Financial animals – we are all a bit of an animal when it comes to money

Are you a compulsive LION, an amassing FERRET or an altruistic CHIMPANZEE?

Discover your financial spirit animal with Zopa

• Working with Professor Erica Fudge of the University of Strathclyde, Zopa has discovered links between financial decision-making and the behaviours found in the animal kingdom
• Zopa commissioned research to ask Brits about their relationship with money. According to the study, the UK is a nation of saver squirrels (30%) and agitated antelopes (30%) – two of the most savvy financial behaviours
• Discover your Zopa Spirit Animal with this fun and interactive online quiz

Zopa has discovered that our animal instincts come into play when making financial decisions and that we are predominantly conservative in our outlook – identifying most with squirrels and bongo antelopes. Partnering with Professor Erica Fudge, from the School of Humanities, University of Strathclyde, Zopa, the pioneering financial services company, links our very human financial decision-making and the behaviours of some animals in the natural world.

Backed up by existing investor data which found that 17% of Zopa investors* regularly invest small amounts throughout the year – just like a squirrel – Zopa has created a brand new quiz that allows users to find out their Zopa Spirit Animal, and provide some insight into their relationship with money.

The main financial personalities include traits such as saving a lot of money, doing whatever it takes to avoid risk, saving for a little while then spending compulsively, and even carrying around some guilt which comes from the possession of a certain amount of money.

Ahead of the quiz being released, Zopa took a temperature check of the UK to find out the nation’s relationship with money, and discovered a prevalent trend for caution, with many saving a little amount regularly (30%), or constantly keeping watch on their finances (30%) – qualities that were linked to squirrels and the bongo antelope, respectively.

Making up the remainder of the top 5 traits that Brits aligned themselves to were doing everything you can to increase your wealth (much like a ferret, with 10% of the vote), preferring security and comfort over anything risky (characterised as a dog, at 9%) and treating yourself from time to time (behaviour linked to a lion, with 8% of the vote).

• SQUIRREL – Hedonism is alien to you and you would rather make savings than spend money
• DOG – You choose security in your financial affairs above all else
• CHIMP – You feel bad when in possession of a lot of money as such situations bring about a certain sense of guilt in you
• LION – You are prone to save for a while but are also susceptible to spend compulsively when affected by an external stimulus
• FERRET – You regard money as a source of power, and therefore your ultimate goal is to continually increase your wealth
• BONGO (ANTELOPE) – You consider that monitoring your finances is a source of control, therefore you tend to spend a lot of time keeping track of your financial situation
• KANGAROO – You perceive money as a source of adventure and freedom and enjoy taking risks with your money
• OSTRICH – You don’t like managing your finances and try to avoid daily tasks about money
• CASSOWARY – You have never thought about a budget or had any luck with significant savings. You take pleasure in spending your money

Clare Gambardella, Zopa’s Chief Customer Officer, says: “We’re all a bit different when it comes to managing our money – and we now know that our animal instincts can have a direct impact on our financial decision making. At Zopa, we want to help people feel good about their money, and provide them with products and services that work best for them. Hopefully this quiz will allow them to tame or nurture the financial animal within.”

Professor Erica Fudge says “We are surrounded by anthropomorphised animals who help us understand more about our own, human culture. Take George Orwell’s Animal Farm as an allegory of communism, or the recent film Paddington as a comment on cultural difference, for example. From such works, it is easy to see the appeal of assigning human traits to those found in the animal kingdom – by using animals we are able to speak about human lives, worlds and ideas in a way that reveals something new about them.”

Zopa helps people get more out of their money through its award winning loans and investment products – including the Innovative Finance ISA. It hopes to achieve another set of exciting milestones over the coming year as it launches a bank to give people a better experience with their finances by providing simple, fair products that are easy to manage, and using its tech know-how to provide a bank that’s fit for the future.

*Zopa retail investors who in 2018 invested additional money at least once every two months

THE ZOPA SPIRIT ANIMALS

SQUIRREL

Hedonists need not apply. Saving is your style and you’re proud of it. You like to prepare for a rainy day and happily stash away plenty of nuts during the autumn in preparation for the winter ahead. You hoard in multiple locations with several investments across different forests. Just remember to check in on your nuts from time to time….

DOG

Financial security is your thing and you put it above most other affairs. You’re loyal and faithful to one idea, person or plan. Your doggedness may also mean that you have a one track mind when it comes to your money and, once your head is down sniffing out the track, you tend to ignore all other avenues. However, this may mean you don’t take in the wider view or consider other options.  

CHIMP

You feel bad when you have a surplus of money and it can sometimes tug on those guilt strings. You show great compassion towards others and you’re always aware if you have something that someone else may want or need. You can often be found to help out others around you even when there is no personal gain to be had.

LION

You are able to save. It’s just sometimes that MUST HAVE thing pops along and screams YOU NEED ME. But what’s wrong with that? You never can tell what the future holds, or where your next meal is coming from, so you like to make the most of a good thing whilst can you have it.

FERRET

Money is power and power is money. Your ultimate goal is to continually increase your wealth. You’re always looking for ways to save smarter and make your money grow. Some may call you tenacious. You call it clever and cunning.

BONGO (ANTELOPE)

You like to have a sense of control over your finances and so monitor them closely, keeping a constant track of your financial situation. You don’t like change and are easily scared and skittish, so always keep one eye on the horizon.

KANGAROO

Money is your source of adventure and freedom. You love taking great leaps of faith and taking risks with your cash. There’s nothing you like more than jumping from one adventure to the next, because who knows where that might lead you…

OSTRICH

When your head is buried in the sand, you think all your problems disappear. The thing is you know that’s not really true. The longer you keep your head down, the bigger your worries will get. This is particularly true of your fears around your finances. You hate managing your money so much that you’ll do anything you can to avoid daily financial tasks. At some point, things need to be addressed. Why not make a start today.

CASSOWARY

You’re a stranger to savings and a belligerent to budgeting. You run at full speed, using all your resources up in one go. You find great pleasure in accumulating masses of possessions quickly. This could be because you like to show off or it could simply be out of boredom and the need for something to do. Who cares? You look great!