Money Readiness Questionnaire

Build a clearer picture of your money confidence

Choose the answer that feels closest to you right now. This is a helpful confidence assessment, not a school test, and there is no judgement in the score.

50 practical questions10 real-life money areasPersonal next steps

0 of 50 answered

Budgeting and spending habits

How you plan, track and adjust day-to-day spending.

When money comes in, what do you usually do first?

I spend normally and see what is left laterI keep a rough idea in my headI set aside money for essentials before flexible spendingI avoid checking because it feels stressful

How often do you check your balance or banking app?

Most days or before I spendAbout once a weekOnly when I think money might be lowAlmost never

A friend invites you to something you cannot really afford. What is closest to your response?

I go anyway and worry laterI suggest a cheaper option or say I need to skip itI borrow from someone without a repayment planI check my budget and decide after that

Which cost is easiest to forget when planning a week?

Small regular spends like snacks, subscriptions and travel top-upsOnly rent or big billsNothing, because plans always work out exactlyI am not sure, but I know some costs can sneak up

If your spending plan stops working halfway through the month, what would help most?

Ignore it until next monthReview what changed and adjust the remaining spendingCut every non-essential cost without checking what is realisticUse credit to cover the gap without checking the cost

Saving habits

How you build buffers and prepare for future costs.

What does saving money mainly mean to you right now?

Only something to think about when I earn a lotPutting away small amounts when I canHaving a plan for short-term goals and emergenciesWhatever is accidentally left over

You know you need money for a birthday, travel or course item next month. What do you do?

Break the cost into smaller weekly amountsHope I can cover it when it happensThink about it but do not change anything yetPut something aside if I remember

What is the main purpose of an emergency fund?

To cover unexpected essentials without panic borrowingTo spend on treats whenever I wantOnly to use for holidaysI have heard of it but I am not sure

How do you usually separate money you want to save?

I keep it in the same balance and try not to touch itI use a separate pot, account or clear note in my banking appI withdraw cash and hope I do not spend itI do not separate it at all

What is a realistic first savings goal for many students?

A small buffer such as £50 to £100 for unexpected costsA huge amount straight away or nothingOnly saving once every bill is gone foreverSaving without knowing what the money is for

Student finance understanding

How well you understand loans, maintenance money and support.

What is maintenance money usually meant to help with?

Living costs such as rent, food, travel and course needsOnly nights out during freshers' weekOnly tuition feesAnything, because it does not need planning

Before choosing a university or course, what money question is useful to ask?

What are the likely rent, travel and living costs in that area?Which place has the best social media posts?Can I ignore costs until I arrive?Only how much the hoodie costs

What should you do if student finance payments are delayed?

Contact student finance, the university/college and plan essential spendingTake any loan advertised online immediatelyIgnore rent or bills without speaking to anyoneAsk friends for money without knowing when you can repay

Which support might be worth checking if money is tight while studying?

Hardship funds, bursaries, scholarships or student support servicesOnly payday loansNothing, support is never availableOnly asking classmates to solve it

How should a large termly payment be handled?

Split it across the weeks or months it needs to coverSpend freely at first and plan laterKeep a rough note but do not include rent or billsSet aside obvious essentials and review often

Bank accounts and overdrafts

How you use accounts, cards, alerts and overdrafts.

What should you check before opening a student bank account?

Overdraft limits, fees, repayment rules and useful featuresOnly the free giftOnly whether a friend uses the same bankNothing, all accounts are exactly the same

What is an overdraft?

Borrowing through your current account that may have rules or chargesFree money that never needs repayingA savings accountA reward for spending more

Which banking feature can help prevent surprise overspending?

Balance alerts, spending notifications or potsTurning off all notifications and never checkingUsing only contactless without trackingSaving passwords in public places

If you go into an arranged overdraft, what is a sensible next step?

Check any charges and make a plan to reduce itIgnore it because the bank allowed itOpen more accounts to avoid seeing itUse it for non-essential spending as long as possible

Why is it risky to share your card, PIN or banking login?

Someone could access money or make payments in your nameIt is only risky with strangers, never friendsIt helps the bank trust you moreThere is no risk if you trust the person

Credit cards and borrowing

How you approach credit, borrowing costs and repayment.

What is credit?

Borrowed money or a payment agreement that usually needs repayingIncome you have earnedA discount codeMoney that only adults need to understand

Which habit can support a healthier credit history?

Paying agreed bills and repayments on timeApplying for lots of credit in a short timeIgnoring letters and app messagesOnly making payments when reminded by friends

If you use a credit card, what is usually the safest habit?

Pay the full statement balance when possibleOnly pay the minimum foreverTreat the limit as extra incomeUse it for friends and hope they pay you back

Before borrowing money, what should you compare?

Total repayment, interest, fees and what happens if you miss a paymentOnly the monthly payment if it looks smallOnly whether the advert looks friendlyNothing if the lender approves you

What should you do if you think you cannot make a repayment?

Contact the lender or a free debt advice service earlyWait until missed payments build upBorrow more without checking the costDelete the app and avoid messages

Buy now pay later

How carefully you use short-term payment products.

What does buy now pay later usually let you do?

Get something now and pay later or in instalmentsGet things for freeAvoid needing a budgetEarn wages earlier

What is a risk of having several buy now pay later purchases at once?

Small payments can stack up and become hard to trackIt makes every purchase cheaperIt removes the need to check due datesThere is no risk if each item is small

Before using buy now pay later, what should you check?

Payment dates, late fees and whether you can afford each paymentOnly whether checkout is fasterOnly whether friends use itNothing, because it is not borrowing

Which purchase is the strongest reason to pause before using buy now pay later?

Something you want but could not afford if the payment came out todayA planned essential with money already set asideA purchase you have compared and budgeted forA small item you forgot to include in your budget

If a buy now pay later payment is due tomorrow and you are short, what is best?

Check the provider options and seek help before missing itIgnore it because it is not a real billUse another BNPL purchase to cover the problemHope it does not matter

Fraud, scams and online safety

How you spot pressure, protect details and check requests.

A message says your bank needs your PIN urgently. What should you do?

Reply quickly so the account is safeUse official bank contact details or the app to checkClick the link but enter only some detailsForward it to friends first

Which job offer should make you pause?

One asking you to receive and move money through your accountOne with normal interview details and a clear employerOne asking for your availabilityOne from your school careers portal

What is a common warning sign of a scam?

Pressure to act immediately or keep it secretA clear returns policyA normal receipt after checkoutA website with contact information

Before buying from a seller you do not know, what should you do?

Check reviews, payment protection and whether the deal seems realisticPay by bank transfer quickly to secure itTrust it if the item picture looks goodSend personal details before asking questions

What should you do if you think you have shared bank details with a scammer?

Contact your bank immediately and follow their safety stepsWait a few days to see what happensOnly tell friends onlineDelete the message and do nothing else

Payslips, tax and National Insurance

How confident you are reading pay, tax and deductions.

What is a payslip for?

Showing pay earned, deductions and take-home payOnly showing your employer's logoReplacing a bank statementShowing only how many hours your friends worked

What does take-home pay mean?

The amount paid to you after deductions such as tax or National InsuranceThe amount before any deductionsOnly cash tipsMoney your employer keeps

If your pay looks lower than expected, what should you check first?

Hours, rate of pay, tax code, deductions and whether anything changedNothing, payslips are always wrongOnly whether you spent too muchDelete the payslip

What is National Insurance linked to?

UK contributions connected to earnings and some state benefitsHome contents insuranceA student discount schemeA bank account password

Why is it useful to keep payslips or download copies?

They can help check pay, tax, applications and employment recordsThere is no reason to keep themOnly to compare with friendsTo share online as proof of income

Moving out, rent and bills

How prepared you are for rent, deposits, utilities and shared costs.

Before moving out, which upfront costs should you plan for?

Deposit, first rent, travel, basic items and possible setup costsOnly food for the first weekOnly streaming subscriptionsNothing until after moving day

In shared housing, what should be agreed early?

How rent, bills, council tax rules and shared items will be handledOnly who gets the biggest roomNothing, because it always works itself outWho can ignore bills if they are busy

Why should you read a tenancy agreement before signing?

It explains responsibilities, rent, deposits, notice and rulesIt is only paperwork and never mattersOnly to find the Wi-Fi passwordTo see if it has nice formatting

Which bill can change depending on use or supplier?

Energy, water, broadband or mobile costsEvery bill is always fixed foreverOnly clothes shoppingI am not sure, but I know bills can vary

What is a sensible way to prepare for monthly bills?

List expected bills, due dates and who pays whatWait for reminders and hope there is enough moneyPay whoever asks firstOnly plan rent and ignore smaller bills

Money confidence and decision-making

How you make decisions, ask for help and recover from setbacks.

When you do not understand a money word or product, what do you usually do?

Ask a trusted person or check a reliable sourcePretend I understand and carry onGuess from social media commentsSave the question and look it up later

How do you feel about talking about money with a trusted adult, teacher or adviser?

Comfortable enough to ask when neededA bit awkward, but I could do itI would avoid it unless things got seriousI would never ask

Before making a bigger money decision, what helps most?

Compare options, costs and consequences before decidingChoose whatever feels easiest in the momentCopy what a friend did without checking if it fits meDelay forever because all money choices feel scary

If you make a money mistake, what is the most helpful response?

Work out what happened, get help if needed and make a recovery planHide it from everyone and hope it disappearsBlame yourself and stop checking your moneyNotice it but avoid changing anything

Which statement feels closest to you right now?

I can make everyday money decisions and know where to get helpI understand some things but want clearer guidanceI feel unsure about most money decisionsI do not think money skills matter yet