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QUIZ: How Financially Fit Are You?
It’s time to take the Financial Bleep Test.
THE DUST HAS settled on Christmas and for a lot of us, that means some time spent analysing bank statements and where exactly we lost the plot over the Christmas period.
Unconscious spending is the killer for many of us – those “little but often” outgoings that we don’t notice at the time but that seriously add up. Think of a morning latte, your few pints after work, or that taxi you didn’t really need to take.
Imagine if you were saving as little and as consistently as you are spending on takeaways. It would add up – and that’s what saving is: an everyday thing with realistic goals, nothing massive or scary.
So let’s put your fiscal fitness to the test with our Financial Bleep Test – and no cheating now. Answer honestly, and see if what you think your outgoings cost actually add up in reality.
Ready… set… go.
1. If you were to order a takeaway for two every Saturday night for one year, how much would it cost you in total?
€1030
€1560
€1460
€1890
2. If you were to get a latte on your way into work three mornings a week, how much would it add up to after a year?
€432
€264
€832
€654
3. How much do you think four pints after work twice a week would cost annually?
€1040
€840
€1540
€2080
4. If you took a taxi home from town once a week, how much would that taxi bill have cost you on average over five years?
€2100
€3400
€3120
€1150
5. How much would you have to save every month (with an interest rate of 1.45% AER) to have €5000 savings after five years?
€80
€100
€20
€120
6. How much would you save if you brought in food from home two days per week in one month?
€56
€100
€30
€82
8. If you were to cycle to work twice a week instead of getting the bus, how much would you have saved after a year?
€582.50
€340
€674.50
€468.50
You scored out of !
Financial stud
You're pretty much able for as many reps as necessary when it comes to crunching numbers. You're very aware of your outgoings and you're fit as a fiddle when it comes to saving. Well done.
You scored out of !
Financially sound
Congrats - you're on top of things. But there's always a little room for improvement, right? Figure out where you could be strengthening the pennies, and they could start turning into serious pounds.
You scored out of !
Financially sloppy
Hmm... Looking a bit out of shape there. You need a few sessions - not in the gym, but with a budgeting app. All isn't lost, but you could be making some serious gains if you get serious about this.
You scored out of !
Financial slob
Ah here. Out of breath already? You need to start working out a bit more - working out where all your money is going, that is.
Behind the answers
1. Based on a takeaway for two costing around €30, by 52 weeks in the year
2. Based on a coffee costing €3, by three, by 52
3. Based on a pint costing €5, by four, by 52
4. Based on your average taxi journey costing €12
5. Exact figure is €80.30 per month for a period of 60 months
6. Based on lunch costing an average of €7
7. Based on figures from Electric Ireland
8. Based on average bus journey of €2.80 four times a week, by 52
No matter how financially fit you are right now, you can always whip your finances into shape with a little help and know-how. Head over to RaboDirect now to find out how to start saving smarter and get 2016 off to a great start. Reach your savings goals this year with the savings specialists.
Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., trading as RaboDirect, is licensed by the Dutch Central Bank in the Netherlands and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. Terms and conditions apply. RaboDirect is part of the Rabobank Group.
