The research found that 37 per cent of young women are starting to mimic the shrewd habits of Felicity Kendal's character - from investing in money-stretching items like sewing machines and bread makers to cooking in bulk, freezing leftovers and growing their own fruit and vegetables. They are also replacing wild nights out with sensible nights in, waxing at home and cutting their friends' hair.
The new Barbaras:
- Always cook in bulk and freeze any leftovers (32 per cent)
- Buy home hair dying and waxing kits rather than make expensive trips to the salon (29 per cent)
- Run book and DVD swapping clubs with their friends (24 per cent)
- Organise nights in with mates at the weekend over expensive nights out clubbing (23 per cent)
- Have invested in sewing machines and bread makers (14 per cent) to save money
- Won't buy anything unless they've checked for online vouchers first (14 per cent)
- Skills swap with their friends to save money - 12 per cent have used their decorating and hair cutting talents to help a mate out
- Grow their own vegetables rather than buy expensive supermarket supplies (12 per cent)
- Customise old clothes to avoid buying new items (10 per cent)
- Host 'Come Dine With Me' style dinner parties to share food costs (10 per cent)
The study also showed that women have reigned in their spending much more than men, with 44 per cent having made major cutbacks on every day items like clothes, meals out and drinks in the pub, compared to just 32 per cent of men.
According to experts from the price comparison site, budding Barbaras are saving over a thousand pounds a year just by making a few lifestyle changes.
Sian Harrison from Moneysupermarket.com Vouchers says: "The under 30s have grown up in an age when people thought nothing about spending money on something that could be easily fixed or made from scratch. However, the recession has made young women much more cautious about money and they've learnt that there are big savings to be made by returning to the spending habits of their mothers' generation.
"For example, swapping regular trips to the salon for waxing and hair dyeing at home can save £896 a year and sharing skills and asking a friend to cut your hair will save £377."
Ends
Notes to editors:
Research was carried out by OnePoll among a representative sample of 5,010 UK consumers in April 2009.
Savings figures calculated as follows:
|
Cost of item sourced from Moneysupermarket.com |
Cost of alternative |
Annual Saving |
|
Home hair dye kit
Recital Performance Hair Dye Golden Blonde: £3.99 x 6 = £23.94 |
Highlights / full head colour every two months @ £99 = £594 |
£570.06 |
|
Hair cut
Hair dressing scissors = £7.50 |
Cut and blow dry every 8 weeks at Toni & Guy @ £48 = £384 |
£376.50 |
|
Home waxing kit
Rio Total Body Waxing Hair Removal Kit = £34.19 |
£39 full leg and bikini at The Sun Room, every 6 weeks, 9 times a year = £351 |
£316.19 |
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