New research from personal loan provider, Hitachi Personal Finance, has revealed that Brits feel proudest about achieving financial goals and milestones, compared to family or career achievements.

The study asked over 2,000 Brits which life goals and achievements they have felt proudest to achieve, and also investigated the pressures surrounding bigger milestones, such as getting married or buying a house.

The top ten alternative life events that Brits are proud to reach are:

1. Taking your first holiday that you paid for (37%)
2. Driving on the motorway for the first time (33%)
3. Cooking your first meal from scratch without help (32%)
4. Getting to £1,000 in your savings accounts (31%)
5. Hosting your first Christmas (24%)
6. Buying your first piece of big furniture outright (24%)
7. Taking your parents out for a meal and paying for it (23%)
8. Becoming responsible for helping/mentoring other people at work (21%)
9. Being responsible for a pet for the first time (20%)
10. Selling your first home (18%)

Five out of the ten achievements listed were directly related to money and savings, showing the importance of financial matters across the nation. Being able to buy big ticket items, such as a holiday or furniture, were high on the list of proudest moments, beating other events such as being responsible for colleagues or pets.

Vincent Reboul, Managing Director at Hitachi Personal Finance, also commented: “The fact that Brits take such pride in saving their money and making big purchases, such as a holiday or piece of furniture, is really encouraging.

“It’s also positive to see young people placing such importance on financial achievements, with almost a third (30%) of 18-24-year-olds taking pride in reaching over £1,000 in their savings account. Across the board, our research showed that it is typically the younger generation that feels most of the pressure, so we wanted to highlight the other moments in life that often go unnoticed, but are equally as important as the more traditional milestones.”

When asked about milestones that they felt most pressure to achieve, one in five people said earning above the average UK salary (£27,000), whilst 34% said they felt pressure to buy a home. Among 18-24-year-olds, these increased to 36% and 46% respectively.

To find out more about Hitachi Personal Finance, visit: www.hitachipersonalfinance.co.uk