Society: Teenagers put cash before rebellion

Britain's teenagers are planning a very sensible 1998, according to research released yesterday by NatWest. The most popular New Year's resolution among 12- to 18-year-olds is to look after their money, followed closely by giving up smoking, and concentrating on their homework.

After greater fiscal discipline, teenagers most wanted to stop smoking, do better at school, stop biting their nails and eat fewer sweets. Further down the list, but very topical, was a desire to give up taking drugs. Other items on the adolescent wish-list included finding a new boyfriend or girlfriend and behaving better.

However, despite a range of very unrebellious ambitions such as being more tidy, the number of teenagers pledging to reform themselves in 1998 has dropped since last year. In 1996 57 per cent of teenagers made a New Year's resolution, this year the figure is 53 per cent.