Close to a third of British females aged 25 to 45 interviewed in the survey – equivalent to some 2.6 million women – admitted they don’t like to think about the future, and so have therefore, made little or no plans to fund their late summer and autumn years.

Even though nearly one in four women do admit to worrying about ageing, many are seemingly pinning all their hopes on fending off old age through a mixture of expensive creams and ointments. Almost one in three (30%) of women said they were now using anti-ageing cosmetics and body treatments, including a quarter of 25-30 year olds.

Other, meanwhile, simply choose to date and marry younger men.

When quizzed on where they did spend most of their cash, many women offered a one word answer: - SHOES. According to the survey more than 2.2 million women aged 25-45 in Britain own at least 30 pairs of shoes (I certainly do – Tina), while another quarter confess to sacrificing lunch food money in order to feed their footwear habit.

Meanwhile, around one in three young women spends at least £50 each a month on clothes, while a similar proportion shells out more than £20 on cosmetics.

William Higham, founder of research consultancy Next Big Thing and author of the report said: - ‘One emerging ‘anti-ageing’ trend for women is to go out with a younger man. While it may not make ladies look younger, for many the ‘Samantha Jones’ (star of Sex and the City) approach to dating helps make them feel younger. Figures show that 10,000 women every year marry men at least 8 years their junior.’

But Christine O’Grady, senior media relations executive at Friends Provident, which co-sponsored the report, warned: - ‘Living for the day is all well and good, but it does pay to have one eye on the future. Lotions, potions and surgery ay slow the signs of ageing, but growing old happens to us all and it’s better to prepare for this inevitability.

Perhaps a few pairs of painful new shoes could be sacrificed each year to boost savings for a comfortable retirement!

Source: Citywire 24 May 2008 (Tony Bonsignore)

A 25 year old needs to save 10-15% of their gross salary.

A 40 year old needs to save 17-24%.

A pensioner couple need £13,800 a year to cover their basic needs.

Most people require more than £13,800.

(Source: HubNews - Issue 2 - September 2008)

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