Despite Scotland’s spooky reputation the number one fear among Scottish people isn’t ghosts but instead personal finances.
New research from NatWest, released just ahead of Halloween, found that almost half of Scots listed financial issues among their biggest fears ahead of heights, the dark and dentists.
Almost one in three Scottish people worry about money daily, with 50% sharing that their woes had kept them up at night.
With the rise in the cost of living and more than half of those surveyed admitting that they are too scared to check their bank balance, NatWest offered several tips to overcome those fears.
Their advice includes making the most of services offered by the bank such as financial health checks, and taking small steps towards the problem by acknowledging issues as they appear to avoid them becoming worse in the long run. In addition, they advise setting yourself a budget as well as starting small when it comes to savings.
Lewis Broadie, a savings expert at NatWest, said: “Personal finances don’t have to be frightening. No matter what you’re up against, there is always a path to move forward and it’s best to face any fears head-on before they get the better of you.”
And while those practical tips could help assuage money fears, here are the top ten things which Scottish people fear.
1. Financial issues
Of the things which Scottish people fear the most, NatWest found that finances were at the top of the list. Around 48% of people surveyed said their biggest fear was financial issues. | moura_vanessa - stock.adobe.com
2. Public speaking
Perhaps surprisingly, the second most common thing to scare Scots is public speaking with 37% of people stating it was among their biggest fears. | vchalup - stock.adobe.com
3. Heights
Despite being home to the Ben Nevis, the highest mountain in the UK, around 36% of Scottish people say that they are scared of heights. | Leandro - stock.adobe.com
4. Deep water
For a nation surrounded by water, 34% of those surveyed shared that they were afraid of deep water. | JulietPhotography - stock.adobe.com