A big thank you to everyone who completed our simultaneous surveys last month, which compared women's lifestyles in their 20s and 30s. Each poll asked women to bare all when it comes to sex, money, work and confidence, and revealed that it's definitely those in their 30s who are having the most fun. Over 1,000 of you took part - here are the results:
Sex
Clearly when it comes to sex, experience wins over youth. In spite of having a supple body on their side, nearly half of women in their 20s (42 per cent) said they felt less confident about sex and have a huge desire to try out new things. Less than a third (32 per cent) are enjoying regular, gratifying sex in contrast to well over a half (57 per cent) of sexually fulfilled ladies in their 30s who know exactly want they want in the bedroom – and aren't afraid to ask!
Money
Financially, while half of women in their 20s (51 per cent) claim they try to keep in control, they also admitted that they are spending too much. This was in sharp contrast to women in their 30s, who claimed that they have now put extravagant spending behind them; more than half (58 per cent) said that they now have more money saved.
Work
So how do your 20s and 30s compare workwise? Well, while 20-somethings might feel that they're missing out in the bedroom, they're clearly not underachieving in the workplace! Two-fifths of women in their 20s (40 per cent) claim to be happy with their career choice and feel that they are on the right track to a fulfilling career. However, uncertainty still looms large for nearly half of women in their 20s (44 per cent), who admit that they're still not sure about what they want to do with their career. In contrast, women in their 30s showed themselves to be less preoccupied with their careers: well over a third (37 per cent) claimed that that they work to live, seeing it as more a means to an end, with their personal life taking precedence over career.
Looks
While thirtysomething women feel they have to work harder to maintain their looks, they feel less under pressure to do so. Despite not needing to work so hard for the perfect figure, the poll revealed that women in their 20s still don't feel as confident as women in their 30s. In fact, it's quite the reverse, as nearly a third of twentysomething women (30 per cent) admitted to constantly feeling under pressure to look good, in sharp contrast to the more self-assured and relaxed attitude of those women in their 30s.
Confidence
And although 61 per cent of those in their 20s claim they feel confident about the future, they also admit that they still can't help worrying. A staggering half (51 per cent) of those twentysomethings revealed that they can't wait to reach their 30s and finally get some stability into their lives! And there was a huge sigh of relief from those already in their 30s, as nearly three-quarters (71 per cent) revealed that they are more happy than ever and are enjoying themselves far more than they did in their 20s.
Famously, both Cameron Diaz and Gwyneth Paltrow have spoken about their relief at leaving their anxiety-ridden 20s behind, while Kylie's career exploded at 30. Therefore, it's no wonder that 79 per cent of women in their 20s and a staggering 94 per cent of women in their 30s chose these 30-something celebrities as their role models, leaving the likes of Britney Spears and Kate Hudson well in the shadows!
Commenting on the results, our editor, Debbie Djordjevic said: 'Our poll results suggest that when you're in your 20s you are still finding your feet and developing as a person, whereas when you reach your 30s everything starts fitting into place. While TV shows like Sex & The City and Cold Feet portray independent, confident and successful women living and loving in their 30s, our poll results definitely back this up and show that modern women feel that life really gets better with age!'
So overall, which is the best age to be and who is having the most fun? No contest. The 30s get a resounding thumbs-up, with women in their 20s looking forward to it and thirtysomething women revelling in it!
