'Are you an financial optimist for 2012?' poll 16 January 2012 at 12:32PM in MoneySaving polls 49 replies 6.3K views

Former_MSE_Penelope

Poll started 16 January 2012, click here to vote

How much are you worth?

If you include your house's value and all other assets owned, but subtract all debts (including mortgage), how much are you worth – or how much in debt are you?

Choose the option that best reflects your results.

In debt: over £1 million more debt than savings/assets
In debt: £250,000 - £1 million more debt than savings/assets
In debt £100,000 - £249,999 more debt than savings/assets
In debt £25,000 - £99,999 more debt than savings/assets
In debt £10,000 - £24,999 more debt than savings/assets
In debt: £5, 000 - £9,999 more debt than savings
In debt: Up to £4,999 more debt than savings
Roughly same debt as savings (or neither of both)
Saver: up to £4,999 more savings/assets than debt
Saver: £5,000 - £9,999 more savings/assets than debt
Saver: £10,000 - £24,999 more savings/assets than debt
Saver: £25,000 - £99,999 more savings/assets than debt
Saver: £100,000 - £249,999 more savings/assets than debt
Saver: £250,000 - £1 million more savings/assets than debt
Saver: over £1 million more savings/assets than debt

Dudley_1066

I am surprised that there are so many people with assets. I expected more people with debts to be using the site and this would show up with the results

B.W._Fox

Just made redundant - this after taking a paycut 6 months ago which has burned through my savings. After downsizing, scrimping and moneysaving for five years I went from over £10,000 to within £726 of being debt-free. Now my loyalty to my company means, since I've managed to keep up the insurance payments, that I'm worth more dead than alive.

MSE_Martin

Dudley_1066 wrote: »

I am surprised that there are so many people with assets. I expected more people with debts to be using the site and this would show up with the results

Common misconception. Saving is our biggest single money category on the site - much bigger than debts. And our user base reflects the demographic of the UK as a whole.

superbabe612

MSE_Penelope wrote: »

how much are you worth – or how much in debt are you?

This is two different questions to me - ignoring any moral/spiritual meaning of 'worth'

I answered the second part of the question first - how much in debt am I?
In debt £25,000 - £99,999 more debt than savings/assets

However, this debt is a mortgage on a house with equity so I should really have chosen this answer:
Saver: £100,000 - £249,999 more savings/assets than debt

Interesting how I see myself as in debt rather than owning assets - must come from years of habit!

Pmarmalade

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Common misconception. Saving is our biggest single money category on the site - much bigger than debts. And our user base reflects the demographic of the UK as a whole.

Indeed, a lot of money-savvy people use this site, and this site has made a lot of people more money-savvy. Money-savvy people often are so because they use the information from excellent resources like MSE.com.

louray

superbabe612 wrote: »

This is two different questions to me - ignoring any moral/spiritual meaning of 'worth'

I answered the second part of the question first - how much in debt am I?
In debt £25,000 - £99,999 more debt than savings/assets

However, this debt is a mortgage on a house with equity so I should really have chosen this answer:
Saver: £100,000 - £249,999 more savings/assets than debt

Interesting how I see myself as in debt rather than owning assets - must come from years of habit!

I was thinking exactly the same!!

MSE_Martin

superbabe612 wrote: »

This is two different questions to me - ignoring any moral/spiritual meaning of 'worth'

I answered the second part of the question first - how much in debt am I?
In debt £25,000 - £99,999 more debt than savings/assets

However, this debt is a mortgage on a house with equity so I should really have chosen this answer:
Saver: £100,000 - £249,999 more savings/assets than debt

Interesting how I see myself as in debt rather than owning assets - must come from years of habit!

Thanks for that - we've tried to clear it up a bit more by reformatting the question to make it more clear. Let me know if you think it helps

Jaybo10

Maybe the results reflect the large number of people who, like me, are saving for a necessary big deposit and are not yet home owners?..

Coveredinbees!!!!

I forgot my house is an asset, I just think of it as where I live not of any real value after all if I sold it I would need another one to live in. Better change my vote to match.

Another thought on the subject of considering you home as a asset, it's not an easily negotiable asset and who's to say that my £200,000 house will be worth that when I come to sell it?

superbabe612

MSE_Martin wrote: »

Thanks for that - we've tried to clear it up a bit more by reformatting the question to make it more clear. Let me know if you think it helps

OMG! Is that the REAL Martin (Money Saving Hero!) commenting on my post?! :eek:

It wasn't meant as a criticism, honestly! I would be far worse off if it weren't for you, this site and your team. Thankyou for all your hard work! :A