Money Habits of Women and Men

Based on recent research, findings comparing the financial habits of women and men include:

Overall, single men outspend women, which may be due to higher average earnings. Men spend more on food and transportation, while women have higher spending for clothing. Both groups have similar spending for entertainment.
Women are wiser shoppers, buying items on sale and using coupons more often than men.
For debt, including credit cards, student loans, auto loans, personal loans, home equity lines of credit, and mortgages, men have more debt than women.
For both groups, the main financial goals were saving for a vacation, paying off credit card debt, and improving their credit score.
As they near retirement, men had higher amounts in their retirement funds. However, women are more likely to participate in an employer retirement plan than men, and save a greater percentage from their paychecks.

For additional information on the money habits of women and men, go to:

Teaching Suggestions

Have students create a short survey to compare the spending, saving, and investing activities of women and men.
Have students create a visual proposal (poster or slide presentation) to suggest improved money management activities.

Discussion Questions

What factors might affect differences between the money management activities of women and men?
Describe actions a person might take to improve money management activities.