London, UK (21st September 2023): As payday approaches, we can all feel the pinch. But a new poll of 2,000 employed adults found that many of us are still quick to splash the cash once the money does come in, with more than £600 being spent on clothing, tech, and home furnishings in the first three days of each month.
Factor in bills and rent, and many of us are left counting the pennies for the remaining two weeks before the next payday arrives – and then we do it all again.
With this back-and-forth between feeling flush and being broke playing out so regularly, it’s no surprise that 37% of those polled admitted that if they could rob a bank and be guaranteed they’d get away with it, they’d do it.
Sounds like it’s time for a heist!
Noting that it’s Londoners who struggle the most with their money management, PAYDAY 3 publishers PLAION set up a cross-city challenge in the English capital, where members of the public could follow the money to a secret location and secure a “month’s average salary” by stripping PAYDAY 3-themed dollar bills from a specially branded van.
Over 2000 notes were grabbed from the vehicle in under 10 minutes, with those lucky enough to bag a limited ‘winner’ variant being entered into a draw for the prize loot.
CHECK OUT OUR HEISTERS IN ACTION HERE
A spokesperson for PLAION, which commissioned the research via OnePoll, said: “It can be tricky not to spend your hard-earned cash all at once, especially at a time when most expenditures are completely unavoidable.
“We can certainly understand the temptation of wanting to rob a bank to get that much-needed injection of cash.
“However, disposable income won’t get you far behind bars, so we suggest that the heisting fantasy is best left experienced in video games.”
The poll discovered that the southeast of the UK is where early spending after each month’s payday peaks, with an average of £722 flying out of accounts within the first 72 hours. Conversely, the southwest is where the least is spent early doors, at just £544.
Other results include the fact that 18-to-24-year-olds spend the most per month on takeaways of any age group, £42 compared to £13 for over-65s; and 41% of respondents say they tend to buy things that aren’t necessary to their lives, at a cost of around £60 per month on average. Thankfully, on average around 21% of our monthly income is considered disposable.
But back to those who would rob a bank if they could, as they’ve got some impressive fantasy heist crew members. The dream team for busting in and out without a scratch includes Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson as the muscle, Lewis Hamilton as the crew’s getaway driver, and Derren Brown to hypnotise the guards, thus ensuring nobody gets hurt (or, y’know, does something dumb like call the cops).
In terms of which type of heister Brits considered themselves to be 34% of those polled said The Ghost, able to get in and out without a trace, whilst another 27% fancy themselves as the brains behind any operation as The Mastermind.
PAYDAY 3 is out now for PC via PC Game Pass, on Steam and Epic Games Store, as well as Xbox Series X and S Game Pass, PlayStation 5 and GeForce NOW. Find more information on the game at its official website.
Founded nearly three decades ago, PLAION has firmly established itself within the entertainment arena. With a diverse range of services and solutions, PLAION stands as the premier publishing partner for console and PC games across both physical and digital channels. Moreover, its strong foothold in the Virtual Reality (VR) domain highlights the company's commitment to varied gaming experiences.
PLAION is an Embracer Group company.