Half of Britons (49%) want to make major changes to their financial situation but, with the average cost of making these changes calculated at £8,336, it is ironically a lack of funds that is preventing more than half of these (51%) from transforming their relationship with money. The research, commissioned by GE Money to mark the launch of a new range of credit cards and loans, found finances topped the transformation wish list above moving house (25%), changing jobs (21%) and altering appearance (21%).

This need to feel on top of our finances peaks at 62% amongst 35-44 year olds, the age when raising a family is stretching finances to the max. Pensioners are the most financially confident with just 25% saying they need to transform their finances. Regionally, folk in East Anglia were happiest with their financial lot (only 41% wanted to sort out their finances) whilst in Yorkshire and Humberside 56% of people interviewed wanted to make changes to their relationship with money. There is also a gender divide with more women than men feeling the need to transform their finances (53% v 45%).

While the survey calculated the cost of sorting out the average Brit's finances at £8,336, nearly a third (31%) stated they could get better organised without spending a penny. Worryingly, almost a quarter (23%) said they had no idea how much it would cost to get their finances straight.

Having a family also seems to influence the financial transformation bill. It is highest for 45-54 year olds at £13,074 and one in 10 of fortysomethings estimated they would have to spend more than £50,000 to get on top of their finances (compared to just 4% on average). The average amount a single person would need to spend was almost half that for those who are married or living together £10,916.60 v £6151.80) and 18-24 year olds would need to spend the least amount at £4,557.

Having our finances in a permanent state of disarray is also holding many of us back from living our dreams, whether that's travelling (32%), buying a car (28%), changing career (13%) or starting a family (7%). For more than half of us, our dream new home has eluded us (54%) while for a third of Britons, money has meant we can't even improve the home we have. This is especially true for the home making 35-44 year olds, whereas the younger 18-24 year olds are most likely to blame a lack of funds for stopping them travelling to far flung places on holiday (47%).

Commenting on the findings, personal finance expert, Donna Bradshaw, said:
GE Money Marketing Director Najlaa Taqi-Eddin says: "It's not surprising that people want to sort out their finances more than anything else, because, when managed properly, money can be an enabler rather than something that holds us back. The new range of credit cards and loans from GE Money is designed to help people, whatever their needs, transform their relationship with money. We don't want money to be the thing that's getting in the way of people making real and positive changes in their lives."

GE Money

GE Money is the new trading name of Consumer Finance (GECF), one of the world's leading consumer finance services to consumers, retailers and auto dealers. Headquartered in the US, GE Money operates in 48 countries around the world and has assets worth over $150 billion.

In the UK, GE Money offers credit cards, fixed-term retail credit, loans, mortgages and auto finance. GE Money also operates retail branded credit cards for fashion retailers, department stores and supermarkets. Further information about GE Money can be found at

www.gemoney.co.uk.