You might even remember my dispute with a famous Australian financial columnist on a flight from Brisbane.

“Women simply can’t manage money as well as men. Women don’t care about money; they care about people” quoth he with a straight face and meaning every word.

😱 😱

I was totally gobsmacked and not just insulted for myself and his wife who was incidentally sitting on the other side listening intently, but I was insulted for all women everywhere.

This was an influential financial columnist for one of Australia’s leading news houses and he still rolled out that old trope.

No wonder only 49% of women feeling confident about their financial knowledge compared to 67% of men according to a recent survey by Ellevest.

Interestingly, researcher after researcher has proven that women are indeed good with money when given the chance.

Here are 10 fun statistics that you can roll out in response next time you sit next to someone who makes your blood boil if they diminish women’s financial acumen.

1.  Women are better savers than men. A study by Fidelity Investments found that women save an average of 9% of their pay packets, compared to 8.6% saved by men.
2. Women’s investment portfolios have historically outperformed men’s. A study by Warwick Business School found that women’s investment returns were, on average, 1.8% higher than men’s.
3. Women tend to be more risk-averse, which can lead to more stable and long-term growth in investments. Research from the University of California found that men are 45% more likely to take excessive risks than women.
4. Women are more likely to pay off their credit card balances. A survey by Experian showed that women had 3.7% lower credit card debt compared to men.
5. Women are more likely to seek professional financial advice. A study by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) found that 40% of women sought professional financial advice, compared to 35% of men.
6. Women are more likely to donate to charity and give more generously. A report by the Women’s Philanthropy Institute found that single women are 21% more likely to give to charity than single men.
7. Women are more proactive in planning for retirement. A study by Transamerica Centre for Retirement Studies found that 60% of women are actively saving for retirement compared to 55% of men.
8. Women often take charge of household budgeting. A study by Prudential Financial found that 95% of women are the primary or joint decision-makers for their household’s finances.
9. Women are more likely to have emergency savings. According to a survey by Bankrate, 46% of women have enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, compared to 41% of men.
10. Women are increasingly improving their financial literacy. The Global Financial Literacy Excellence Centre (GFLEC) found that women’s financial literacy has been steadily improving, closing the gap with men over recent years.

Thanks to ChatGPT for helping me prep this fun little piece.