MSE Census
There are more male MoneySavers than ever before, this year's MSE census shows - and you love a chocolate biscuit. This year marked our fifth MSE annual census, where we find out who the MoneySavers are and what makes them tick. It's our opportunity to find out a little bit more about who uses the site (or more accurately, who uses the site and fills in the polls).
There are more female MoneySavers than male (just)
This year the MoneySavers who responded to our census were roughly 51% female and 48% male (some chose not to say). While women are slightly over-represented when compared to the entire UK population - which is about 50.6% female and 49.4% male - it's the most even gender split we've ever seen in an MSE census. Women have traditionally dominated, making up a whopping 64% of respondents back in 2014, but this has been steadily evening out over time.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Female | 64% | 59% | 55% | 57% | 51% |
Male | 35% | 40% | 44% | 42% | 48% |
May not add up to 100% as some did not identify with any gender or chose not to say
The most popular region is the South East
18% of the surveyed MoneySavers said they live in South East England - the most common region by far. The most popular areas outside the South East were North West England and South West England, with 11% of respondents each.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Scotland | 8% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 8% |
Wales | 5% | 5% | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Northern Ireland | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
England - North East | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
England - North West | 12% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 11% |
England - Yorkshire and Humber | 8% | 8% | 8% | 9% | 9% |
England - East Midlands | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
England - West Midlands | 8% | 8% | 7% | 8% | 8% |
England - East of England | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% |
England - London | 8% | 9% | 10% | 9% | 10% |
England - South East | 18% | 18% | 19% | 18% | 18% |
England - South West | 11% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 11% |
Outside the UK | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 1% |
Most have a degree or professional qualification
We've always known MoneySavers were a brainy lot, and they've been getting more educated over the past five years. In our latest census, 46% said they had a degree or higher degree, such as an MA or PhD, compared to 37% in 2014 and 42% of the population as a whole. Plus another 16% have a professional qualification, while 17% have a further education diploma.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
No qualifications | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
1-4 O Levels/CSEs/GCSEs/Entry Level Foundation Diploma | 6% | 6% | 5% | 5% | 5% |
5+ O Levels/CSEs/GCSEs | 8% | 8% | 7% | 7% | 6% |
Apprentice | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
1 or more A Levels | 7% | 7% | 7% | 7% | 6% |
Further education with NVQs/GNVQ/City and Guilds Craft/BTEC First/General Diploma etc | 21% | 21% | 20% | 20% | 17% |
Degree (BA/BSc etc) | 27% | 27% | 29% | 29% | 31% |
Higher degree (MA/PhD etc) | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 15% |
Professional qualification | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 16% |
Would rather not say | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Most MoneySavers are married
55% of the MoneySavers who responded this time round were married or in a civil partnership, which is slightly above the national average of 51%, while 42% have kids under the age of 18.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Single without kids | 16% | 16% | 18% | 17% | 18% |
Single with kids | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% |
Cohabiting without kids | 10% | 10% | 12% | 11% | 12% |
Cohabiting with kids | 5% | 4% | 4% | 4% | 3% |
Married without kids | 19% | 20% | 21% | 20% | 22% |
Married with kids | 36% | 36% | 33% | 36% | 33% |
Divorced without kids | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 3% |
Divorced with kids | 5% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Widowed without kids | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% |
Widowed with kids | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Would rather not say | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
MoneySavers' salaries are on the up
It makes our day when our tips put some extra cash in our readers' pockets. But since 2014, your salaries have been creeping up too - the number of MoneySavers bringing in over £50,000 a year has grown from 11% to 15%, while the proportion earning less than £15,000 a year has dropped from 26% to 19%.
The most common income bracket is now between £20,000 and £30,000, which is line with the national average wage of £27,040 per year.
| 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 |
Less than £15,000 | 26% | 24% | 22% | 22% | 19% |
£15,001 to £20,000 | 12% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 10% |
£20,001 to £30,000 | 22% | 22% | 22% | 21% | 21% |
£30,001 to £40,000 | 14% | 15% | 15% | 16% | 16% |
£40,001 to £50,000 | 8% | 8% | 9% | 10% | 10% |
£50,001 to £70,000 | 6% | 6% | 8% | 8% | 9% |
£70,001 to £100,000 | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 4% |
More than £100,000 | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
Would rather not say | 7% | 8% | 8% | 7% | 9% |
And last but not least...you love a chocolate digestive
This year we discovered that a MoneySaver's favourite biscuit is likely to be the humble chocolate digestive, favoured by 15% of respondents - while an iron-willed 9% don't eat biscuits at all.
In past years we've found out you're partial to cheese and onion crisps, your favourite sauce is ketchup, and most of you don't fancy appearing on a TV show - although if you were to have your 15 minutes of fame, you'd like to go on Strictly Come Dancing.
26 November 2024
Clever ways to calculate your finances
