We all know the feeling. The end of month comes around and with a week left we’re all digging around the back of the sofa to find the cash to get us through to our next pay cheque.
No matter how diligently we have saved it always seems to be the case. You factor in rent, bills, days out and even nights out itemised by the number of drinks we buy and greasy food we consume. But it isn’t enough.
By the end of the month we’re skint and considering our savings – and it’s all down to unexpected payments.
According to new research the average Brit will shell out over £3,000 over the course of a lifetime on unanticipated bills – that’s a national spend of £175 BILLION.
And on average, their most recent unexpected bill or payment set them back £485, with broken computers, damaged cars and boiler repairs topping the list of most common unforeseen charges.
The research was carried out by leading online lender MYJAR, whose spokesman said: “We’ve seen studies carried out in the past about how much money people have in their bank accounts, and how much they’ve set aside for rainy days or emergencies.
“However, our research has revealed how much these emergencies will actually cost over a lifetime – and the figure is incredibly high.
“For many, there’s a very real fear of being landed with unexpected bills or payments, as many households budget their regular financial commitments very well, but don’t have a financial buffer to cover anything out-of-the-blue.”
The Top 30 Most Common Unexpected Payments
1. Washing machine/dishwasher dying
2. Parking ticket
3. Computer packing up
4. Boiler packing up
5. Damaged car
6. Dental surgery
7. Overdraft fees
8. Pet getting injured/unwell
9. TV breaking
10. Speeding ticket
11. Fridge breaking
12. Leak in bathroom
13. Accidentally signing a subscription and not cancelling before renewal
14. Leak in the roof
15. Having to pay for your kids to go on a school trip
16. Having to buy a new car because yours is past it
17. Phone screen smashed
18. Smashed window
19. An unexpected tax bill
20. Having to buy clothes for the kids out of the blue (because they’ve grown or ruined clothing)
21. Huge phone bill (landline)
22. Needing to buy a suit for a special occasion
23. Property stolen
24. Mobile phone bill after a trip abroad
25. Emergency anniversary/birthday/valentines gift after forgetting the date
26. Having to travel long distance out of the blue
27. Luggage too heavy at airport
28. Paying for medical procedures
29. Needing to buy school equipment for your kids (e.g.: a laptop or iPad)
30. Dropping mobile phone in the toilet
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