Empty Nesters Questionnaire
(One or more kid left home, 45-60 years old)

Work & Leisure:

Is looking young important to you? What do you do to achieve it? Moisturers, exercise? Plastic surgery?
The majority believe that eating properly is the biggest contributing factor to looking good and more important that exercise and beauty treatments.

How do you spend your spare time now? Hobbies? Exercise? Educational classes? Travelling? Do you have more or less time now?
Empty nesters like to spend their increased spare time travelling and socialising. Eating out and going to the theatre are very popular pastimes and dancing also seems to have made a reassurance. Spending time with family members is also a priority and sporting activities, especially walking, is a commonly enjoyed.

Do you spend more time with your partner? Going out for dinner? Travelling? Any trips planned?
Respondents admitted to eating out much much more as they have more money to spend and can’t always be bothered to cook, though having a healthy diet is very important.
Empty nesters said that now their children have left home they worry less and socialising much more as a couple, spending a lot more time together.

How have you planned for retirement? Are you worried about it?
Many have made travel plans for retirement and are keen to travel to places far a field such as South America, India and Australia.
Financially most are unconcerned, as they have saved from an early age and have pensions and saving schemes, meaning that the majority are actually looking forward to retirement.

Will you continue working after retirement age?
While most of the respondents do not want to continue to work full time, working part time or doing a different more casual job is appealing. Reasons include not wanting to be bored, lonely or because of financial commitments.

Finance:

Do you have enough money to live comfortably?
Respondents who are still in employment admit to having enough money to live well, without having to scrimp and save. However respondents on state pensions find it harder and admit to having to watch the pennies.
Many respondents appreciate what they have because they had so little money when they were younger.

Have you saved money for retirement/pension schemes?
Husbands seemed to be in charge of the pension schemes and investments and more men than women have a pension scheme through work. Most of the respondents have some capital saved and the majority said they had saved enough to live comfortably.

Are you saving for grandchildren? Children? Will you/have you helped your children get onto the property ladder?
Helping children with deposits and contributing towards the cost of university were the most recent payouts empty nesters had made. Most do not have grandchildren yet and have not saved for them independently.

Have you switched banks/mortgage providers recently? Why/Why not?
Empty nesters want convenient and competitive interest rates on their savings. They are prepared to switch accounts for a better interest rates on mortgages and savings but prefer to have all of their accounts in one place.
Switching credit card providers is also common.
Inertia and loyalty means some have retained the same bank since they were 18.

Do you have a high level of debt?
The majority are debt free and many have paid off their mortgage in full. Credit cards are used but the full amount cleared each month.
Empty nesters expressed a cautious attitude towards money and prefer to save up and not buy things on credit.

Which credit cards/store cards do you use?
Store cards are avoided because of the astronomical interest rates and if they have a credit cards they prefer to only have one as it is much easier and and less stressful only have to remember to pay one bill.

Top Brands:

What are your favourite food brands and why? (trusted, reputation, bought for years etc)
Ingredients and the contents of food are far more important to respondents than brand labels. Respondents want healthy, quality food and buy lots of organic products. Marks & Spencers and Waitrose are therefore the top food retailers best they are seen to offer good quality products with fresh ingredients.

Do you buy more own label or branded goods?
Most buy a mixture of both, but again the contents of a product is more important than brand and respondents want to know what’s in their food and try to steer clear of additives.

What are the top car brands? Why?
Peugeot, BMW and Honda all came out top because of their reliability and price. Respondents tend to stick with the same brand and do not like to change unless there is a major problem.

Top travel agents/holiday brands why?
Thomson and Thomas Cook were the most popular high street travel agents but respondents also use the web to book flights and accommodation separately. Staying in villas or owning a property abroad is common.

Top insurers? House, car, life?
Many have Saga insurance because they have found it be competitive and reliable. Nationwide, Norwich Union and Direct Line were the most popular answers.
Respondents were prepared to continue shopping around for car insurance quotes to obtain the best deal.

Retail/Shopping habits:

How have your shopping habits changed since your children left home? (buy more for self, less food etc)
Respondents buy considerably less food and this means that they like to buy more treats for themselves or buy better quality food as they have more time to cook.
They also use the extra money to eat out or buy more expensive items and gadgets such as flat screen TVs.

What are your favourite stores for clothing? Why?
Monsoon and Marks & Spencers were popular with the women because they offer good quality clothes that are: “Stylish not frumpy and don’t make me feel 90 years old!”
Men like Gap, River Island and Marks & Spencers because of the range of clothes available.

Do you prefer to shop on high street, supermarket? Markets? Car boots?
Respondents prefer to shop at a number of different locations and are very keen to support local, independent traders rather than the supermarkets.
Many mix shopping on the high street with the supermarket for convenience.

Do you use the internet to research before you shop? Has the internet changed the way you shop?
Research is conducted when purchasing expensive or specialist items in order to obtain information or the best price.
The internet is also used at Christmas time to purchase items when time is tight.

What items do you like to buy and which are your favourite retailers and why?
Books, clothes and furniture were the top items and therefore John Lewis, Debenhams and Habitat were the top stores among this age group.

Media & technology:

Do you have a computer at home? What do you use it for?
Checking emails, surfing the web and using it for work were the most popular uses for computers.
The computer is particularly important for keeping in contact with friends and family and in particular friends who live far away.
Others use the computer more creatively: “For writing poetry” or “solving the crossword”.
The internet is used for looking and booking holidays.

Do you have a mobile phone? Which tariff are you on? What do you look for in a mobile phone provider?
The majority of respondents are on pay as you go tariff because they do not use their phone very often and do not want to pay a monthly charge. They are happy to have very basic models and admit to not use many of the functions or features.

What are you favourite TV shows? Which magazines/newspapers do you buy?
Sitcoms such as The Office and game shows like Deal or No Deal, The Apprentice and University Challenge were top viewing for the empty nesters. Soaps and documentaries are also appealing.
The top newspaper was The Guardian and women liked magazines such as Hello, OK and house keeping titles.

How do feel about the development of technology? Do you feel daunted by it or have you embraced it?
Though they wouldn’t use the term embraced, most feel confident to use computers and the internet. They are not ignorant of new developments and though they find it more complicated as they get older they are prepared to learn are encouraged to become computer literature in order to be able to communicate with friends and family. One respondent even admitted to playing computer games: “I’ve got a Playstation and a Gameboy!!”

What are your favourite websites and why? Do you shop online? What do you buy? Research?
Visiting websites seems to be product or information lead rather than having favourite sites for this demographic. The internet is used to book airline tickets, buy CDs and books and reserve theatre tickets.

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