Almost half of Britons (47%) say their biggest financial regret of 2004 is failing to save enough money, over a third up on last year (34%), according to the latest findings from Alliance & Leicester’s Wealth Tracker Index.

A further seven per cent say they regret not investing in the stock market in 2004 and eight per cent say their biggest financial regret was not buying a property.

Whilst the biggest regret by far is not saving enough (47%), one in 14 (7%) say they regret not paying off more of their debts and 8% regret extending the amount they have borrowed. In addition, 15 per cent regret frittering their money away without anything to show for it.

As part of its quarterly study, the Alliance & Leicester’s Wealth Tracker Index asked a GB representative sample of people what has been their biggest financial regret in 2004.

Sarah Ennion, Product Manager for Investments at Alliance & Leicester commented: “It is interesting to see that many more people regret not saving enough this year, compared to last year. People tend to start each New Year with good intentions, but it can be difficult to stick to resolutions. I would encourage people to consider talking to a Financial Advisor, who can help develop a sensible financial plan for the year ahead and also for the longer term. A structured plan based on your personal circumstances and budget is much easier to stick to than a hastily made New Years Resolution.”

Key findings:

• Not managing to save their money proved more frustrating for women, with more than half (51%) saying that they regret not putting money aside, compared to 43 per cent of men.
• Teenagers regret not saving any money, more than any other age group, 57 per cent regret not putting anything away, compared with 42 per cent of twenty something’s and 47 per cent of those in their thirties.
• Women are less likely to worry about spending their cash, just 13 per cent cited frittering their money away as their biggest financial regret compared with 17 per cent of men. Those in their teens frittered the most, with more than one in four (26%) saying they regret ‘throwing their money away’, compared to nine per cent of people in their fifties.
• Nearly one in ten people regret not buying a property during 2004.

• The Scots’ biggest financial regret of 2004 was not saving any money – 62 per cent, compared with just 32 per cent in Yorkshire.
• One in six (15%) residents in the East Midlands most regret borrowing money, however, only a further two per cent regret not paying back any of their existing debts.
• 14% of East Anglians are kicking themselves for not investing money in 2004, compared with only four per cent of people in London and the South East.
• As many as 14 per cent of people in East Anglia regret not starting a personal pension in 2004, compared to just two percent of people in the West Midlands.