26 March 2012, 260312, economy, finances, financial situation, money, personal finances, Personal financial situation, Polling, polls
Q, Over the next 12 months do you think your personal financial situation will get better, get worse or stay much the same?
|
28 Jun 10 |
18 Oct 10 |
4 April 11 |
4 Jul 11 |
3 Oct 11 |
26 Mar 12 |
Vote Labor |
Vote Lib/Nat |
Vote Greens |
|
| Total better |
29% |
33% |
32% |
28% |
24% |
28% |
34% |
25% |
36% |
| Total worse |
31% |
29% |
31% |
36% |
41% |
37% |
29% |
42% |
34% |
| Get a lot better |
5% |
6% |
7% |
5% |
4% |
5% |
5% |
4% |
14% |
| Get a little better |
24% |
27% |
25% |
23% |
20% |
23% |
29% |
21% |
22% |
| Get a little worse |
21% |
21% |
22% |
23% |
27% |
27% |
22% |
30% |
27% |
| Get a lot worse |
10% |
8% |
9% |
13% |
14% |
10% |
7% |
12% |
7% |
| Stay much the same |
37% |
32% |
32% |
32% |
32% |
29% |
32% |
31% |
25% |
| No opinion |
4% |
5% |
5% |
3% |
3% |
5% |
5% |
2% |
5% |
28% (up 4% since October last year) of respondents believe that their personal financial situation will get better in the next 12 months and 37% worse (down 4%). 29% (down 3%) expect it to stay much the same. However, these results are very similar to those of July 2011.
Greens voters (36% better) and Labor voters (34%) are the most likely to believe that their personal financial situation will get better over the next 12 months, whereas Coalition voters are the most likely to believe that theirs will get worse (42%).
People on lower incomes were more pessimistic about their personal financial outlook – those earning under $600 per week split 22% better/49% worse – compared to those earning more than $1,600pw who split 36%better/30% worse.
finances, mortgage, mortgage payments, personal finances, Saving, saving less, saving more
Q. Compared to 12 months ago, are you saving more, saving less or saving about the same? (note – saving includes paying off your mortgage)
| Total | Men | Women | Aged 18-34 | Aged 35-54 | Aged 55+ | Work full time | Work part time | Don’t work | |
| Total saving more | 28% | 26% | 29% | 41% | 26% | 19% | 35% | 27% | 21% |
| Total saving less | 33% | 34% | 31% | 27% | 31% | 40% | 30% | 28% | 40% |
| Saving a lot more | 7% | 6% | 7% | 13% | 5% | 4% | 10% | 4% | 5% |
| Saving a little more | 21% | 20% | 22% | 28% | 21% | 15% | 25% | 23% | 16% |
| About the same | 37% | 38% | 36% | 28% | 42% | 40% | 34% | 44% | 37% |
| Saving a little less | 17% | 18% | 16% | 17% | 14% | 20% | 17% | 12% | 20% |
| Saving a lot less | 16% | 16% | 17% | 10% | 17% | 20% | 13% | 16% | 20% |
| Don’t know | 2% | 2% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% |
28% of respondents say they are saving more than they were 12 months ago and 33% are saving less – 37% are saving about the same.
Those aged under 35 tend to be saving more (41% more/27% less) while those aged 55+ are saving less (19% more/40% less).
There is a strong relationship with work status. 35% of those in fulltime work are saving more, 44% of those in part-time work are saving about the same and 40% of those not working are saving less.
Christmas, Christmas gifts, Christmas spending, income, personal finances, spending and income
Q. And now about Christmas spending – compared to last year, do you expect to be spending more on gifts at Christmas, less or much the same?
| Dec 08 | Dec 09 | Nov 10 | Dec 11 | |
| Will spend more | 3% | 11% | 10% | 13% |
| Will be spending less | 38% | 38% | 38% | 40% |
| Spend much the same | 55% | 47% | 48% | 44% |
| Don’t know | 5% | 4% | 5% | 3% |
Views about spending on gifts at Christmas remain similar to last year’s. 13% say they will spend more (up 3%), 40% spend less (up 2%) and 44% much the same (down 4%).
23% of those aged under 35 say they will spend more, 46% of those aged 35-44 will spend less and 56% of those aged 55+ will spend much the same. There is no significant relationship between changes in spending and income.