Worries about money spread out across social-economic divide
Shoppers do their last minute Christmas shopping at the Nakumatt Lifestyle on December 24, 2013. Sixty-four per cent of those interviewed by research firm Consumer Insight said that being broke was the greatest impediment to an enjoyable Christmas. PHOTO | JENNIFER MUIRURI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Interestingly, 18-24 year-olds — statistically the demographic with the least money—expressed the least concern about finances during the holiday season.
Worries about money were found to be spread out across the socio-economic divide, but were naturally higher among the people who earns the least.
Some 64 per cent of the lowest earning group complained about money, compared to 47 per cent in the highest earning bracket.
Security fears ranked a distant third after bad weather, indicating that people feel safer these days than they did in the past.
Two out of every three Kenyans feel that lack of money will dampen Christmas celebration this year.
Sixty-four per cent of those interviewed by research firm Consumer Insight said that being broke was the greatest impediment to an enjoyable Christmas.
The survey was commissioned by the Nation and shows that people in the 30-34 age bracket are the most worried about money.
Almost three quarters of them list lack of finances as a holiday damper.
About 69 per cent of 25-29 year-olds, and 66 per cent of 35-39 year-olds also listed money as their biggest concern.
Interestingly, 18-24 year-olds — statistically the demographic with the least money—expressed the least concern about finances during the holiday season.
This could be because this age group is not financially independent yet and relies on parents and guardians for their upkeep.
Worries about money were found to be spread out across the socio-economic divide, but were naturally higher among the people who earns the least.
Some 64 per cent of the lowest earning group complained about money, compared to 47 per cent in the highest earning bracket.
SECURITY FEARS
Security fears ranked a distant third after bad weather, indicating that people feel safer these days than they did in the past.
Worries about security or terrorism were expressed by only 29 per cent of those polled.
This is a big reduction from the 57 per cent who complained about security in the same survey in 2013.
Security fears were most prevalent among the richest, with 37 per cent of those polled saying they were uneasy over terrorism.
The upper middle class were the least concerned about security, at 27 per cent.
Other reasons that people gave as possible Christmas spoilers were congestion in public transport (17 per cent) and inconvenient timing of the holiday (11 per cent). The holidays are notorious for surges in fares by public transporters, due to the mass movement of people during the festive season.
The study polled a total of 560 people through phone interviews, and twice as many men as women were included in it.
