds between December 2007 and January 2008, show that not only do only 21 per cent of residents say they are able to afford the luxuries as well as the essentials in life, 12 per cent say they hardly even have enough for essentials. And two per cent have to borrow for the essentials.

The majority, that's 65 per cent, say that although they have enough for the bare essentials in life, they can't afford luxuries.

So, it's never been a better time to get on top of your finances by taking advantage of free, impartial money guidance. This isn't about wading through reams of financial terminology, sifting out what applies to you.

NatWest thinks that money guidance should be easily accessible and relevant – for students confused about managing their money, the couple looking to start a family or buy a home, or somebody considering retirement – the guidance should help with every day and important lifestyle money decisions.

The Manchester MoneySense Week (May 12-18) is here to introduce you to MoneySense – resources and money guidance that suit your lifestyle. MoneySense advisers will be on hand to answer your questions and provide ideas, information and guidance to help you improve how you manage your money.

That's why over the last 14 years, NatWest has invested almost £40m in delivering financial education and resources for young people and adults.

Going the extra mile

Now NatWest is taking this further. Manchester MoneySense Week is the first roadshow of its kind, offering free, impartial and practical money guidance for adults in three locations around the city.Guidance is available online at www.natwest.com/moneysense and in branches via free generic Understanding And Managing Your Money Guides which are all suited to your lifestyle.The NatWest Manchester MoneySense Week runs from Monday May 12 until Sunday May 18 in the Arndale Centre (May 12-18), Tesco Failsworth (May 12-13) and Crown Point, Denton (May 14-18).
MoneySense's ideas, information and guidance will help with daily money decisions so that you can be sure you are covering off the essentials and finding practical ways to put a little aside for one of life's little luxuries.

Free guidance

You'll be able to book a one-to-one guidance session with a MoneySense adviser to help you make sense of your money; there's also a team of MoneySense staff on hand with useful resources to help you manage your budget, plus booklets to take away and study at your leisure, individual life stage factsheets, interactive online activities like financial health checks and a budgeting calculator as well as educational DVDs played on the plasma screens and lots of useful giveaways to help you with your money management.
For information on MoneySense Week in Manchester and for free, impartial and practical money guidance to help with everyday money decisions log onto www.natwest.com/moneysense

Angela Griffin's top three tips for staying on top of your money

I try and put away a bit of money from every pay cheque – it's good to know I've always got an emergency fund so I don't get caught out when the unexpected happens
Being a self-employed actress means I don't get paid monthly. However, I still work out my budget on a monthly basis because that's how most regular bills are paid. I usually budget to help me keep track of my finances. This way I know exactly how much money I've got left.
What's the point in working hard if you can't treat yourself to a few little luxuries? I regularly review my outgoings and cut out what I don't need, meaning I have extra cash to enjoy a family day out