ABSTRACT
Only a small proportion of families have any sort of written budget, month by month or week by week. This must mean that holidays and other commitments are booked and entered into with a vague feeling that 'it will all sort itself out.' With the explosion of financial services in the 70s when the banks went 'down market' many young people, without appropriate parental guidance, acquired cheque books and credit cards and learnt by trial and error. This was possibly much the same as when motor cars became popular – initially no driving test was required. However, when the number of accidents reached unacceptable proportions the need to prove proficiency became evident and the driving test was introduced. The concept of citizenship involves the relationship between the individual and the community. Without reasonable health, and the availability of adequate services it could be argued that the individual cannot exercise the fundamental rights of citizenship.
